Okomboni: Preserving the stories of Namibia’s migrant workers

The stories of Namibia’s migrant workers are an important part of the country’s shared history, yet many of these experiences remain undocumented, overlooked or are slowly disappearing.

Okomboni is a student research project that aims to preserve these memories and ensure the voices and experiences of former migrant workers are not lost to future generations.

The project is being undertaken by the College of the Arts (COTA), Windhoek, and Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg, in cooperation with the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC), the Namibian Film Commission, New Era newspaper and the John Liebenberg Family Trust.

The initiative is funded through the Namibia Initiative of the Ministry of Science, Research and Arts of Baden-Württemberg.

As part of the project, photographs taken by the late John Liebenberg are being used to help identify and reconnect with people whose lives and experiences are captured in the images.

The photographs offer a powerful visual record of Namibia’s past, particularly the lives of men who became part of the migrant labour system. Behind each photograph is a personal story of work, family, separation, hardship, resilience and hope.

The Okomboni project seeks to find some of the people featured in these photographs, listen to their memories and document their stories.

“These are not simply stories of the past. They are part of our living history,” the project organisers say.

Many of these memories have never been formally recorded. As time passes, there is a growing risk that valuable first-hand accounts of Namibia’s social and economic history could disappear.

By identifying the people in the photographs and giving them a chance to share their experiences, Okomboni hopes to preserve these stories for future generations.

The project also invites members of the public to help identify the individuals featured in the photographs.

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–www.okomboni.com*
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