A tour across Namibia is like walking through diverse cultures, rich histories, and
breathtaking landscapes. My recent journey as an intern with Povanhu was an exploration across beautiful landscapes, people, traditions, and echoes of the past. Together with Giorgio and Luregn, both historians of Namibia, and Verikomba, a professional guide and driver, we guided two Swiss couples through central Namibia. It was truly a History and Heritage week for us all. Our trip started in Windhoek, the capital city, a bustling centre of activity that combines modernity and heritage. Then, the next day we drove to Tsumeb, where we spent our first night. A city tour in Tsumeb by Nampa, a young local guide, was a perfect start to learn about the heritage and history of the town. We drove around the small German city centre, visited the old mine shaft and the historical compounds where contract labourers lived during the colonial period of Namibia. The compound was old, and the structure clearly showed us that it was meant for single men on contract. Lastly, we visited the small private museum. This was quite different to the tour before, because it displayed only part of the historical components of the town. Central to the museum are the German locomotive and other colonial objects. All in all, I felt that the museum was mostly showing a biased and one-sided history.
We next traveled to the former Ovamboland, where we slept at the Ongula Village
Homestead for two nights. We joined customs and practices that unveiled aspects of my own culture, some were even new to me. The community';s warmth and kindness left a lasting impression, fostering solidarity and respect for their traditions and their daily lives, and made the days truly unique.
After leaving Ongula we drove through the famous Etosha National Park. Despite the rain, it was great to enjoy the immense grasslands and waterholes of Etosha, an enthralling background to the rather few large animals we saw. The full day of game drive served as a reminder of how unpredictable nature can be. A very different way to experience Namibia nature we had during our stay at Omaruru Game Lodge where animals were kept very close to the tourists, offering an amazing experience for our clients as they had the chance to take good pictures with some of the wild animals. On our way from Omaruru we drove through the Erongo Mountains and the former Damara homeland to Usakos. The landscap here was all different from the one that we previously experienced when in the Etosha and the North. Here the land was dry and mountainous, and there were little wild animals to scout.
The next day we spent in Usakos - a fresh adventure! A difficult but significant episode in Namibia's history was echoed here by the town's history of the forced relocation of African residents. The history of the town is a moving reminder of the people's tenacity and resistance against the colonial and apartheid systems. During dinner we were accompanied by Chalden, our local guide from Usakos, who told us a lot about the present and past lives in the town. The food was amazing, and we all enjoyed the cool night of the semi desert area which was preparing us for the desert coast of Namibia. We visited graves of German and South African soldiers, where each stone narrated a historical event, as we continued our trek from Usakos to Walvis Bay. It was like following the lines of time, through complex histories of economic development. As a good example we visited the mining town of Arandis. Another- very different - highlight was the ascent to Dune 7, an energetic physical test that was rewarded with breath-taking vistas of the Namib Desert and a lovely picnic that strengthened our bonds as a traveling party.
It was like entering a calm haven when we arrived at the Oyster Box Guest House in Walvis Bay, our next destination. While we listened to the calming sounds of the Atlantic waves we unwound and thought back on our journey. On the way back to Windhoek we drove through the Naukluft National Park where we learned about the survival strategies of the indigenous inhabitants that have adapted to this harsh environment over many generations. We gained a deeper knowledge of life in such a challenging environment by witnessing their tenacity and inventiveness.
At last, we made our way back to Windhoek, where our ten-day journey came to an end. Based on the experiences and insights from the last days, leading a tour around the capital felt like a personal victory. I applied my experience that I got throughout the trip to the tour in Windhoek and I talked about the historical essence of the city from the days of colonialism to today. A journey full of learning, connection, and emotions came to a fitting conclusion with the good-bye dinner, which was full of laughter and recollections of our Namibian experience.
Our journey throughout Namibia made us all appreciate the complicated nature and beauty of a country shaped by its history, geography, and inhabitants. The experience deepened my awareness for the historical tales and cultural variety that influence our country. This trip was an opportunity to investigate further, get a better understanding, and honour the diverse traditions of people and societies that continue to exist over time. Therefore, I appreciated to be part of this trip and will surely love to be part of a next one if possible. I have sharpened my skills throughout this trip, and I now have a better understanding of both, guiding a tour, and my country’s past and present.
Tracing back from the beginning of my opportunity with Povanhu. I looked forward to working with the Povanhu team because I knew that this opportunity was golden and that I would learn a lot from it. This golden chance offered me the opportunity to polish my experience because the university never provided us with such work knowledge and therefore, I had to grab this opportunity and take it as a breakthrough into my career. With the knowledge I got from this internship I got an idea of how the Namibian tourism industry will look like through the innovative approach of History and Heritage tourism. Therefore, tourism in the future will be more than just travelling and seeing fancy places. It will also be a sort of educational environment whereby travelers are going to learn of different historical subjects that have shaped the existence of a particular space. In the future, I believe, tourism in Namibia will be more than just traveling and seeing fancy places. Tourism will also be a sort of an educational environment whereby travelers are going to learn of different historical activities and experiences that have shaped the existence of a particular space.
Yours in community tourism and History Heritage
Tuhafeni E, Matheus