Tjamuaha (also: Tjamuaha waTjirwe, literally English: Tjamuaha, son of Tjirwe, born ca. 1790 in Otjikune, died December 1861 in Okahandja) was a chief of the Herero people in South-West Africa, today’s Namibia, and the father of Maharero. He was a close ally and subordinate of Jonker Afrikaner, Captain of the Oorlam Afrikaners, and stayed with him in Windhoek for most of his chieftaincy.[1] With Tjamuaha’s death, hostilities started between the Nama people and the Herero.[2]
This made it necessary for the clans to unite as a group. That is how, on 15 June 1863 at Otjizingue (now Otjimbingwe), Maharero was elected as the commander-in-chief of all Herero clans. Later Maharero was elected the first Paramount Chief of the Herero people.[3]
References
Notes
- ^ Dierks, Klaus. “Biographies of Namibian Personalities, T. Entry for Ua Tjirwe Tjamuaha”. Retrieved 24 June 2010.
- ^ Vedder 1997, p. 319.
- ^ Dierks, Klaus. “Biographies of Namibian Personalities, M. Entry for Maharero”. klausdierks.com. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
Literature
- Vedder, Heinrich (1997). Das alte Südwestafrika. Südwestafrikas Geschichte bis zum Tode Mahareros 1890 [The old South-West Africa. South-West Africa’s history until Maharero’s death 1890] (in German) (7th ed.). Windhoek: Namibia Scientific Society. ISBN 0-949995-33-9.
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