Honored Heroes
At inauguration nine national heroes and heroines were identified. For each of them a tombstone with name and picture has been erected, although they are not buried here. The nine national heroes are:
- Kahimemua Nguvauva (1850–1896), Chief of the of the Ovambanderu, was wounded May 1896 in the Battle of Sturmfeld and after his surrender executed by the Germans
- Nehale Lya Mpingana (died 1908), King of Ondonga, defeated the settlers of the Dorsland Trek in 1886, and German colonial forces at Fort Namutoni in 1904
- Samuel Maharero (1856–1923), Paramount Chief of the Herero people, led the uprisings against German colonianism that resulted in the Herero and Namaqua War of 1904–1907
- Hendrik Witbooi (1830–1905), king of the Nama people and fighter against the colonial oppression of the German Empire in German South-West Africa
- Jacob Morenga (1875–1907), successor of Hendrik Witbooi as Nama Chief, used the fortress of ǁKhauxaǃnas to wage a guerrilla war against the Schutztruppe of Imperial Germany
- Mandume Ya Ndemufayo (1894–1917), last king of the Kwanyama, led his people into battles with British, Portuguese, and South African colonial forces
- Iipumpu Ya Tshilongo (1875–1959), King of the Uukwambi and strong nationalist, resisted European cultural influence exercised via the establishment of mission stations and administrative outposts
- Anna Mungunda (1910s–1959), protester against the forced eviction from Windhoek's Old Location in 1959. Set the car of a high-ranking administrator alight and was shot dead in response.
- Hosea Kutako (1870–1970), Paramount Chief of the Herero and petitioner to the United Nations for an independent Namibia
In later years, several additional people have been declared national heroes, and buried here. These are:
- Dimo Hamaambo (1932–2002), commander in the People's Liberation Army of Namibia
- Markus Kooper (1918–2005), petitioner to the United Nations
- Mose Penaani Tjitendero (1943–2006), first speaker of National Assembly
- Richard Kapelwa Kabajani (1943–2007), former cabinet minister and ambassador to Cuba
- John Pandeni (1950–2008), prisoner of Robben Island and later Namibian Minister
- Peter Tsheehama (1941–2010), People's Liberation Army of Namibia commander and Chief of Namibian Intelligence
- John ya Otto Nankudhu (1933–2011), People's Liberation Army of Namibia commander and Robben Island inmate
Read more about this topic: Heroes' Acre (Namibia)
Famous quotes containing the words honored and/or heroes:
“When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honor, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by your host...But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, Friend, move up higher’; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you.”
—Bible: New Testament, Luke 14:8,10.
“I have always been a friend to hero-worship; it is the only rational one, and has always been in use amongst civilized people—the worship of spirits is synonymous with barbarism—it is mere fetish.... There is something philosophic in the worship of the heroes of the human race.”
—George Borrow (1803–1881)