Discover Musical Cultures in the Kunene. A Guide to the Living Music and Dance of Namibia, by Minette Mans

Discover Musical Cultures in the Kunene. A Guide to the Living Music and Dance of Namibia, by Minette Mans. Self-published by Minette Mans. Windhoek, Namibia 2004. ISBN 99916-637-2-X / ISBN 999166372X

Images from the guide Discover Musical Cultures in the Kunene. A Guide to the Living Music and Dance of Namibia, by Minette Mans. ISBN 9789991663722 / ISBN 978-9-99-166372-2

Brief historic notes from Discover Musical Cultures in the Kunene. A Guide to the Living Music and Dance of Namibia, by Minette Mans.

In the past Ovahimba lived a nomadic pastoral life. Although they owned livestock, they didn't settle in one place for long, but herded their cattle and goats from one watering place to another, according to grazing and water needs. In the distant past (possibly as early as the 1600s), they were part of a large group of Ovaherero who migrated south from Mocamedes province in Angola. These people settled in the north-western part of the country. According to Kavari and local oral history, the leader of that migration was called Kaoko. Subsequently some of the Ovaherero, led by Maendo, son of Kaoko, moved further south towards the central areas of Namibia around Omaruru, Okahandja, Otjimbingwe, the Waterberg and further east, where they adopted a more settled pastoralism with permanent abodes. The deceased Herero leader, Hosea Kutako, said that his ancestors came from Okangundumba just south of Kaoko-Otavi. During the nineteenth century, Ovahimba who remained in the north-west became targets of cattle raids by Topnaar or Orlam people who had begun to settle in the area of Sesfontein. Because Ovahimba moved around in small family groups, it was easy for raiders to overpower them and chase large herds of animals further south, often also killing many people. This history is captured in oral narratives, relating the horror of these attacks. Eventually people could take it no longer, and to save their lives they fled north of the Kunene River (to present-day Angola). By this time they had almost no animals left and they were forced to rely on the goodwill of locals. They had to beg for food and a place to stay, hence (it is speculated) the name Ovahimba came into existence, referring to begging. In the early twentieth century, a man named Vita ('Oorlog') Harunga went north from Otjimbingwe. He was of mixed Herero and Tswana descent, born around 1865. In Angola he met up with other Otjiherero-speakers. He started organizing people into a fighting force working for the Portuguese against Kuvare (Kuvale), Ngumbi and Kwanyama groups. As they became more skilled in warfare and the livestock situation of his people improved, and the Angolan Government changed to a civil rather than military government, Vita rallied together those who wanted to return and along with Muhona Katiti led them back to Namibia in 1912 and 1917 respectively. They once again settled in the area then referred to as Kaokoland, at Otjijandjasemo. After returning from Angola, they slowly rebuilt their huge cattle herds and resumed their way of life, some of them moving as far south as Kalkveld, known in Otjiherero as Omuramba wandjou. Contact with Angola and neighbouring Owambo kingdoms was strong even during the German occupation. Today Ovahimba are the owners of many goats and cattle, although the recurring droughts continue to wreak havoc among these herds. Up to recent times Ovahimba were somewhat isolated from other parts of Namibia due to a combination of factors, the creation of a 'cleared zone' in southern Kaoko in 1929 and the later 'Red Line' veterinary boundary, the distance from other urban areas, and lack of developmental infrastructure including bad roads. Ovahimba have, to a certain extent, ignored modern western culture, maintaining some of their distinctive lifestyle, dress, language, and rituals. [...]

This is an excerpt from Discover Musical Cultures in the Kunene. A Guide to the Living Music and Dance of Namibia, by Minette Mans.

Title: Discover Musical Cultures in the Kunene
Subtitle: A Guide to the Living Music and Dance of Namibia
Author: Minette Mans
Self-published by Minette Mans
Windhoek, Namibia 2004
ISBN 99916-637-2-X / ISBN 999166372X
ISBN 9789991663722 / ISBN 978-9-99-166372-2
Original softcover, 15 x 21 cm, 142 pages, numerous colour photographs, with CD-ROM (audio) included