Ondjiva
| Ondjiva | |
|---|---|
| Municipality and town | |
  Ondjiva Location in Angola | |
| Coordinates: 17°04′S 15°44′E / 17.067°S 15.733°E | |
| Country |
 Angola |
| Province | Cunene Province |
| Elevation | 1,098 m (3,602 ft) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 19,602 |
| Time zone | WAT (UTC+1) |
| Climate | Cwa |
Ondjiva (pre-1975: Pereira d'Eça) is a town located in southern Angola. It is the administrative capital of Cunene Province. It was traditionally the seat of the Ovambo king of the Oukwanyama tribe.
History as a mission station
The Ondjiva mission station was established first in 1891 by Friedrich Meisenholl and August Wulfhorst of the Rhenish Mission Society, and with the help of Friedrich Bernsmann and with the permission of King Weyulu Hedimbi. They thought that Ondjiva would have been in the territory of German South West Africa, which later turned out not to be the case. The following year they established the mission station of Omupanda in the following year.
Meisenholl stayed in Ondjiva for some four years, before he had to leave due to a serious illness. Wilhelm Stahlhut came to replace him in the mid-1890s. Stahlhut’s three children died in Africa, and finally he himself fell ill with blackwater fever and died in Outjo on 1 May 1900. His widow stayed for many years, first in Oukwanyama and then in Hereroland.
In August 1915, King Mandume had the mission station burned, and the Germans had to flee to Ondonga in South West Africa.[1]
Ondjiva later became a Catholic mission and the see of the bishop of the Ondjiva Diocese. Fernando Guimaraes Kevanu was the bishop until 2011, and he was to be succeeded by Rev. Pio Hipunyati.[2]
Transport
Ondjiva is not currently served by rail, but in 2008 a railway connection between Angola and Namibia would pass through this town.[3] The Town is located 42 km from the Namibia border. Beginning May 15, 2012, Air Namibia plans to begin service three times a week between Windhoek and Ondjiva airport.
Annual Trade Fair
Ondjiva holds annual 15 day trade fair in July. During this time exhibition are organized so that companies in a specific industry can showcase and demonstrate their latest products, service.
Mrs Maria Joau, Director of Ondjiva Trade Fair.
Notable people
- Marcelina Vahekeni, Miss Angola 2012, delegate to the Miss Universe 2012 pageant
See also
References
- ↑ Peltola, Matti (1958). Sata vuotta suomalaista lähetystyötä 1859–1959. II: Suomen Lähetysseuran Afrikan työn historia [‘One Hundred Years of Finnish Missionary Work 1859–1959. II: The History of FMS’s Missionary Work in Africa’]. Helsinki: The Finnish Missionary Society. p. 124–125, 173, 180.
- ↑ "AFRICA/ANGOLA — Resignation of the Bishop of Ondjiva and appointment of successor". Agenzia fides. Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927. 2011-11-23. Retrieved 2015-05-19.
- ↑ http://www.klausdierks.com/Namibia_Rail/annexure1.htm
Coordinates: 17°04′S 15°44′E / 17.067°S 15.733°E