Okakarara

Okakarara
Town
Okakarara

Location in Namibia

Coordinates: 20°35′9″S 17°27′28″E / 20.58583°S 17.45778°ECoordinates: 20°35′9″S 17°27′28″E / 20.58583°S 17.45778°E
Country  Namibia
Region Otjozondjupa Region
Constituencies of Namibia Okakarara Constituency
Government
 • Mayor John Viakondo
Population (2011)[1]
 • Town 4,709
 • Urban 7,000
Time zone South African Standard Time (UTC+1)
Climate BSh

Okakarara is a town in Otjozondjupa Region, Namibia, located 50 km southeast of Waterberg National Park.[2] It has an estimated population of 7000 and is currently growing by 1500 inhabitants annually.[3]

Okakarara consists of the residential areas of Opamue, the former whites-only area, and Okakarara Proper, the former black residential area. It is the district capital of the Okakarara electoral constituency that includes surrounding settlements.

Formerly part of the Apartheid-era bantustan Hereroland, the area is still mainly populated by the Herero people. Because of this, Okakarara is one of the few towns in Namibia where the otherwise dominant SWAPO party came only second in the 2004 elections, and the Herero-dominated NUDO won. Due to a very unusual coalition between SWAPO and DTA, the elected town mayor Ehrnst Katjiku has SWAPO affiliation.

History

Okakarara has been the main battle ground of the Herero and Nama War between the local Herero tribe and the Germans, which took place between 1904 - 1908. This war left thousands of Hereros dead, almost 80% of the tribe perished in this genocide. The place where the war heroes are buried is called Ohamakari. A lot of graves of the German victims of that war are also visible and well maintained at Ohamakari. Ohamakari constitute a very big farming area of more than 10 000 ha and is still owned by the descendants of the Germans who killed the Hereros during the 1904 war, the infamous Diekmann clan.[4]

The first house was built by Salathiel Kambamba Kambazembi and Reinard Tjerije who arrived in the area in 1923. That was coincidentally the same year in which the Legendary Paramount Chief of the Hereros, Samuel Katjiikumbua Maharero died in exile in South Africa - and was buried in Botswana. His remains were exhumed the same year and got re-buried at Okahandja, Namibia at the request of Chief Hosea Kutako, his successor as a Herero Paramount Chief. The settlement grew over time and was proclaimed a town in 1992.[3] Other strong families and clans started arriving and settling at and around Okakarara after the infamous Luderitz concentration camps were abandoned by Chief Hosea Kutako.

Amongst those who arrived in 1932 after the well documented drought in Omaruru were the Ombandi clan which arrived under the leadership of three elders of the Hukununa-Tjihozu clan, amongst them Uncle Carl Katume Tjihozu, Ismael Kaupuka Hukununa and their elder brother Reverend Kefas Maiseuanaani-Hukununa. They settled at Orunahi with the remaining offsprings of the royal Maharero clan under Chief Trougott Mbandaze Maharero, who later moved to the present day Okondjatu. then followed the ouzemba clan of the Havarua, Mavenjono and others. Then followed Otjikaoko clans of Kaura, Tjakuva, Tjavara, Tjipura, Tjivikua and Tjikuua. Tjiseseta and Tjipepa and others followed thereafter. Ongoneko clan was already in the area - these are the Ruhumba, Ndungaua, Nganjone and many others and so was Onguatjindu royal house and Maharero royal houses and other prominent Herero clans who consisted mainly of the remainders of 1904 war. A large number of these communities consists of light-skinned mixtures of Herero-German offsprings, a clear testimony of sexual abuses of Herero women enslaved by their German masters as well as those captured and kept by German soldiers in captivities in concentration camps and at farms.

Okakarara became the centre of the Herero Tribal Authority in the early seventies. The famous Chief Maveipi Kambazembi followed by Uaminike Tjerije and later by the legendary Ludwig Ndinda of Okahitua with tribal stalwarts such as Konjainja Kaveterua, Jaezere David Kambepera, Heinrich Tjarukuru of Okaepe, John Tjikuua, Muvi Tjiho, Corporal Rupembo Mujeu were all residing at Okakarara. The first ever radio Station to broadcast in itjiherero language under SAUK (Suid Afrikanse Uitsaai Korporasie -SABC) was set up and operating from Okakarara. Famous first ever broadcasters such as Naomi Kazombiaze, Jarimbovandu Kaputu amongst others operated from the heart of Okakarara.

Economy

Since 2007, Okakarara houses an annual trade fair. This initiative also led to the erection of a trade centre and an SME park.[3] The town further features a secondary school,a government hospital, a vocational training centre, and an abbatoir.

Okakarara Trade Fair

The Okakarara trade fair is an annual four-day trade fair event which was first started in 2007 as a way to bring the breeders of the communal area around the town together to showcase the animals and as well as share ideas on how they can help improve farming methods. Marquees are erected at the Okakarara Community Cultural Centre which was built with funding from Germany, to accommodate the increased number of exhibitors, as the existing hall is too small to cater to all the exhibitors. Exhibitors include automobile dealers who showcase their latest models. Farmers showcasing their livestock, food stalls, beverages and many other stalls are available. Other exhibitors engaged in the selling of agricultural equipment and vehicles are placed around the fairground on open stands. Because Okakarara is in a rural area, agriculture is important and so the trade fair is a great opportunity to attract investment to the town and it also allows communal farmers to showcase their breeds.

Twin towns

Okakarara has twinning agreements with the following Namibian towns:[3]

Notable residents

References

  1. ↑ "Table 4.2.2 Urban population by Census years (2001 and 2011)". Namibia 2011 - Population and Housing Census Main Report. Namibia Statistics Agency. p. 39. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
  2. ↑ Okakarara namibia-travel profile
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Goreseb, Lesley G (September 2009). "Okakarara Town Council". Supplement to several Namibian newspapers.
  4. ↑ Weidlich, Brigitte. "Herero genocide committee briefs President Pohamba". The Namibian. Retrieved 24 October 2012.