Rick’s Oranjemund history lesson

[SandyB]

Ricky .. I think a variety  of factors came into the equation .. one of them was was  the widows job of some  benefit of the company  ?? .. vis Mrs Chemaly a qualified dental nurse , Sister Collard .. highly qualified .. My Mum senoir buyer  and part of shopping center management with a good track  record , as said they even offered her a job at HQ when her  retirement came at 55 ..  and of course as time moved on policy  also  seemed to move on with the times ..  indeed a complex issue ..

[Clive Symes]

Ricky,
Thats a good question, when were we first able to dial out directly.

I must admit that I don't have a definitive answer, but think it was around 1975 /76 or so when the New Exchange was introduced.

May be someone elce recollects.

[SandyB]

I think  about 77 or later  . cos Louise still worked at the exchange till 77 +

[Bertie Horak]

I agree with Sandy.  My guess is also 1977.  I remember we still stayed in E10/11 then, and I was sad because our old number (338) was about to change.

[Diana Rudd (Boehme)]

Dec 1976.......My Mandy was born in Jan 1977...I don't REMEMBER going through the exchange to tell the family in Cape Town.....

[Gordon Brown]

Arthur Snow was senior mine foreman in 'G' Area when I arrived on the mine in 1968. He also had snow white hair.A wonderful man to work for. Gunther Salshow took over the reins when Arthur retired in 1970?

[Ricky Barron (RIP)]

@ Gordon, My Mom seems to think that there were two Snow families spanning those years, so I'm not sure whether they were in fact related or not.

Thanks for trying to keep things on track, Barb, but as we all know if there is a side road to be taken on these topics, it will be followed!

Last week's question: As we all know, crime was illegal in Oranjemund, and should one upset the powers that be, one would be ejected within forty-eight to seventy-two hours. Legal matters, however, did crop up in the community, but had to be dealt with in Luderitz, or on the odd occasion that a visiting magistrate would visit. In what year was the new Magistrate's Court opened in O'mund, and what was unique about the arrival of Mr. Nel, the first magistrate?

Answer: As chronicled by Alison; "A new Magistrate's Court was opened on the 6th of September 1957 (close Diana), and it was another stepping stone towards a developing and sophisticated society. Eyes were agog when the magistrate, accompanied by his wife, was allowed to drive his own car into Oranjemund to offload his belongings - it was a beautiful Chev and was the envy of many".

Unfortunately, due to a technical glitch, this week's lesson will have to be held over! For this I humbly apologise, but I will post it as soon as possible.

[Ricky Barron (RIP)]

Forever "migrants": (Part 1)

With reference to the "separate development/class structure" discussed in the previous "lesson", and the stringent policies instituted by the powers that be, I believe it would be interesting for the present generation to know a bit about the unique "Apartheid" that was practiced in the village from its inception in the mid thirties. It was only when I was in high school that I realized how complete and controlled the different lifestyles of the "European" and the Owambo (migrant) workers were.

How and why it was the Owambo (and Kavango) migrants were the workforce of choice I am not sure, however, they were known to be hard workers and were prepared to endure harsh working conditions (as anybody who has lived there will confirm, the wind and sand could, and often did, addle, or fry the brain) and spend long periods away from home. During the early days, "Owambo wagon transport had to walk 135 miles from Pomona to the Orange Mouth, taking up to seven days"!

Until 1953 the migrant workers would travel by train and bus to get to the mine, but because of the numbers at that time (360 odd permanent (white) employees, and approximately 2,500 migrants), an airlift, between Grootfontein and Alexander Bay, was instituted to minimize travelling time.

Until the advent of brick homes, the Owambos were employed to work on the mines doing any and all labour intensive and time consuming tasks. They were housed in pondoks (as were the "whites" of the time), and soon "Compounds" were developed, first on the mine, and finally in the town itself. From the early fifties the migrants started working in the homes of the permanent employees, but first numerous aptitude/psychometric tests had to be completed to ascertain the suitability/education levels of each. (At the time, white General Workers, Operators and the like had no such tests to perform) The ability to read and write, as well as to communicate (mainly in Afrikaans) was necessary to enable the Owambos to work in homes, and this was considered by them to be a "plum" job. Others that scored well in the tests were initially trained to drive many of the earth moving vehicles on the mine, as besides the wind and sand, the tedium of spending up to 12 hours "in the saddle" was not a job that the "Europeans" were eager to do. Later the top scoring men would be employed in the Administration offices, Computer dept (as punch card operators) and various other "office" jobs.

Initially two year contracts were signed, but when it was apparent and appreciated that such a length of time away from home was not conducive to a healthy work environment for all concerned, the contract time was halved, and finally six month contracts could also be signed. Most of the men however, selected contracts of between ten months and a year. It must be emphasized that working at CDM meant far higher wages than similar employment anywhere else. One must understand (and this is purely for "guests" or any folk that did not grow up in O'mund) that there were no Owambo women or children on the mine, so that up to six thousand men, in the different compounds, had only themselves to communicate with, and/or entertain.

This they did in many ingenious and interesting ways. While they had a bioscope (outdoors) and a skittles alley, they also played "that game with stones and cup shaped indentations, that few white people seemed to understand, and I would appreciate it if anybody to tell me what it is called". A prized possession was a sewing machine, of which there were quite a few, and on any given "off day/weekend" one would find them outside on the lawn sewing dresses and other items of clothing to take back when they went home. As a child I would always find it rather amusing to observe the process – the person sewing would find another chap (more or less the same shape of the soon to be recipient of the dress) who would have to stand on a chair while the pleats and hems would be inserted and pinned! There green fingers were also vividly apparent to those that had the good fortune to see the beautiful gardens in the place which they called "home" for, in some cases, a large portion of their lives!

They also had their own soccer league and athletics championships at the compound as well as the eagerly anticipated and well attended inter-area 'First aid competition" on the cricket field (one of the few things that they did in town). A church (Lutheran) and hospital satisfied their edification and health needs to a large degree.

Their meals were extremely well catered and many were the times that Abraham, our "house boy" from 1953 until the death of my father in 1972, would arrive in the morning with a 2lb (1 kilo) tin of jam, or redskin "monkey" nuts, or those wonderful mini raisin loaves that only they got!

While the "Owambos" were away from their families, many became part of the family they worked for, and treated the children as they would their own. Abraham, because of the fact that my Dad was hardly ever at home during daylight hours, would teach me how to fix a puncture and other similar tasks that he felt it necessary for me to know. His cooking prowess was such that when my mom was spending her time keeping her brood from maiming each other, he would simply step into the breach and would produce meals of the highest order, and then "press" our school blazers so that we did not embarrass him, such was his attachment to us. At the birth of my sister Les, he was as proud as punch, and watched over her right up to the time of the passing of my father. On hearing the news of my father's demise in Cape Town (and unbeknown to me), he slept on the floor in our pondok, as he did not want to leave me 'home alone'. He was so totally shattered and distraught when he realized that my Mom had to leave, that he asked to be assigned to another job, as after 18 years he could not imagine working for another family. (He and my mom stayed in touch until his death a while ago).

However, I digress!

Oops, I've run out of ink again, so until next week when we deal with "Part 2 – A day in the life)", feel free to participate!

Question: How did Lamb's Park get its name, and what was its original function?

[SandyB]

Lambs park was the lounge area off Kateys bar  where  children coould sit with their parents if they  wanted to  go out for a drink ... of  course the lawns outside to play on .. there was originally a fishpond  on the lawn as well ..
yes  and i always get a lump in my throat when i hear  folk  recounting what good and  gentle and caring  folk our  house servants were ... we were their extended family  in many ways ...

[Clive Symes]

Ricky, I dont believe it,
The game you are refering to is called "Osholo",spelling may not be correct. It was played in the hostels on big concrete tables with indented cups, truth be told I used to think they made up the rules as they went along.
That was until I came accross a similar game played on a wooden board, unfortunatly I didnt buy it otherwise I could of explained it better. The object was, if memory serves, to get all one's cattle from starting Cup (kraal) into the finishing Cup.

It made sence when the moves were explained .

[SandyB]

One of the pics i took when i used to go into town hostel and take pics ..

[barb (Fry)]

Ricky/Clive

here is a link to a picture on forum previously http://www.oranjemundonline.com/Forum/index.php?topic=449.0
I posted a link to a site with history of game on this that thread - am adding

another link for your interest  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mancala

[georg ruf jr.]

Fantastic game Barb. My daughter of five loves playing this. Sometimes for hours.

[Ricky Barron (RIP)]

Hi Clive, I actually had a pretty good working knowledge of the game (could never remember the name though) as during quiet times at the computer dept, while the computer was processing a particular programme, the punch card operators would show me the intricacies thereof. Traces of chess, (in that one had to think ahead), backgammon, (Get all the "cattle" to the end), and draughts (move all of the opponents stones onto your side of the "board") came into play, and the speed at which they played left me floundering more often than not! I have also seen it in a board format, but that paled into insignificance compared to the sheer size of the concrete tables, which is what made it so intimidating and truly awesome! By the way, what did you mean by ; "I don't believe it"?

[Clive Symes]

Hi Ricky,
What I meant was that, how could you forget the Ovambo name of the game, we all tried it at some time or other, and that is one of my early memories of OMD, being able to ask the Ovambos what the called this and how they did that. Nice to know that you played it as well, and your right about the speed at which they played it.
Two other things that I remember fondly, one was being taught how to carve wooden arrow heads and the Ovambo Knives ( the metal work for the blades wweres done in the fire and hammered out on my dads vise)
The other was getting peanuts from the storeroom at the back of the "Owambo Hospital', rock salt from the pink pan for a brown paper packet of peanuts.