Already at the age of ca twelve years young girls started to prepare their hair for later headdresses. For this purpose they covered their heads with pasta made of finely ground tree bark of the omutyuula-tree (Acacia reficiens) and oil of the fruit of the oshipeke-tree (Ximenia caffra). The headdress was known as onyangha.

Ngandjera/Kwaludhi, issued in 2002, artist: Mary Jane Volkmann

Shortly afterwards the pasta was removed and, in order to straighten the hair, the fruit pips of the wild date (Phyllogeiton discolor) were attached to the hair by means of ox sinews. The headdress was referred to as omulenda.

Once the girls had reached the age of ca sixteen years they were called omufuko (pl. aafuko) and entitled to participate in the ohango initiation ceremony. After removing the fruit pips of the previous headdress the existing sinews were lengthened with additional sinews, which were suspending down over the back. Just before Kwaluudhi girls entered the ohango ceremony, their sinew strands were converted into at least four arched, hornlike structures, which were wrapped with red-coloured palm leaf strips. The colouring was achieved by leaving the palm leaf strips for some time in a mixture containing finely ground particles of the root of a half-rotten Rhodesian Teak, which had coloured the mixture red. The “horns”, known as oshipando (pl. iipando), were dangling over the shoulders. Ngandjera girls instead left their sinew strands hanging loosely and a special hairpiece, the so-called oshikoma, was fastened on the back of their heads. It consisted of a thick bushel of hair, which was kept in position by red palm leaf strips, which were wrapped around it. In order to increase hair growth, the hair bushel was sometimes covered with the pasta of finely ground tree bark and oil. Some girls also attached ivory buttons to the back of the head, which were worn as pendants.

Ngandjera woman. Photo taken by A. Scherz (1940s); source: Collection Antje Otto

Once the Ngandjera girls were adorned with the oshikoma and the Kwaluudhi girls had the iipando made, the ohango ceremony could proceed. According to historical sources the term “ohango” can be translated as “time of suffering” or “to suffer” as it was regarded as a fitness and pregnancy test for the girls. In the olden times the ohango ceremony lasted at least four days. During this time the aafuko-girls had to sit squeezed together tightly in blazing temperatures in a palisaded enclosure. The only food they were allowed to consume were two drops of corn juice, which they were given on the fourth day. Apparently the ceremony was formerly of such harsh nature that some girls succumbed. However, during the 1960s, it only lasted two days und was no longer accompanied by the extreme harshness of the old days. Apparently in those years the ceremony did no longer take place in the Ngandjera and Kwaluudhi areas, but in the neighbouring Ombalantu-area.

After the ohango was over, the girls were regarded marriageable. The Ngandjera girls converted their long hanging sinew strands into two “horns”, which were also known as iipando. The oshikoma and the iipando were worn by married women for many years.

As a result of the increasing activities of missionaries, migrant labour and the influences of the Administration, the old dress pattern gradually disappeared and already during the 1960s very little was left of it. The oshikoma and iipando headdress of Ngandjera women was still worn during the 1970s in the form of wigs. The palm leaves had been replaced by shiny, red plastic band.

The origin of the old mission house dates back to the year 1808, when the brothers Abraham and Christian Albrecht of the London Missionary Society and a colleague Bastiaan Tromp built three tiny dwellings at this very site. Their mission effort was short-lived though as Abraham Albrecht died in 1810 and his brother Christian had to flee from Warmbad in 1811. Shortly afterwards Jager Afrikaner – the father of Jonker Afrikaner – destroyed the entire station. However, in 1812 the reverend Schmelen found the burnt walls of the houses still intact. The reverend J.L. Ebner, who came to Warmbad in 1818 and built a rush hut inside the burnt remains of Abraham Albrecht’s house to serve as temporary shelter, confirmed this.

In 1834, the reverend Edward Cook of the Wesleyan Mission Society arrived at Warmbad. He immediately set out to build a house on the existing ground walls of the old mission house of Abraham Albrecht. The teacher and mason Peter Links assisted him. The wood for the house was fetched from the Orange River, while the rushes were obtained a day’s journey from Warmbad. By September 1834, a two-storied house, built according to the so-called ‘kapsteilhuis’, had been finished. Typical for this type of home were the massive chimneystacks of the open hearths situated at both ends of the house. The house had two rooms on ground level, while another one – the loft – was situated above a reed ceiling and a thick layer of mud. It was accessible via an external staircase through a doorway in one gable. The directly adjoining remains of the house of Christian Albrecht were soon re-built into a church. The roofs of both buildings were thatched.

As Warmbad was situated on the main wagon road connecting the Cape with Great Namaqualand and areas further north, the mission station became an ideal stop-over for many missionaries, travelers, hunters and scientists. Among the first were Sir James E. Alexander in 1836 and the reverend J. Tindall in 1840. He not only assisted Cook by extending and improving the mission house and the church but also became one of his successors in 1851.

The backside of the old mission house in Warmbad today (photo: Gondwana Collection)

During the Nama war, German soldiers occupied the mission house. When the Dutch reverend Herman Nyhof arrived at Warmbad in 1907, the buildings were in a desolate condition and it took him a long time to repair all the damage. During the First World War, the mission house served as barracks for the Union troops. After reverend Nyhof’s death in 1936 the buildings were, once again, in a sad state of neglect and some of them were so disintegrated that they posed a danger. Part of the mission house – probably the loft – collapsed later and it was resolved to close it. With the exception of a few years during the 1960s, the mission house stood empty and was only occasionally occupied by visiting missionaries and evangelists.

During the course of a clean-up and restoration action in Warmbad in 2005, the old mission house was also upgraded. It is hoped that it will soon find a caring occupant, who will restore it to its former glory and that the National Heritage Council will finally proclaim the building a national heritage site.

These former dunes were already there about 20 million years ago. The sand compacted into sandstone during more humid phases 16 to 8 million years ago. But desert conditions prevailed in many parts of today’s Namib even during ‘humid’ periods. That is the reason why experts regard the Namib as the oldest desert on earth.

Petrified sand dunes, Kuiseb River (25 Cent), issued in 1986, artist: Johan van Niekerk

The stretch of sand sea which is 80 km wide and now extends from Walvis Bay to Lüderitz was formed much later. The sand, by the way, is erosional debris from the Drakensberg Mountains. It was washed into the Atlantic Ocean by the Gariep/Orange River and deposited on the sea floor and along the western coastline. Constant south-westerly winds carried the sand into the interior and over millions of years swept it into huge fields of sand and dunes.

The fossilised dunes answer the question about the origin of the ostrich only when you take the time to stroll about and scrutinize the ground. You will find that here the Tsondab sandstone is extremely rich in plant and animal fossils. Roots have left their traces, for example, and tunnels of ants, termites, beetles and spiders are discernible. Even spider webs have been preserved – a rarity! A word of warning: collecting of fossils is strictly prohibited.

Furthermore, the fossil remains of rodents and reptiles were found, as well as those of animals which remotely resemble aardvark (anteater), giraffe or elephant. Based on these finds scientists were able to piece together a rather comprehensive picture of the landscape of that time – it did not look much different from today.

The shell of an ostrich egg embedded in sandstone which is millions of years old. Photo: Gondwana Collection Namibia

The most intriguing fossils contained in Tsondab Sandstone are fragments of large eggshells. They look similar to ostrich eggs, as we know them, and there are several variations which differ in thickness and in the pore structure on the outside. This suggests that there were different types of ostrich-like birds. Since similar shells are always present in other layers of similar age as well, the different types cannot have existed alongside one another at the same time. Instead, a sequence of different species becomes apparent.

The oldest shells are from eggs which were laid about 16 million years ago. Their initial thickness of 4 mm decreased over the ages; today’s shells are 2.5 to 3 mm. The primeval eggs were also much larger – they weighed over 2 kg and had a volume of up to 1.7 litres. The equivalent today is about 1.5 kg and 1 litre. In Gondwana Namib Park some fossil shells have been discovered which do not seem to resemble any of the types known so far. They now have to be examined by experts.

Fossilised dunes of the prehistoric Namib in Gondwana Namib Park. Photo: Gondwana Collection Namibia

The layers of Tsondab Sandstone thus contain the phylogenetic tree of today’s Ostrich. On the basis of the eggshells its line can be traced back to an early ancestor that existed 16 million years ago. It may have resembled a giant bird which occurred on the island of Madagascar at that time. Therefore it is plausible that the Ostrich originates in Africa and spread to Eurasia only at a later stage.

The fascinating story about the origin of the ostrich can be learnt from the book ‘Passage through Time – The Fossils of Namibia’, written by geologist Gabi Schneider and beautifully illustrated with drawings by artist Christine Marais.

At the start of the First World War in August 1914 Emperor Wilhelm II of Germany decided to reintroduce the Iron Cross in recognition of bravery and valour on the battlefield. He thus revived a tradition of his royal Prussian ancestors. King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia had first instituted the Iron Cross, in three classes, for the duration of the Napoleonic Wars. King Wilhelm I brought back the medal in 1870 for the Franco-Prussian War.

When Emperor Wilhelm II reintroduced the Iron Cross at the start of the First World War he also authorized the commanders of the Imperial armies in the German colonies to award the decoration on his behalf.

The Order of Hildegard (Private Collection Gordon McGregor)

In German South West Africa the first major battle was fought on 26 September 1914 at Sandfontein. The Schutztruppe, even though outnumbered by far, was able to defeat the South African Union troops. After the battle, Schutztruppe Commander Lieutenant Colonel Joachim von Heydebreck suggested to the Governor, Dr. Theodor Seitz, to award the Iron Cross to several of his men.

However, because of the war the German colony was cut off from the motherland. A temporary solution had to be found until the medals would be sent from Germany. At that time the colony had no factory which could have made provisional medals. Therefore the governor’s spouse, Hildegard Seitz, proposed to award a provisional decoration made from cloth. This variety of the Iron Cross could be made by the ladies of the Women’s Division of the German Red Cross in the Colonies, she said, and it could be sewn directly onto the uniform.

The suggestion was accepted and a decree on awarding the provisional decoration, the ‘black cross with a white border ‘, was issued on 18 October 1914. Among the troops the handiwork was soon known as the Order of Hildegard. According to the decree it was a one-class decoration for officers as much as all other ranks. When awarding the ‘medal’ no difference between first and second class was made.

Hildegard Seitz, the wife of the Gouverneur of German South West Africa, came up with the idea to make a provisional cloth version of the Iron Cross medal.

The first batch of Hildegard medals was awarded on 22 October 1914, the birthday of Empress Auguste Viktoria. Most of the 42 recipients were members of the 2nd regiment which had fought so valiantly at Sandfontein. The next list of 37 recipients (mostly from the 1st and 3rd regiment) was published in Aus on 27 January 1915, the birthday of Emperor Wilhelm II. It is not known how many others were awarded the Order of Hildegard because the relevant documents in the archives of Potsdam were damaged during the Second World War.

The two lists of names mentioned were drawn up on instruction of Lieutenant Colonel von Heydebreck who was tragically killed in an accident when new rifle grenades were tested in November 1914. His successor as Commander of the Schutztruppe in German South West Africa, Victor Franke, decided not to continue with the awarding of the Order of Hildegard but rather with the proper Iron Cross instead.

In German South West Africa the Schutztruppe surrendered to the superior strength of the South African troops on 9 July 1915 in the vicinity of Otavi. Active officers and men were taken to the internment camp at Aus. South African soldiers who were on guard when the Schutztruppe soldiers were moved from Otavifontein noticed the extraordinary decoration on some of the uniforms. What they saw was a white-rimmed black cross made from cloth – the provisional flash for the Iron Cross.

After the First World War the German military authorities replaced the Order of Hildegard with the Iron Cross 2nd class. The provisional decoration faded into obscurity until it was shown to the public for the first and only time at a colonial exhibition, held in Dresden in 1939.

Although a zebra has a unique pattern of stripes as each person has his/her own individual fingerprints, it is possible to distinguish between the two southern African species at a glance. (The third zebra species, the larger and more mule-like Grévy’s zebra, inhabits the semi-arid grasslands of Ethiopia and northern Kenya.) Burchell’s or plains zebra and mountain zebra have more than their environments to separate them.

Equus zebra hartmannae (7 Cent), issued in 1980, artist: Paul Bosman

The most obvious way to tell the difference between the two is by their stripes. The mountain zebra subspecies, Hartmann’s zebra, like the Cape mountain zebra of South Africa, has solid stripes while Burchell’s zebra, seen in abundance on the grasslands of Etosha National Park, has additional faint stripes superimposed on the white and referred to as shadow stripes. On closer observation, it will be noticed that the Hartmann’s zebra stripes don’t join on its stomach and continue down to its hooves, whereas Burchell’s stripes extend onto its underparts and often fade towards its hooves.

There are two more obvious differences. Hartmann’s zebra Equus zebra hartmannae has a grid-iron pattern across the top of its rump and a prominent dewlap on its throat. Equus burchellii lacks both of these features.

The stripes tell the difference between Hartmann's and Burchell's zebra (below). Photo: Ron Swilling

Sometimes overlapping, the two species favour different habitats. Burchell’s zebra prefers arid savannah with access to water, while Hartmann’s is found in central and southern Namibia in the rugged terrain of the mountain escarpment and adjacent flats.

Hartmann’s zebra live in small breeding groups of four to five animals comprising one stallion with his mares and foals. They are difficult to spot against their mountain terrain but evidence of their presence is seen in their kidney-shaped droppings, the zebra paths that meander up mountains and their rounded tracks that are etched into the dusty soil. A barking ‘kwa-ah’ alarm signal can sometimes be heard as a group agilely negotiates a koppie. The stallion stands for a few moments behind his family as the rear-guard before trotting off with the others.

Burchell's zebra. Photo: Ron Swilling

The better known species, Burchell’s zebra, is more social than its shyer cousin, congregating in large groups where there is good grazing and often grazing alongside other species like blue wildebeest. Being habituated to people in Etosha, the herds provide ample opportunities for photographs and to observe wild equine behaviour.

These odd-toed ungulates are the quintessential African animal. Their apparent healthy plumpness even during drought, partly caused by the fermentation of bacteria in their gut, adds to our glimpses of an Eden from long ago. The feisty equids are hardy survivors in the fluctuations of the natural world where the eyes of predators are never far away. A new-born foal can stand within fifteen minutes and can run with the herd within hours of its birth. In addition to the protection that their striped patterning may allow, their powerful kick can deter a lion, break a jaw or kill a spotted hyena.

Frank Snyman (Toshiba Namibia) and Piet Swiegers (Gondwana Collection) before the start of the Trans Andes Challenge. Photo: Sophia Swiegers

The demanding six-leg race through the heart of the Patagonian Andes in Chile was driven on single tracks, off-road vehicle tracks and open terrain. It started in Panguipulli and ended in Pucón. The challenge was not posed by the distance that had to be covered per leg (50 to 82 km) but by the altitude that had to be negotiated: differences in altitude of between 1,780 m and 2,500 m had to be overcome every day. Of course there were plenty of downhill stretches as well, but the mountain bikers had to ‘climb’ 12,250 m in total.

Piet Swiegers (Klein-Aus Vista/Gondwana) and Frank Snyman (Toshiba Namibia) came thoroughly prepared for the event. The grounds of the Klein-Aus Vista Gondwana lodge near Aus in south-western Namibia were ideally suited for training: The mountain bike trails in the Aus Mountains are a mountain biker’s paradise. The first Klein-Aus Vista MTB Challenge was held there on 30 April and 1 May last year; the next one is scheduled for 29 and 30 April this year.

Two species of zebra occur in southern Africa: Burchell’s (or plains) zebra Equus burchellii and mountain zebra Equus zebra. Both Burchell’s zebra and the mountain zebra sub-species, Hartmann’s mountain zebra Equus zebra hartmannae, which is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, are found in Namibia. (The Cape mountain zebra is restricted to reserves in South Africa.)

Although zebras’ pied colouring serves to camouflage Hartmann’s zebra in mountainous areas, it often seems to be clearly visible in grassland, accentuated against the tawny shades of the antelope species, posing the question as to the evolutionary purpose for zebra stripes. Many hypotheses have been voiced over the years. One of the more naive explanations we receive as children simply describes zebras as horses wearing pyjamas, while the African legends have a tale about Zebra falling into the fire while challenging Baboon, burning the well-known stripes onto his skin.

Stripes merge individuals to a group. Photo: Ron Swilling

It has been suggested, however, by those with more of a scientific bent that zebra stripes have a more practical and life-affirming purpose, to deter predators. Stripes merge when seen from a distance, making it more difficult for a predator to distinguish a single animal from the group, a definite advantage for herd animals. Because predators will always try and single out an individual animal, zebras’ safety depends on tight bunching. This trait can be seen in breeding groups when the mares and foals keep to the front and the stallion takes the rear.

Stripes may also serve to confuse a predator as they narrow towards the head, neck and shoulders, widen towards the rump and break the outline of the animal, presenting a distorted image, making it difficult for the predator to judge the size, distance and direction the zebra is moving. The stripes also enable zebras to follow one another at night in poor visibility and amidst dust thrown up by their hooves when the big cats are out on the prowl.

Zebras are preyed upon by lion, leopard, cheetah, hyaena and wild dog, animals that hunt using different methods and at different times of the day and night, making overall protection important at all times.

Experiments reveal that zebras are attracted to stripes, finding them visually stimulating, another mechanism programmed into their genes to ensure the herd animals remain together. Some scientists also believe that because colours absorb or reflect heat at different rates, black and white stripes may create a convection current, keeping them cool.

Zebras (10 Cent), issued in 1983, artist: Jacobus Johannes 'Koos' van Ellinckhuijzen

An interesting evolutionary hypothesis suggests that the zebra developed stripes over time to allow it safe passage down the African continent through tsetse fly areas. Stripes deter the blood-sucking pest that targets large surfaces. This may explain why the predecessors of the zebra managed to survive in Africa unlike those of other Equus groups. (Domesticated horses were introduced much later by the early settlers.)

In the wild, survival tactics take all forms and shapes and animals have perfected methods to ensure their survival. If solitary, camouflage, stealth and silence provide protection, and if sociable, safety is often found in numbers. In addition, some animals have built-in weapons such as horns, and others, like zebras, depend on their colouration and patterning – their dazzling black and white pyjamas – to baffle the enemy.

Contact for collectors: Philately Services, Private Bag 13336, Windhoek; Tel +264 (0)61 2013097/99, philately@nampost.com.na

Omajova is the commonly-used Herero name for these termite hill mushrooms that are harvested by the locals, supplementing diets and incomes. The wild mushrooms which can weigh in at a kilogram apiece are heavyweight contenders in the fungal arena, far outweighing the supermarket variety. Although they have their own unique flavour, like their more conservative cousins they are best cooked in butter and salted.

Omajova mushrooms: a Namibian delicacy

The enormous mushrooms are cultivated by termites. At certain times of the year, usually after the first rains, reproductive alate (winged) termites emerge from the nest to start their own colonies. After a suitable nest-site is found by the male and female termite pair, they lose their wings, mate and start to lay eggs. Besides the royal pair, the termite colony will also comprise soldiers and many industrious workers. When the ‘flying ants’ emerge from the mounds en-masse, they are often collected by people in rural Africa, considered as a delectable food-source.

Omajova mushrooms sold on the roadside as a source of income. Photos: Gondwana Collection

Termites build their termitaries from mud and saliva moulding ingenious ventilation shafts above their subterranean nests to maintain a constant temperature, mastering perfect environmentally-sound housing systems. The Macrotermes (fungus-cultivating termite) colonies have a symbiotic relationship with the fungus Termitomyces. The termites cultivate the fungi in a fungus garden, a collection of fungus combs made from chewed-up grass and wood collected by the termite foragers. The fungal spores germinate and grow, converting cellulose into simple sugars (and nitrogen), making it more readily digestible for the termites. Fresh material is added to the top of the fungus combs as the digested material is consumed. The symbiosis provides optimum conditions for both; a safe haven for the fungi and pre-digested food for the termites.

Every year, after the onset of heavy rains usually in late January, February or March, the fungus comb sprouts a number of stems that penetrate the hard soil of the mound producing fruiting bodies, referred to as termite-hill mushrooms or Omajova, which erupt from the base of the castle of sand.

The small insects play an important part in the ecosystem by breaking up organic plant material and the interior of abandoned termite mounds provide subterranean homes for animals like snakes, mongoose, porcupine, aardvark and warthog. The mounds themselves make good observation points for a variety of animals to survey the surrounding countryside.

Ejova (Omajova) Termitomyces schimperi, issued in 1999, artist: Chris van Rooyen

Like the Kalahari truffle and mopane worm, the Omajova is an intriguing Namibian delicacy. At the time of year when the sky is often dark with rainclouds, Omajova sellers display their wares alongside the road or hold them up like huge fungal flags to attract passing motorists. They can often be seen outside Wilhelmstal en-route to Karibib and on the road to Tsumeb. For the best purchase, the closed or young fungi have less chance of harbouring sand or insects although the open fan-like milky crown is an enticing bloom.

Whether eaten à la crème, fried with asparagus and cherry tomatoes, in an omelette, crumbed or wrapped in slivers of salmon, the mushrooms provide a tasty treat, courtesy of the African savannah, to be enjoyed in the bountiful season of summer.

Frank Snyman and Piet Swiegers training for the Trans Andes Challenge on the mountain bike trails of Klein-Aus Vista. Photo: Sophia Snyman

Namibia is represented at the brutal mountain bike race through the Chilean Andes for the first time: Frank Snyman and Piet Swiegers are taking part in the Trans Andes Challenge from 23 to 28 January as individual bike riders. They are sponsored by Toshiba Namibia and the Gondwana Collection Namibia. Their wives Sophia and Christine are in Chile with them to lend support. But Namibians and Namibia fans can also help them to conquer the amount of more than 12,000 metres in altitude – by ‘liking’ them on Gondwana’s Facebook page to spur them on. The demanding six-leg race through the heart of the Patagonian Andes in Chile is driven on single tracks, off-road vehicle tracks and open terrain. Panguipulli is the start, Pucón the finish. The challenge is not posed by the distance that has to be covered per leg (50 to 82 km) but by the altitude that has to be negotiated: differences in altitude of between 1,780 m and 2,500 m have to be overcome every day. Of course there are plenty of downhill stretches as well, but the mountain bikers have to ‘climb’ 12,250 m in total. This race demands the utmost from the bike riders, physically as well as mentally. The number of participants is limited to 250. Piet Swiegers (Klein-Aus Vista/Gondwana) drives in the men’s Elite Category (under 45 years), Frank Snyman (Toshiba Namibia) in the Veteran Class (over 45 years).

Frank Snyman and Piet Swiegers training for the Trans Andes Challenge on the mountain bike trails of Klein-Aus Vista. Photo: Sophia Snyman

None of the two wants to compete with the professional mountain bikers but both of them are determined to represent Namibia as best as they can. They have prepared for the event for a long time. The grounds of the Klein-Aus Vista Gondwana lodge near Aus in south-western Namibia were ideally suited for training: The mountain bike trails in the Aus Mountains are a mountain biker’s paradise. The first Klein-Aus Vista MTB Challenge was held there on 30 April and 1 May last year; the next one is scheduled for 29 and 30 April this year. All Namibians and Namibia fans are kindly asked to actively support Trans Andes mountain bikers Frank Snyman and Piet Swiegers. On each of the six days of the race ‘likes’ are collected on the Facebook page of the Gondwana Collection Namibia (www.facebook.com/gondwana.collection.namibia). The aim is one ‘like’ for each metre in altitude which the two Namibians have to conquer. Each morning the accompanying team on site, Sophia Snyman and Christine Swiegers, will upload pictures and information on the previous leg and the progress of the race.

Conquering the Andes for Namibia (l.t.r.): Frank and Sophia Snyman as well as Christine and Piet Swiegers. Photo: contributed