Day 67 - “Kolmanskop”/Namibia

In the early nineteen-eighties when South West Africa was still fighting for their independence and international recognition, they had been through more than twenty years of war, mainly in Ovamboland. When this all eventually ended, Namibians had a choice to either travel the proverbial High Road or the Low. Unlike South Africa with a similar choice years later, Namibian's chose the former and opted for the High Road. Granted a lot more at stake in SA and certainly more complicated, but the lack of a willingness to toil and to work at taking the country forward from this sad and poorly 'ground-zero' position, did not happen. Here, self and individual gratification and entitlement is not a given, as it is in neighbouring 'Big Brother'!

Namibia is a vast, expansive and beautiful country, with so much to offer. The infrastructure inherited was kept in tact, developed and maintained. Commercial Fishing, Mining, Tourism, Livestock Farming and still a strong alliance to West Germany (at the time) enhanced a more amicable transition from SWA to the Republic of Namibia.

Despite a real war in Namibia and in relation to South Africa, Namibia has a way smaller economy, but as arid as it is, they are by no means poorer. In comparison to the 60m South Africans, Namibia has only 2.5 million and thereby lies the answer!!! This world needs no more people especially South Africans, breeding ten to the dozen!!!

Though the 'Ghost Town' of Kolmanskop ten kilo's outside of Lüderitz stopped operating in 1936, (started in 1908) and totally abandoned in 1956, the relics still stand, not so proudly today! By this time the diamond stocks in Kolmanskop were severely depleted and in 1928 the richest diamond bearing deposits ever known, were discovered on a beach near the mouth of the Orange River, now called Oranjemund.

As if walking into a graveyard, more than a century old, one senses an authentic feeling of yester-year! Architecture straight out of 18th century Bolshevik Germany. Aristocratic Hun's living 'Colonial Dreams' dominating who ever and wherever they could lay their grubby little hands on Diamonds and Africa. German South West Africa was first seized here in Lüderitz by the Germans in 1884 in their part of the 'colonial fun and games'! Deals were struck, money, guns and ammunition changed hands for the control of large tracts of 'loaded' desert. Some of the beautiful houses in Kolmanskop bare testimony to this era still today. Mike (our guide) showed us through, an on-site museum and right through the towns hospital, bowling alley, bio scope, butchery, cold room and kitchen including an ice-making factory and more. Though not renovated at all and only used as a living monument to a bygone era! In retrospect, this historical town, cannot in any way be compared to 'Gold Reef City' or even 'Pilgrims Rest' that have been so commercialised. This is an authentic and genuine, coldblooded history, deteriorating, off the beaten track, way out of sight and mind! Obviously in this country, there is no willingness to preserve such an 'atrocious' relic and not even DeBeers have a vested interest. Certainly not, should it be wrapped in tissue paper, but at some point the rapid deterioration needs at least to be halted! How?... Who knows?

The 'Diamond Rush' dating back to the 1880's had a massive impact on Southern Africa, and more so in this German Colony. Even here at the turn of the century German Colonialist's rejected the imported and expensive South African labour, in favour of the harder working Ovambo's! Our personal guided tour of Kolmanskop was so worth every RSA Rand or Namibian Dollar! The diamonds mined here, all have their origin and source in Kimberley, we were told and have over the millennia been washed down the Orange River into the desert plains, and out to sea!

On our return to ‘Shark Island Campsite’ in Lüderitz, via the Sailing Club for lunch which was mostly forgettable, however the beers were cold and the view excellent, we found the campsite war-torn itself. The wind had ripped through unabated over the Atlantic and blown our 'Windydrier' out if its footings and far away, including any and all potential campers, were all gone! The afternoon regressed into a dismal but clear, cold and windy winter sunset. Even the Gulls could only manage a hover for a while, then dropped their ailerons and disappeared over and behind the rocks, to start again.

I would so hate to be anywhere else on Earth, except having you all here with us, would be amazing !

Love, Peace and Light!
M&K
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