Okahandja
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Okahandja (meaning "the place where two rivers flow into each other to form one wide one") is a small town in central Namibia, north of Windhoek on the B1 road. It was founded around 1800, by two local groups, the Herero and the Nama.
Note: See German acticle for details.
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[edit] Overview
A German pastor, Heinrich Schmelen, became the first European to visit the town, in 1827. In 1844, two missionaries were permanently assigned to the town, and a church dates from this period. A military base was established in Okahandja in 1894, and it is this date that is officially recognized as the town's founding.
A large open-air curio market attracts tourists, and the town serves as the administrative centre for the Herero people.
Willem Maherero, Jan Jonker, Hosea Kutako and Clemens Kapuuo are buried in the town.
The National Institute for Educational Development (NIED) is today situated in Okahandja. NIED was created after independence as the institute from where a new national system of education was created, replacing the previous racist system of apartheid.
[edit] Transport
A station on the Trans-Namib Railway was built in 1909, which led to further growth and development in the area.
[edit] Adjacent stations
[edit] See also
[edit] References
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