21/02/2018
Originally from the town of Riemvasmaak in South Africa, the Riemvasmaker community arrived in Namibia, by that time known as South West Africa, in 1973 – 1974.
More than 3 000 people were forced to move after the area of Riemvasmaak was declared a military zone by the South African government. Those with Nama ancestry were sent to South West Africa and thus arrived in Bergsig, 45km North West of De Riet in 1973 – 74.
The Riemvasmakers who did not farm in that time were transported to Khorixas and those who could farm moved to Otjihavera, 55 km North of Bergsig. They stayed there seven months and some graves can still be found in this location. The area, as it is still today, was a true wilderness and wildlife corner with lots of lions, elephants, hyenas, etc, that the Riemvasmakers never encountered before.
Because of the Human and wildlife conflicts, the Riemvasmaker community asked the South African government to move away from Otjihavera where it was too difficult for them to farm cattle and goats.
The South African government told the Riemvasmakers’ Councilors, Johannes Mangani, Gavi Adams and their traditional chief Jacob Basson to take their elders and the whole community and look for them a suitable place. They then found De Riet, a big open plain where they could see and spot wild animals from far. They settled there in November 1974.
The day before the whole community decided to move from Otjihavera to De Riet, Samuel Dawids passed away at the age of 62 years old. The South African government did not give the Riemvasmakers time to bury this member of the community. They then took the body along with them and put him in the only house that was already in De Riet and which belonged to a white farmer who had sold his land to the South African government.
The following day, some members of the Riemvasmaker community went to Outjo to find a coffin. They came back with planks and Conrad Adams, the carpenter, made the coffin in De Riet.
After this long journey from Otjihavera and then from Outjo to get the coffin boards, the people were tired and confused.
In the Riemvasmaker tradition, a passed away person has to be buried with the feet facing sunrise and the head sunset.
When Samuel Dawids’ funeral started, no one could really figure out where the sun was rising and where it was setting. De Riet was not yet their hometown.
Samuel Dawids was eventually buried with his head facing north and his feet facing south. Nowadays all the graves are facing the right direction and Dawids remains the only one in the wrong direction.
