The Bantu Migration of Namibia

The theories of Bantu migration are a controversial subject that has preoccupied most post- Second World War scholars of African history. One of the popular theories is that the Bantu speakers originated somewhere in Nigeria, migrated through Cameroon and Gabon, from where they gradually spread eastward north of the forest , and south to the forest edge near the Congo and the Lower Kasai and the Lualaba tributaries.

Some of these migrating ethnic groups, if not most of them – especially those who were following the south central ‘wave’ which moved down from the Lower Kasai, where they probably settled temporarily – might have figured among the royal clan members, or at least some of the influential clans, of the Katanga kingdoms of Luba and Lunda.

The expansion of the Lunda kingdom to the west was believed to have made possible the migration of the Kinguri –title carrying groups into Angola. As those who lived with the Kinguri moved about, they absorbed other ethnic groups between the Kasai and the Atlantic, where they finally settled down in about 1600 as the “Imbangala” people; these later ruled over the state of Kasanje near Kwango River.

These so-called “Imbangala” were composed of the Kinguri himself and his followers; amongst them were the political tittle of Kabungu, Mwa Cangombe, Kangengo, Ndonga, Kibombo kya Wulu, Kambwizo and Lunga (which possibly acquired the Bantu prefix ‘ka’ on reaching Owamboland).

Some of these political tittles reached Owamboland, like Kabungu, Ndonga and Kalunga – as corresponding to Kambungu, the great traveller, Andonga, the founder of Ondonga and Kalunga, the Supreme Being.

Most Owambo people believe they have come from the east when they arrived to settl in owamboland. More precisely, traditions point out that some of the present Owambo speakers arrived at their present home through the Okavango, the north-eastern part of Namibia, but also from the sites of Evale, now in Southern Angola.

The populationpressure and scarcity of wild animals in areas were emigrating from were the main reasons behind the Ovawambos movements at the early stages. At a later stage of the pressures emanating from political and power conflicts, wars and population growth, these were related to improved methods of agriculture.

According to Owambo traditions, migration into owamboland took place under the leadership of four clan leaders: Sitentu; Kanene; Kambungu and Andonga while they were at Osimolo, their first settlement. But it was only Kanene and Kambungu who later became founders of the Kwanyama kingdom.

Meanwhile, Kanene and his followers moved southward until they reached Hakafia where they encountered the Cattle clan (Ovakwanangobe), the Woodcutter clan (Ovakwahongo) and the Zebra clan (Ovakwaluvala). Kanene and his people acquired cattle by attacking the Cattle clan, and trekked further south until they reached Oshamba, a seasonal river, by then occupied by four different groups Aandonga, Aangandjera, Aakwambi and Hamangundu.

[Very soon I will add the migration of the other tribes of Namibia, just hang in there, RIGHT? RIGHT!]

Similar African Kingdoms developed in central Africa through this Bantu Migration in the 1500. This include Zambia, Zimbambwe, Angola etc. due to the increase in iron technology, and in food production through agriculture and domestication of animals, the increase in population and the idea of centralization through hierarchal control in which the ruler used both political and religious power.

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