1870 | Basters are settled under Hermanus
van Wyk in Rehoboth following an agreement between Nama and Ovaherero chiefs, thereby
forming a buffer zone between Nama/Orlam communities and Ovaherero. The original Rehoboth
Baster families are the following: Benz, Beukes, Bok, Claasen (Klazen), Cloete, Coetsee,
Diergaar(d)t, Engelbrecht, Gertze, Isaak, de Klerk, Koopman, Morkel, Mouton, Orlam,
Schalkwyk, Slenger, Steenkamp, Vrey, Vries, Wimmer, Witbooi and van Wyk. White farmers (Jan Louw, Piet le Riche and Leonard Celliers) buy land Wilhelm Christian, Chief of the Bondelswarts (!Gami-#nun) in the vicinity of Warmbad. A Scot named Hill, buys from Wilhelm Christian the farms Tsawasis, Holoog and Groendorn. Carl Wilhelm Walser from Switzerland buys from the Bondelswarts chief the farms Ukamas, Ariamsvlei, Nakop, Swartkop and Walsersbrunn. During the 1870s Willem Krüger lives in the Otjozondjupa area to protect the San and Dama there. He also assists Rhenish missionary Carl Heinrich Beiderbecke. Axel Eriksson establishes a business at Omaruru together with Anders Ohlssen. Rhenish missionary Samuel Gertse works among the Ovaherero converts in Omaruru as their agricultural instructor. Wilhelm Maharero marries Kambauruma Kazahendike. Hahn estimates that 80 000 Ovaherero and Ovambanderu live in the territory. In the Kavango Uukwangali King Sikongo dies. He is succeeded by King Mpasi (until 1880). Theophilus Hahn, missionary Samuel Hahns son, discovers the first rock paintings in Namibia in the Khoichab River. The most important point about Hahns discovery is that he finds an old San in that area still painting. |
31.01. | Wilhelm Christian, Chief of the Bondelswarts (!Gami-Pnun) signs a treaty with the Cape authority to assist the Cape Government preserving peace and order along the Oranje River. |
17.05. |
Jan Jonker Afrikaner tries to persuade Maharero to form an "anti-European alliance", but Maharero declines the peace offer under the influence of the Rhenish Missionary Society (Hahn). |
18.05. | Missionaries Philipp Diehl and Johann Jakob Irle once again establish a mission station at Mahareros werf (village) at Okahandja the first since Kolbe had fled from Okahandja in 1850. Diehl works at Okahandja until 1890 when Maharero dies. |
22.06. | Missionary Friedrich Wilhelm Gottlieb Viehe settles at Omaruru (until 1887) where he establishes a school for the children of European settlers. He is supported by Finnish missionary Antti Piirainen (as from 1872), who erects a store, and by Rhenish missionary Caspar Heinrich Niederwelland (as from 1880, he dies on 13.06.1885 at Okombahe). |
08.07. | The first Finnish missionaries
(Martti Rautanen, Botolf Bernhard Björklund, Pietari Kurvinen, Karl Leonhard Tolonen,
Erkki Juntunen and Karl August Weikkolin), together with Hahn and Green, arrive in the
Ondonga area, in Omandongo, King Shikongos capital. They try to establish mission
stations in the Ondonga, Uukwambi, Ongandjera and Uukwanyama areas. The latter three
stations have to be abandoned within two years of their establishment. Martti Rautanen is
physically expelled from Ongandjera. No efforts are made to establish mission stations in
the Ombalantu, Uukwaluudhi, Uukolonkadhi or Eunda areas. During the Ondonga kings
reign, Ondonga villages on the Onamayongo side - such as Ondangwa, Oniipa, Onamulunga and
Oshigambo - are under the control of the headman of Oniipa, Shikongo sha Nangolo. The
community leaders of the area are: Frans Amweenye, Gideon Mushimba, Sakeus Angula, Vilho
Auala (Father of the present-day Bishop Nangolo Leonard Auala), Barnabas Iyambo, Gideon
Nuuyoma and Sakeus Emvula. Thirteen years are to pass before the first six people can be baptised. |
11.07. | In Omandongo (Ondonga) the Finnish
Missionary Society establishes a mission station. Botolf Bernhard Björklund, Karl Emanuel
Jurvelin, Malmström (until 29.07.1871) and Juho Heinonen (11.07.1870-March 1878) are the
first missionaries there.
Omandongo, south of Onayena is the first Finnish
Missionary Station in Ovamboland. One of the Children of Missionary Martti Rautanen is
buried here |
18.07. |
Elim, the Finnish mission station in the Uukwambi area, is founded. The first missionaries there are Kurvinen (until 21.05.1872), Martti Rautanen and Piirainen, followed by Weikkolin. Kurvinen has to leave due to poor relations with Uukwambi King Nuyoma. |
23.09. | Leaders (Jan Jonker Afrikaner,
Maharero, Kido Witbooi of Gibeon, David Christian Frederiks of Bethany and Jakobus Isaak
of Berseba) and missionaries (Hahn, Diehl and Irle of Okahandja, Brincker of Groß Barmen,
Olpp of Gibeon, seven Finns and the trader C Conrath) organise a peace conference at
Okahandja. A treaty is signed in which Jan Jonker is designated "co-regent",
i.e. Mahareros subordinate. Ten years of peace follow. The decline of Orlam Afrikaner power means that European traders, hunters and missionaries can operate without any major restrictions imposed by indigenes. |
17.11. | Rhenish missionary Daniel Cloete, a
close associate of Hahn for 30 years, establishes and runs (until
1880) a mission station at Okombahe.
Rhenish Missionary Church of Okombahe: Founded on 17.11.1870:
Erongo Region Rhenish Missionary Cemetry of Okombahe: Grave of Missionary
Caspar Heinrich Niederwelland: Erongo Region |