Namibia: Celebrates Independence With Style

Professor Mburumba Kerina was an instrumental in coining 'Namibia' out of Namib Desert.     Namibia has passed through the tes...

Professor Mburumba Kerina was an instrumental in coining 'Namibia' out of Namib Desert.  

Namibia has passed through the test of time that calibrated by several distinct stages of bitterness in the late nineteenth century (1884) until the country's independence 21 March 1990.  Before the name Namibia the country was called Deutsch-Süd West Afrika under the German colonial rule from early as 1880s until 1915 when South Africa regime took over when the German empire collapsed.

Namibian People

Workers at the Village Café in Swakopmund proudly display the national colours.

According to the 2018 demographic statistics of the country about 2.5 million people share the vast spaces of Namibia, the country has one of the lowest population densities in the world with 1.5 people per square kilometre. It is thought that only about a quarter of Namibians live in urban areas like in Windhoek which is the main capital city, although this figure is certainly increasing as growing numbers of unemployed people leave their villages and farms to seek employments and better opportunities in cities. The population of Namibia is not evenly distributed with about 60% of people living in the northern regions, while the southern and coastal areas are almost unpopulated. 

Namibia's population can be divided into (at least) 11 ethnic groups, the biggest group of which is the Owambo people. As a country Namibia is still trying to find a national identity, but each of the countries cultural groups has its own a rich heritage and traditions especial the Himbas. Due to the unfortunate apartheid history that left the contemporary Namibian people divided into tribal groups and Bantustan which is now impacting sensitive issues of tribalism, and some people prefer to think more less than Namibians. The population of Namibia can be divided into the following groups. The Namibian population is comprises the following groups:

• Owambos. 
• Kavangos. 
• Herero. 
• Himbas. 
• Damaras. 
• Namas. 
• Afrikanners 
• Basters.
• Katimas (Lozis, Mafwes,Mayeyis,Masubia and etc)
• Sans
• Tswanas

Symbolism

The colours on our national flag embodies the values of our nation to which all we salute. This is also reflects the endemic of our environment that captured in natural symbolism with the colour GREEN that represents vegetation and agricultural resources. BLUE is a symbol of the clean Namibian sky, the Atlantic Ocean, the country's precious water resources and rainfall. The YELLOW gold sun embodies life and energy. RED stands for the people's pride and their victorious heroism and bravery that resolve to build a future of equal opportunity for all Namibians, the WHITE color signifies peace and unity in the Land of the Brave.

Who Coin Namibia?

The name "Namib" was firstly used by the Sans who living both in Namib and Kalaharian desert. In fact the name Namib is where the country's name "Namibia" was derived that literately reference as "the land God made in anger." and the word Namib itself means the shield or protection. However, the renaming process of the country was not just stop there: One Namibian brilliant scholar and son of the Land of the Brave, Professor Mburumba Kerina (Eric William Getzen) was given opportunity to study in Asia under the fellowship of Dr President Sukarno. According to the history Kerina was invited to have some tea with Sukarno in his palace; where Sukarno asked him where he is from, and then he said, "South-West Africa". The Indonesian leader was moved by his intro and then told him that "My son, slaves and dogs are named by their masters, but freeman name themselves." So, the radical communism of Indonesia captivated Kerina to finding a way of renaming and proclaim the country before South African regime enshrined ownership over Namibia and annex it to be its fifth province.

After some years Reverend Michael Scott alerted him that South African Apartheid regime is about to incorporate Namibia to became its fifth province and must do something very quickly. Kerina realised that Namibia was going to be annexed one day, and it would be the end of Namibia. He wrote an article that their country should be named the 'Republic of Namib' and the nationality of the people must be referred to as Namibians.

Meet the man who named Namibia, Mburumba Kerina, doing a historical footage in Sossusvlei.  

Mburumba Kerina

Professor Kerina; he is a man who has seen, heard and played a great part in the liberation for Namibia. Those who have done a bit of digging will tell you that he is the first black man to petition the United Nations on conditions faced by Namibians at the hands of the South African apartheid government. Also, he is the man who name 'Namibia' by adding some two suffixes "ia" plus Namib to became Namibia, which is now a country official totem. Kerina is well-known as liberation pioneer, academic, politician as well as an author. But there is more to him than that.  Kerina is influenced by Gandhi, his simplicity and the commitment to principals that he grieved in. Some of the books Kerina has published include "The Making of a Nation", as well as "The Chief and Legend" starring Chief Hosea Komombumbi Kutako. 

Early Life And Education: Kerina is of half Ovambo and half Ovaherero descent. He is a great-grandson of explorer and trader Frederick Thomas Green, from which he derived his surname (Kerina Otjiherero: green). M burumba Kerina was born on 6 June 1932 in Tsumeb. He grew up in Walvis Bay and went to school in Windhoek's Old Location where he attended St Barnabas Anglican Church School. While schooling he came into contact with Reverend Michael Scott, who would later enable him to study in the United States, and to become one of the early Namibian academic and petitioner to the United Nations.

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