Ondonga is a traditional kingdom of the

Ovambo people The Ovambo people (), also called Aawambo, Ambo, Aawambo (Ndonga, Nghandjera, Kwambi, Kwaluudhi, Kolonghadhi, Mbalantu), or Ovawambo (Kwanyama) the biggest of the Aawambo sub-tribes are a Bantu ethnic group native to Southern Africa, primarily mo ...

in what is today northern

Namibia Namibia (, ), officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in Southern Africa. Its western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Zambia and Angola to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and ea ...

. Its capital is

Ondangwa Ondangwa (earlier spelling ''Ondangua'') is a town in the Oshana Region of northern Namibia, bordering the Oshikoto Region. Ondangwa was first established as a mission station of the Finnish Missionary Society (the FMS) in 1890. In 1914, it became ...

, and the kingdom's palace is at

Onambango Onambango is a settlement in the Ondonga area of Oshana Region in Namibia near Ondangwa town. The village is the current seat of the Ondonga royal house during the reign of the King Fillemon Shuumbwa Nangolo Fillemon Shuumbwa Nangolo (born 4 Ju ...

. Its people call themselves ''Aandonga''. They speak the

Ndonga dialect Ndonga, also called Oshindonga, is a Bantu dialect spoken in Namibia and parts of Angola. It is a standardized dialect of the Ovambo language, and is mutually intelligible with Kwanyama, the other Ovambo dialect with a standard written form. Wi ...

. The Ondonga kingdom is ruled by an ''Omukwaniilwa'' (king), assisted by a council of elders, the

Ondonga Traditional Authority Ondonga is a traditional kingdom of the Ovambo people in what is today northern Namibia. Its capital is Ondangwa, and the kingdom's palace is at Onambango. Its people call themselves ''Aandonga''. They speak the Ndonga dialect. The Ondonga kingd ...

. After the death of king

Immanuel Kauluma Elifas Omukwaniilwa Immanuel Kauluma Elifas (born.c. 1 January 1934 Epale – 26 March 2019 Onandjokwe) was a chief of the Ondonga, a sub-tribe of Owambo people since 28 August 1975, in Namibia having succeeded his brother the late Chief Fillemon Elif ...

in March 2019,

Fillemon Shuumbwa Nangolo Fillemon Shuumbwa Nangolo (born 4 June 1974 in Enkono, Ondonga) is the reigning king of Ondonga kingdom, a sub-tribe of Owambo people since 2019 in Namibia. Nangolo is the nephew of late King Immanuel Kauluma Elifas who reigned from 1975 - 2019. ...

was appointed as successor and subsequently recognised by

government A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is a ...

. In Ondonga the cultural heritage cannot be separated from the landscape around them. Landmarks such as trees or oshanas can be important heritage sites because of the stories that are associated with them. As in other Owambo kingdoms, the most important heritage sites were the places where their ancestral leaders were buried.

Succession rules

The king's succession is matrilinear. Both king and queen are to marry outside the royal family. The first in line to the throne is the oldest surviving brother of the king, then followed by his sisters' sons. If there are several such nephews, the royal family and selected elders of the kingdom make a recommendation. However, succession is this way is not automatic, and ultimately decided by the traditional authority, over which the king presides. If for instance the first in line is not considered capable, someone else might be recommended. There are two matrilinear lines in the Ondonga kingdom, one from Epale and one from Onethika. Under normal circumstances ascension alternates between the two. The king's residence is not at a predetermined village and depends on where the king chooses to reside. The past two kings resided at

Onamungundo Onamungundo is a settlement in the Ondonga area of Oshikoto Region in Namibia. The village was the seat of the Ondonga royal house during the reign of the late King Immanuel Kauluma Elifas Omukwaniilwa Immanuel Kauluma Elifas (born.c. 1 Januar ...

, previous places of the royal palace of the Aandonga included Oshamba,

Olukonda Nangolo Mbumba, Olukonda is a settlement in the Oshikoto Region in the north of Namibia. It is the district capital of the Olukonda Constituency, Olukonda electoral constituency. During colonial time of German South West Africa the missionary sta ...

, Okaloko, Ondjumba,

Ontananga Ontananga is a village in the Oshikoto Region in northern Namibia Namibia (, ), officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in Southern Africa. Its western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Zambia and Angola to ...

and Omwandi.

Succession rules

References

Further reading