Ondonga

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Ondonga is a traditional kingdom of the Ovambo people in what is today northern Namibia. Its capital is Ondangwa, and the kingdom's palace is at Onambango. Its people call themselves Aandonga. They speak the Ndonga dialect. The Ondonga kingdom is ruled by an Omukwaniilwa (king), assisted by a council of elders, the Ondonga Traditional Authority. After the death of king Immanuel Kauluma Elifas in March 2019, [1] Fillemon Shuumbwa Nangolo was appointed as successor and subsequently recognised by government. [2]

Contents

In Ondonga the cultural heritage cannot be separated from the landscape around them. Landmarks such as trees or oshanas can be important heritage sites because of the stories that are associated with them. As in other Owambo kingdoms, the most important heritage sites were the places where their ancestral leaders were buried. [3]

Succession rules

The king's succession is matrilinear. Both king and queen are to marry outside the royal family. The first in line to the throne is the oldest surviving brother of the king, then followed by his sisters' sons. If there are several such nephews, the royal family and selected elders of the kingdom make a recommendation. [1] However, succession is this way is not automatic, and ultimately decided by the traditional authority, over which the king presides. [3] If for instance the first in line is not considered capable, someone else might be recommended. [4]

There are two matrilinear lines in the Ondonga kingdom, one from Epale and one from Onethika. Under normal circumstances ascension alternates between the two. [4]

The king's residence is not at a predetermined village and depends on where the king chooses to reside. The past two kings resided at Onamungundo, previous places of the royal palace of the Aandonga included Oshamba, Olukonda, Okaloko, Ondjumba, Ontananga and Omwandi. [5]

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Omukwaniilwa Immanuel Kauluma Elifas was a chief of the Ondonga, a sub-tribe of Owambo people since 28 August 1975, in Namibia having succeeded his brother the late Chief Fillemon Elifas Shuumbwa who was gunned down the same year at Onamagongwa. The Ondonga tribal area is situated around Namutoni on the eastern edge of Etosha pan in northern Namibia. Kauluma was also the Chairperson of the Council of Traditional Leaders for many years. He was succeeded as King by the designate Omukwaniilwa of Ondonga, his great-grandson Fillemon Shuumbwa Nangolo.

Fillemon Shuumbwa Nangolo is the reigning king of Ondonga kingdom, a sub-tribe of Owambo people since 2019 in Namibia. Nangolo is the nephew of late King Immanuel Kauluma Elifas who reigned from 1975 - 2019. The Ondonga tribal area is situated around Namutoni on the eastern edge of Etosha pan in northern Namibia. On 14 April, he was appointed the king of the Aandonga. His uncle Konisa Kalenga was also being crowned as king the same day. The succession dispute ended with Shuumbwa being recognised by Government in June 2019.

The Ondonga royal family consists of monarch of Ondonga of Namibia, the late King Immanuel Kauluma Elifas, his consorts, legitimate descendants, near relatives and female-line descendants of his great-great-grandmothers. As paramount chief within the Republic of Namibia and pursuant to the preservation of African traditional leadership, the hereditary head of the Ondonga dynasty retains kingly dignity, ethnic leadership, ritual authority and a civil list, reigning and ruling in Ondonga in conjunction with the Traditional Authority Act.

References

  1. 1 2 Haidula, Tuyeimo (3 April 2019). "Aandonga honour departed leader". The Namibian . p. 6.
  2. Haidula, Tuyeimo (10 June 2019). "Mushelenga recognises Shuumbwa as Ondonga king". The Namibian .
  3. 1 2 Dr Jeremy Slvester Ms Nehoa Hilma Kautondokwa PAPA Ndasuunye Shikongeni (2019). OOMBALE DHI IHAKA "A BOND THAT CANNOT BE BROKEN" AN ANNOTATED CATALOGUE OF NDONGA ARTIFACTS IN THE 'RAUTANEN COLLECTION' AT THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF FINLAND IN HELSINKI: EFATULULO LYOMUSHOLONDONDO GWIIKWANDJOKONONA YAANDONGA TAYI ADHIKA MIIGONGELWA YARAUTANEN MOMPUNGULILO YIIKWANDJOKONONA YOPASHIGWANA YOMOSOOMI (PDF). Museums Association of Namibia. ISBN   978-99916-902-6-1.
  4. 1 2 Mongudhi, Tileni (21 August 2015). "The royal fight for the Ondonga kingdom". The Namibian . p. 6.
  5. "Namibian traditional states". worldstatesmen.org. Retrieved 28 December 2016.

Further reading