Ohangwena Region
Eenhana - Karl Max Shinohamba (SWAPO)
EenhanaMass graves (details to be confirmed once made public).
OndilinawaSite of house used for traditional weddings (`efundula’), still conducted by Tate Lunganda.
Endola - Ruth Kepawa Nhinda (SWAPO)
EndolaSite of house of `Kahumba kaNdola’, Eliaser Tuhadeleni one of the founding members of OPO (and later SWAPO) in northern Namibia. The site where the first guerilla unit sent into Namibia was living in early 1966 before they went into the bush to establish the first SWAPO military bases in Namibia.
EpukuMass grave. Site of alleged mass grave (details to be confirmed once made public).
Omwandi gwontala[`Omwandigontala’ on the map. Alternative spelling `Omwandi gwontala’. A tree on the left of the road from Ondangwa to Oshikango, just before you reach Iindangungu]. The tree was the traditional place where the kings of Ondonga and Oukwanyama would meet for negotiations.
Onekwaya[`Onekuaja’ on the map?]. Anglican parish where Father Theophilus Hamutumbangela worked as a priest [Is the church where he preached still there ?]
OnghaMass Grave. Alleged site of mass grave of PLAN fighters (details still to be confirmed).
Engela - Nghidinihamba Ndilula (SWAPO)
Omusati gwo Shidingo.The trunk of this tree resembles Ondjupa (a gourd that contains cow’s milk). The tree is found at Engela village. In the past, it was a taboo for the Kings of Uukwanyama to visit Engela as it was believed that this tree was associated with evil spirits and the king would die should he visit the village where the tree is located.
OndeshifiilwaBattlefield. Site of fight between South African forces and PLAN combatants in April, 1989 that left 13 PLAN fighters dead. A monument was erected on the site and officially opened on 27th April, 1996.
Epembe - Johannes Nakwafila (SWAPO)
Alufandeka[Not shown on map. Site is near `Omwi’, also not shown on map. Need to confirm whether this is `Omvii’ in this constituency]. Site of battle between South African forces and PLAN fighters in February, 1976.
ElunduSite of South African base used by 32 `Buffalo’ Battalion. It was during an attack on this base in March, 1978 that the high profile South African PoW, Johan van der Mescht, was captured.
Ohangwena - Usko Nghaamwa (SWAPO)
OmhediThe palace of the recently installed Kwanyama Ohamba, Mwadinomho Nelumbu, has been built here along traditional lines. A short walk away (Oshalembe ?) there is a large fig tree which used to be situated in the home of the powerful elenga, Ndjukuma Shilengifa. He was the most powerful elenga in southern Oukwanyama during Mandume’s reign. He died in 1935 and his grave can still be found under the fig tree.
OmhediKwanyama Royal Graveyard. Plans have been made to create a royal graveyard on the site where the late Kwanyama King Mwetupunga Shelungu is buried. It is proposed that senior Kwanyama leaders in Namibia will be buried at this site.
Ohangwena.Ponhofi Secondary School. It is said that this is the school where the school boycott led by NANSO started in June, 1988.
OtungangaReported site of major battle during the liberation struggle [details need to be confirmed]
Okongo - Paulus Mwahanyekange (SWAPO)
OkaweSite of battle between Nama and Kwanyama forces during the reign of King Mweshipandeka (1862-1885)..
Omulonga - Anna Kufu (SWAPO)
Omundaungilo - Festus Ikanda (SWAPO)
Epinga[Name on map is `Epinge’]. South African base attacked on, at least two occasions (August, 1975 and October, 1978) by PLAN fighters.
Omutse gwondjamba[Name on map is `Omutwewondjaba’]. Border post manned by Ovambo `Home Guard’ attacked by PLAN combatants in August, 1975.
Ondobe - Mandume Pohamba (SWAPO)
Ombalamumbwenge[`Ombala ya Mumbwenge’ – `The court of Mumbwenge’]. The site is believed to have been that of the palace of the second king of Ondonga, King Shindongo ShaNamutenya gwaNguti at the end of the seventeenthfcentury. It is, therefore, strongly associated with the ancestors and is a sacred site.
OnambutuBorder post manned by Ovambo `Home Guard’ attacked by PLAN combatants in August, 1975.
Ongenga - Leonard Shimutwikeni (SWAPO)
Okahenge.The village where a large number of PLAN combatants gathered on 1st April, 1989 and where they were attacked by South African forces, resulting in a fierce battle. The village still bears the scars of the battle and the remains of spent cartridges, bullets and other remains can still be found on the battlefield.
OmungwelumeMass Grave. Site of major Koevoet base during the liberation struggle. Alleged site of mass grave of PLAN combatants.
Ondeshifiilwa.A monument has been erected at this site to mark a mass grave containing the bodies of 21 PLAN fighters who were killed in battle in April, 1989.
Oshikango - Usco Nambinga (SWAPO)
EnghandjaMass Grave. Site of possible mass grave (details to be confirmed).
Odibo.Graves. A line of eleven (?) graves under a marula tree contain the bodies of South African soldiers who were killed fighting against King Mandume ya Ndemufayo on 6th February, 1917. The soldiers were originally buried near Oihole, but the bodies were dug up and reburied at Odibo when the Angola-Namibia border was moved south in 1934.
Odibo.St. Mary’s Mission. Workplace of Father Theophilus Hamutumbangela who petitioned the United Nations in 1954 about the conditions experienced by migrant workers and was an early nationalist leader.
Cross-border Heritage ?
During discussions with Ohangwena Regional Council a question was asked about how the project would deal with sites which were of historical significance to communities living in Namibia, but which were located in neighbouring countries. It was suggested that such sites should be listed, but that obviously these sites would not qualify to be listed as `Namibian’ heritage sites. However, the reason for compiling a list of these sites would be that this could assist with the planning and development of `cross-border tourism’.
For example, whilst the most significant sites associated with King Mandume ya Ndemufayo (such as Ondjiva and Oihole) are on the Angolan side of the border, there would be an opportunity for an English language museum display on the Namibian side that would provide an overview of the story. Tourists might then travel to some of the sites on the Angolan side and then return, via the graves at Odibo to Omhedi where there might be a display that provides educational displays about Kwanyama culture and tradition.
OiholeResidence of Ndjukuma that King Mandume ya Ndemufayo took over after his defeat by the Portuguese forces in 1915.
Omikwiyu dha Shaya shaShata.This is the place where some of King Mandume ya Ndemufayo’s omalenga secretly left Oihole to negotiate with the South Africans and British.
OmongwaSite of major, three day, battle between the Portuguese and Mandume ya Ndemufayo in 1915.
OndjivaSite of the palace of Mandume ya Ndemufayo, burnt and abandoned in 1915 when Mandume moved into the `Neutral Zone’.
OnamevaSite of first recognised Kwanyama settlement.
OnehulaSecond earliest site of Kwanyama settlement according to oral tradition. Alleged to be the site where the emanya lyoshilongo was hidden.
Oshimholo[`Oshihetekela’] Sacred Kwanyama site (further research required)