16th century – 21st century
Southern Namibia
The Nama are a people of southern Namibia whose communities suffered imprisonment, forced labour, deprivation, and mass mortality during the Namibian War. The passage distinguishes several Nama-speaking groups, including the Witboois, Bethany people, and Veldschoendragers, many of whom were sent to Shark Island. Their population decline resulted from camp deaths, military violence, the sealing of waterholes, and flight into British territory.
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The Story
After surrendering to German forces, many Nama were imprisoned despite agreements made with the colonial authorities. The passage names Samuel Isaak and Hans Hendrik among those sent to Windhoek and then Shark Island, while the Bethany people under Cornelius Fredericks were sent to Karibib before also being transferred to the island. By the end of 1906, more than 2,000 Nama-speaking prisoners were held there.
Conditions in detention were catastrophic. Prisoners suffered from hunger, disease, inadequate clothing and shelter, forced labour, and military violence. The planned harbour works on Shark Island were abandoned when only twenty Nama prisoners were considered capable of continuing, while official figures recorded about 450 survivors from an original total exceeding 2,000 when the camp closed.
The population decline continued beyond the island. In 1908, the Nama-speaking population was estimated at 13,114, compared with 14,236 in the 1911 census; the passage suggests that this represented a decline of about one third from a conservative pre-war estimate. It also attributes further deaths to sealed waterholes, wartime deprivation, and flight into British territory.
16th century – 21st century
Southern Namibia
The Nama are a people of southern Namibia whose communities suffered imprisonment, forced labour, deprivation, and mass mortality during the Namibian War. The passage distinguishes several Nama-speaking groups, including the Witboois, Bethany people, and Veldschoendragers, many of whom were sent to Shark Island. Their population decline resulted from camp deaths, military violence, the sealing of waterholes, and flight into British territory.
Continue exploring
The Story
After surrendering to German forces, many Nama were imprisoned despite agreements made with the colonial authorities. The passage names Samuel Isaak and Hans Hendrik among those sent to Windhoek and then Shark Island, while the Bethany people under Cornelius Fredericks were sent to Karibib before also being transferred to the island. By the end of 1906, more than 2,000 Nama-speaking prisoners were held there.
Conditions in detention were catastrophic. Prisoners suffered from hunger, disease, inadequate clothing and shelter, forced labour, and military violence. The planned harbour works on Shark Island were abandoned when only twenty Nama prisoners were considered capable of continuing, while official figures recorded about 450 survivors from an original total exceeding 2,000 when the camp closed.
The population decline continued beyond the island. In 1908, the Nama-speaking population was estimated at 13,114, compared with 14,236 in the 1911 census; the passage suggests that this represented a decline of about one third from a conservative pre-war estimate. It also attributes further deaths to sealed waterholes, wartime deprivation, and flight into British territory.
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