GROOTFONTEIN

Grootfontein is the centre for a large cattle farming community while copper mining is also prevalent in the area. The section of Namibia around Tsumeb, Otavi & Grootfontein is often referred to as the 'Otavi Triangle'. The area receives considerably higher rainfall than parts of Namibia situated further west and south and contains much of the country's best commercial farmland.
During spring the Jacaranda trees flower, bathing the town in a swathe of purple. Situated in a prominent position atop a hill is the 'Old Fort Museum'. Originally a Schutztruppe fortress built in 1896 - today the museum houses a complete smithy which was used in the production of ox-wagons.

Probably the town is best known for being situated 20km's from the Hoba Meteorite - the world's largest meteorite. Discovered by Jacobus Hermanus Brits in the 1920s the meteorite is 3 meters long, 1 meter wide and weighs around 50 tons. Unfortunately Hoba has been subjected to numerous incidents of vandalism as visitors have chipped of pieces to take home with them.

Two other points of interest in the area are the large Baobab tree (romantically called 'Tree 1063') on the farm Keibeb, 60km north of Grootfontein and the Ghaub Cave on the Guest Farm of the same name.

THE HERERO PEOPLE
The Herero people of Namibia are a pastoral cattle breeding nation. it is believed they migrated from the east African lakes arriving in Namibia about 350 years ago. Their initial home was in Kaokoland near the Kunene River, but some 150 years ago a large portion of the Herero population moved southwards leaving the Himba and Tjimba tribes behind.
There are about 100 000 Herero people in Namibia, and today they are mostly found in the central and eastern parts of the country. The Herero can be divided into several sub-groups the biggest of which includes the Tjimba and Ndamuranda groups who live Kaokoland, the Mahereo who are found around Okahandja and the Zeraua who are found in the area around Omaruru. A group called the Mbandero occupy an area in eastern Namibia, around the town of Gobabis, which was formerly known as Hereroland.

Until the colonial period the Herero prospered in the central grassland areas, where there was ample grazing for their cattle, but a succession of battles with the northward migrating Nama, and more severely the German colonial troops led to about 75% of the Herero population been exterminated. Estimates are that of the 80 000 Herero in Namibia in 1900 only about 16 000 remained by 1905. During this period large numbers of Herero fled to the safety of Botswana, but since independence some of these people have begun to return to Namibia.
The Herero are proud cattle farmers who measure their wealth in cattle, the importance of cattle to these people is even evident in the Herero womens' dresses. The traditional dress is derived from a Victorian woman's dress, and consists of an enormous crinoline worn over a several petticoats, a horn shaped hat (said to represent the horns of a cow) made from rolled cloth is also worn.

The traditional Herero festival is held in Okahandja on Maherero day, which falls on the last weekend in August. The various paramilitary groups parade before their chiefs, and Herero women line the streets in their beautiful dresses.

Ovambo Culture
The Ovambo culture is a very unique and interesting society. They collectively make up eight kindred tribes, which inhabit Ovamboland in northern Namibia in Africa. They consist of Ondonga, Ukuanyama, Ukuambi, Ongaqndjera, Ukualuthi, Ombalantu, Onkolonkathi and Eunda. The tribe stretches all the way to the border of Angola. The Ovambo people make up the greatest population in Namibia. They migrated south from the upper regions of Zambesi. The reason that they settled in the area where they now live was for the rich soil that is scattered around the Ovomboland. The Ovambos population is roughly 150,000 people.
The Ovambo come from the great Bantu family. They speak the language of Oshivambo.

Flat sandy plains make up the Ovamboland, with water courses that bisect the area. These are known as oshanas. In the northern regions of the Ovamboland there are thick belts of sub-tropical vegetation. The average rainfall in this area is around 17 inches during the rainy season. The oshanas can become flooded and sometimes submerge three-fifths of the country. This poses a unique problem for the Ovambo people. They have had to adapt to the changing weather patterns. In the dry season they are able to use their huge grassy plains for stock to graze.
The Ovambo people have been able to adapt to their land and their environment. They raise cattle, fish in the oshanas, and farming. The Ovambo people are very extensive craftsmen. They make and sell basketry, pottery, jewelry, wooden combs, wood iron spears, arrows, richly decorated daggers, musical instruments, and also ivory buttons.
The Ovambo people live a life that is 100 percent influenced by their magico-religious influences. They not only believe in good and evil spirits but also they are influenced by great superstitions. Everyone in the Ovambo tribe believes in a Supreme spirit, known as Kalunga. This spirit is known to take the form of a man and move invisibly among the people. This spirit is very important to them. When the tribe is visited with a famine or pestilence it is the responsibility of the Kalunga to help the people along.
Beliefs among the Ovambo people deal center around their belief in Kalunga. For example, when a tribe member wants to enter the Chiefs kraal, they must first remove their sandals. It is said that if this person does not remove their sandals it will bring death to one of the royal inmates and throw the kraal into morning. Another belief deals with burning fire in the chiefs kraal. If the fire burns out, the chief and the tribe will disappear. One important ceremony that takes place is when the harvest is done. The whole community has a feast and celebrates their possessions.
Each tribe has a chief that is responsible for the tribe, although many have converted to running tribal affairs with a council of headmen. Members of the royal family of the Ovamboland are known as akwanekamba and only those who belong to this family by birth have a claim to chieftainship. Because descent is matrilineal, these relations must fall on the mothers side. The Chiefs own sons have no claim in the royal family. They grow up as regular members of the tribe.






http://www.grootfonteinmun.com.na/