Taming My Elephant

Trudie Amulungu

Description

In Oshiwambo, the elephant is likened to the most challenging situation that people can face. If an elephant appears in the morning, all planned activities are put on hold and the villagers join forces to deal with it. For Tshiwa Trudie Amulungu, the elephant showed up on many mornings and she had no choice but to tame it. Growing up in a traditional household in northern Namibia, and moving to a Catholic school, Amulungu’s life started within a very ordered framework. Then one night in 1977 she crossed the border into Angola with her schoolmates and joined the liberation movement. Four months later she was studying at the UN Institute for Namibia in Lusaka Zambia, later going on to study in France. Amulungu recounts the cultural shocks and huge discoveries she made along her journey with honesty, emotion and humour. She draws the reader into her experiences through a close portrayal of life, friends and community in the different places where she lived and studied in exile. This is a compelling story of survival, longing for home, fear of the return, and overcoming adversity in strange environments. It is also a love story that brought two families and cultures together.

Sujets

• Autobiography
• Biography

Informations

• Publié par: University of Namibia Press
• Date de parution: 14 décembre 2016
• Nombre de lectures: 4
• EAN13: 9789991642253
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 11 Mo

Extrait

9 7 8 - 9 9 9 1 6 - 4 2 - 1 8 - 5

TAMING MY ELEPHANT TSHIWA TRUDIE AMULUNGU

Taming My Elephant

Tshiwa Trudie Amulungu

Unîversîy o Namîbîa Press www.unam.edu.na/unam-press [e-mail] Prîvae Bag 13301 Wîndoek Namîbîa

© Tsîwa Trudîe Amuungu, 2016

A rîgs reserved. No par o îs pubîcaîon may be reproduced, sored în any rerîeva sysem or ransmîed în any orm, or by any means, e.g. eecronîc, mecanîca, poocopyîng, recordîng or oerwîse wîou prîor permîssîon o e auor.

First published: 2016 Cover drawing: Pena Brock Family trees:Brock Wîrîed MapsHîpondoka and Andreas Amukwaya,: Marîn UNAM Deparmen o Geograpy, Hîsory & Envîronmena Sudîes Copy-editing: Muaenî Nadîmî, Lusdreamer Creaîve Servîces Design and layout: Vîvîen Barnes, Handmade Communîcaîons Printed byOfse (Maaysîa): Tîmes

ïSBN 978-99916-42-18-5

Distribution ïn Namîbîa by Namîbîa Book Marke: www.namîbîabooks.com ïnernaîonay by e Arîcan Books Coecîve: www.arîcanbookscoecîve.com

Contents

A word abou e îe o e book Proogue Maps A word abou Namîbîa 1 My ancesors 2 My cîdood 3 My word opens up 4 Exîe becomes a norma way o îe 5 Marrîed jus or a ew mons 6 My îe gaîns new meanîng 7 Arrîva o a wîe comrade 8 Namîbîa gaîns îndependence 9 Tamîng my eepan Many anks he îberaîon srugge and îe în exîe 1958-1990 Acronyms Gossary o Osîwambo erms

1

2 3 8 11 13 42 71 114 163 186 198 228 265 297 299 303 304

A word about the title of the book

Meaporîcay, în Osîwambo, my moer ongue, e eepan îs îkened o e mos caengîng sîuaîon a can ace umanîy. he Aawambo beîeve a î an eepan sows up, everyîng ese, îrrespecîve o îs naure and urgency, îs pu asîde. Deaîng wî and geîng rîd o e eepan becomes prîorîy number one. For îs reason, wen eder peope pan an acîvîy or e oowîng mornîng, eîr concudîng senence îs aways as oows ‘Ongula osho tatu ningingele uusiku inawu vala ondjamba’or ‘We wî do as agreed î e nîg does no gîve bîr o an eepan.’ ï e nîg appens o ave gîven bîr o an eepan, a panned acîvîîes are pu on od and e vîagers îmmedîaey joîn orces o ge rîd o e eepan. ïn my case, sînce ï was aone and e eepan sowed up so many îmes, ï ad no coîce bu o ame î.

2

Prologue

‘I now turn to my new daughter-in-law. From a humble place in Owambo, she went to Zambia, then to France and back to Namibia with a French Master’s.’

hese were e exac words o my aer-în-aw as par o îs speec a my weddîng wen ï marrîed îs son în December 1990. My aer-în- aw as capured e exac scope o e andmarks o e roue ï, and so many oers, ad o rave o arrîve were we are oday. ï as been an unusua roue, u o caenges bu aso u o peasan surprîses. Wy dîd ï decîde o wrîe îs book? We, ï sared eeîng awkward beîng wî peope wo dîd no know a muc abou me. ï know a îs senîmen may be ard o beîeve, bu, or me, e awkwardness ony înensîied wen î came o ose ï îved wî. ï irs oug o sarîng my sory wî my amîy. Aoug so dear o me, ey do no know a o me, maybe even ess an a. hey are, owever, convînced a ey know me we. Ye, ere îs so muc abou me a ey canno know. ïndîvîduas’ îves are oten mos eusîve o ose coses o em. No by coîce, bu a’s jus ow îngs are. ï ad o rave a ong roue o adjus o my îe as î îs oday, bu ey don’ know muc abou îs efor. ï înîîay smîed wen my cîdren asked me quesîons o wîc ey expeced noîng ess an answers a corresponded o eîr rame o reerence. ïn e end, ï oo assumed a e oo-aîry, Easer eggs, Crîsmas rees and oer suc cusoms were e naura way o doîng îngs. Habî sîmpy and graduay se în.

3

4 | Tamîng My Eepan

ï ony, unexpecedy, cîcked one day wen a car guard unînenîonay, bu body, drew my aenîon o îs obvîous ac. hîs aenîve young man mus ave observed us, my usband, my cîdren and me, over a perîod o îme as we arrîved reguary a e gym. ïneresîngy, î a sared wî îm oferîng o ook ater our car. here beîng noîng unusua abou a, we aways wecomed e ofer. One day, î so appened a ï wen o e gym aone. Our usua car aendan conideny approaced me and asked me, îs îme în Osîwambo, weer e coud ook ater e car.Sure,ï responded and was abou o rus of. Bu e poîey waned o know î e coud quîcky ask me someîng.Sure, ï answered and sowed down. Ceary, e was saîsied a e coud conirm îs ong ed suspîcîon abou my moer ongue. Hîs quesîon o me oug was:Who are the peoplewith whom you always come to the gym?Wen ï expaîned a ese were îndeed my usband and cîdren, îs nex quesîon was:Do you mean youlive with them?As soon as ï ad responded în e aIrmaîve, e ired e nex quesîon:How do you communicate with each other?Wen ï od îm a we dîd so în Engîs, e waned o know weer îs was wa ï was doîng on a daîy basîs. Agaîn ï responded în e aIrmaîve. Aoug e appeared no o ave urer quesîons, îs ook expressed noîng ess an genuîne sympay. From îs brîe excange wî e car guard ï reaîsed ow muc my presen amîy îe perpexed an ordînary Namîbîan wo sared my background and experîence. ï aer on aso esabîsed a a good number o my peers înîîay wondered weer my marrîage o a wîe man was no sressu or me. ï sî remember ow one o my cose rîends conroned me wî an unambîguous quesîon:How do you deal with a white husband?ï o course was aso surprîsed by e sît o my own mînd se beween e irs îme ï ad se eyes on my usband în 1988 în Lusaka, Zambîa, and e îme a ese perpexîîes came o e ore 24 years aer wen ï began wrîîng îs book. My irs concern was o provîde my cîdren wî some accoun o my background în order or em o ge some undersandîng o e socîey ï was rom and e pa ï ad raveed beore seîng îno e pos Wîndoek suburb o Ludwîgsdor. Beore puîng anyîng on paper, ï releced a bî on wa o încude în my sory. hîs obvîousy made me

Proogue | 5

înk deep îno my pas în order o sor ou e reevan înormaîon. ï wen as ar back as some ory years, o e earîes days o my îe. ï was amazed abou e woe o ï ad gone roug. ï ceary reca my naura upbrîngîng, my naîve vîage and scoo îe a e Caoîc mîssîon saîons în Okaana and Anamuenge and my very irs sep îno e unknown, a îberaîon movemen a woud become my guardîan or weve years. hîs îberaîon movemen or e îndependence o Namîbîa woud secure ome or me în Angoa, Zambîa and France wî emporary seer în Tanzanîa, Kenya and Senega. Wen ï ook îno e eyes o my our daugers, ï see eîr absoue convîcîon a ï ave aways îved în Ludwîgsdor. Lîe do ey know a ï ad moved ere jus sory beore e as wo were born. Wen my cîdren excîedy ask me wa gîts ey are geîng or Crîsmas, ow coud ey possîby know a Crîsmas was e ony day o e year a ï go o drînk ea? For em, ea as aways been în e ouse and î îs drunk by coîce. Sugar îs a ouseod îem a we keep în e same pace year în and year ou. As a cîd, ï devîsed pan ater pan on ow o sea sugar. My poor moer ad o ind îdîng paces o proec e sugar rom us, ye we aways managed o ind î. And, o course, once we dîscovered î, we sowed no mercy and ae as muc as we coud. Aoug punîsmen was guaraneed, î never deerred us. My recoecîons broug back ond memorîes o îs ypîca vîage gîr wo, îke any vîage gîr, ad o earn every ouseod acîvîy, rangîng rom a a î akes o produce meas or an enîre amîy wîou any measuremen, o ookîng ater sîbîngs în e absence o bo parens. A mere ook a e amoun o waer în e po or a quîck dîp o a inger în a o îquîd was enoug or me o know weer ï woud ave enoug porrîdge or everyone, or weer e mîxure was ready or ermenaîon or e nex day’s drînk. And, în îke manner, a sern ook a a younger sîbîng was suIcîen or îm or er o undersand a, în e absence o e parens, ï was în carge. Wî îs ypîca radîîona upbrîngîng and every day ied wî noîng bu work, ï aced caenges on arrîva a e irs Caoîc mîssîon saîon or scoo. Here, ï ad o adjus o a new order, especîay e reguaed way o doîng îngs. he adjusmen was no a ard as ere was e domînan eemen o workoad, jus îke a ome. he ony

6 | Tamîng My Eepan

dîference was a one ad o be very aenîve o e îme accordîng o e wac and no onger accordîng o e posîîon o e sun, and o e exac sequence în wîc îngs ad o be done. Ater avîng comoraby seed îno and perecy adjused o e srucured îe o e mîssîon saîon, ï was o ind myse, rom one day o e nex, în a compeey dîferen se up across e Namîbîan border. he expanaîon îs sîmpe: wîîn e bînk o an eye, we, a arge group o scoo earners, crossed e border îno Angoa and joîned e îberaîon srugge o Namîbîa under e care o e Sou Wes Arîcan Peope’s Organîsaîon (SWAPO). ïnîîay, î a sounded unbeîevabe. Very quîcky we were o dîscover Namîbîans wo ad et e counry earîer, some as eary as 20 years beore us. We earned o eîr rue îdenîy, wîc was ar rom beîng wa e Sou Arîcan apareîd governmen porrayed em as back ome. hese brave counrymen and women ad se up a nework o camps, cenres and seemens across e neîgbourîng counrîes o receîve and care or Namîbîan reedom igers. As unbeîevabe as î may sound, ey ad secured rus and soîdarîy across e word. Ater ree mons în e camps în Angoa, we were sîmpy pu on an aeropane o go or urer sudîes. he sky was e îmî! ï pîcked up e courage o sudy a e Unîed Naîons ïnsîue or Namîbîa (UNïN) în Lusaka, Zambîa, and wen on or unîversîy sudîes în France, sudyîng în Frenc. Sînce ere were undreds and ousands o us, a sense o purpose and dîscîpîne was a requîremen. ïn a very sor îme, we conneced and uy embraced e îberaîon srugge o our counry and made î our rea daîy busîness. ï dîd no maer wa was assîgned o us, we sîmpy pîcked up e order and wen or î. From servîng în e Peope’s Lîberaîon Army o Namîbîa (PLAN), o sudyîng în very dîsan counrîes and în anguages we were no amîîar wî, o servîng în camps and seemens or în SWAPO oIces across e word, we served werever requîred. Our mîndse was soey geared owards securîng e îndependence o our counry. And we were uy aware a we ad a engy, arduous pa aead o us. One, owever, îs no sîeded rom caenges în precarîous sîuaîons suc as e ones we ound ourseves în. ï was durîng ese 12 years away rom ome a ï was o receîve e sad news o e sudden dea

Proogue | 7

o my moer, eavîng beînd my eîg younger sîbîngs. ï was urer o ge myse îno a very sor marrîage wîc et me saered or a number o years. Bu as e sayîng goes: caenges can be urned îno opporunîîes. My moeress sîbîngs and my baby dauger added o my sense o purpose and urer sarpened my deermînaîon o move on and work arder. Soon aterwards ï me a remarkabe young man wom ï was o marry some wo years aer. Hîs skîn coour became a caenge or me or some îme, bu î graduay became a non-îssue. We bo, owever, ad o ind a creaîve bu convîncîng way o înroducîng eac oer o our respecîve amîîes. And îs ad o appen upon our reurn o Namîbîa, în e wake o e excîemen and anxîey o our naîona îndependence. Can you îmagîne e magnîude o suc a parnersîp în a counry îke Namîbîa ose years wen skîn coour was a rea îssue and mîxed marrîages were as good as non-exîsen? As e ae Mosé Tjîendero e irs Speaker o e Naîona Assemby o e Repubîc o Namîbîa pu î în îs speec a our weddîng în December 1990, our marrîage was a bod saemen. hîs îs e sory ï wîs o sare wî ose wo care o read î. Today, ï ind e sory unînkabe. Wa îs amazîng îs a ï dîd no reay pan any o e many îngs a appened o me. Neîer dîd ï reaîse a ose parîcuar momens ow exraordînary ese appenîngs were. hîs îs parîcuary rue or my 12 years în exîe. ïn reaîy, îngs jus appened. As many îke o say: one ony needs o be a e rîg pace a e rîg îme. And îs îs a ï dîd. ïn e ina anaysîs, one canno ake credî or any o ese appenîngs. ïn a way, ese evens relec a coecîve acîevemen. hose o us wo wen or sudîes coud ony do so because oers were wagîng e îberaîon war and some oers wen around e word campaîgnîng or soîdarîy, încudîng scoarsîps. ïn e end, eac o us ad o brîng our îe pîeces o e îberaîon srugge puzze, aoug, evîdeny some broug bîgger pîeces an oers. Jus as ere îs a vîsîbe eap beween my cîdood îe o my cîdren’s îves, so was ere a uge eap beween e îves o my grandparens and a o my own parens, and o course beween my parens’ îves and my own. Eac o e our generaîons as ad compeey dîferen îe experîences. ï îs ar rom beîng a sîmpe evouîon.