Directly north of Windhoek lies Okahandja, a town of great significance to the Herero people because it was once the
seat of Chief Samuel Maharero. Every year on August 26 - referred to as Heroes' Day - thousands of Hereros converge in the town to pay homage at the graves of their great chiefs. Some
of the women are dressed in traditional red and black, others in green and black, while the men wear full military regalia complete with medals. Visitors are welcome to view this rich
and colourful ceremony.
According to historian Dr Vedder, the name Okahandja comes from Herero and means "small widening", the place where the rivers meet. The earliest
records of the town date back to 1844 when the first two missionaries arrived there. The year 1894, however, is regarded as the birth of the town as Okahandja became a military base
in this year and a fort was built. In 1904 a Herero uprising broke out, leading to many bloody battles in which the Herero suffered great loss of life. On August 26, 1923, the famous
Herero Chief Samuel Herero was laid to rest in Okahandja at a funeral attend- ed by approximately 2 000 people. Since then this day has been celebrated annually at Okahandja by the
Herero people.
The town is an important centre for woodcarvers from the north. They practise their ancient skills at the wood-and-thatch Mbangura Woodcarvers Market next to the
main road, both at the entrance and at the exit of the town. This is a good place to pick a hand-carved hippo, giraffe or rhino, as each piece is carved individually and the standard
is generally high. |
