Hochland Park
Encyclopedia
Hochland Park is a residential suburb in Windhoek
, the capital of Namibia
. It is named after the German Khomas Hochland, the central-Namibian plateau area in which Windhoek is situated.
Hochland Park is situated adjacent to the city centre
and borders the suburbs of Tauben Glen and Acacia in the east, Dorado Park in the north, Windhoek West
in the West and Pioneers Park
in the south. Originally designed as a whites-only area it is today an affluent residential area for Windhoek's upper middle class, both black and white.
, a township
for black residents, used to be. Blacks were evicted from this township by force when central Windhoek grew too close to the area. A new township, Katutura
, was established far away from the city centre.
The eviction faced severe resistance by the black community. On December 10, 1959, apartheid police attacked a protest gathering, killing 11 people and wounding 44. This day became known as the "Old location uprising". It was one of the events leading to the foundation of SWAPO by forcing community leaders from the Ovamboland People's Organization
into exile, among them Sam Nujoma
, who later became Namibia's founding president. The Old location uprising is the reason for the declaration of December 10, Human Rights Day
, as a Namibian national holiday.
1968 Old Location was officially closed and whites began to settle. Today, blacks who participated in the liberation struggle and became economically successful after independence often make a political statement by taking up residence in Hochland Park, the area they had been chased away from by the whites. Many ministers and high government officials and the inspector-general of the Namibian police today live in Hochland Park.
(Hamerkopweg, Kestrell Straat), and German (Raben Road, Falkenweg), respectively.
Windhoek
Windhoek is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Namibia. It is located in central Namibia in the Khomas Highland plateau area, at around above sea level. The 2001 census determined Windhoek's population was 233,529...
, the capital of Namibia
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
. It is named after the German Khomas Hochland, the central-Namibian plateau area in which Windhoek is situated.
Hochland Park is situated adjacent to the city centre
Windhoek Central Business District
Windhoek Central Business District is the inner city area of Windhoek, capital of Namibia. It is surrounded by the suburbs of Windhoek West and Hochland Park in the west, Windhoek-North in the north, Eros, Klein-Windhoek, Luxushügel and Auasblick in the east, and Suiderhof and Southern Industrial...
and borders the suburbs of Tauben Glen and Acacia in the east, Dorado Park in the north, Windhoek West
Windhoek West
Windhoek West is a suburb of Windhoek, the capital of Namibia. Its population is 38,969.. The Polytechnic of Namibia is located in Windhoek-West.Electorally, Windohoek West is located in the Windhoek West constituency.-References:...
in the West and Pioneers Park
Pioneers Park
Pioneers Park is a suburb in the south of Windhoek, Namibia, in the Windhoek West parliamentary consituency. It was developed in the second half of the 20th century as a white community, with the previous black residents being expelled to Katutura. The suburb is mainly residential, but also...
in the south. Originally designed as a whites-only area it is today an affluent residential area for Windhoek's upper middle class, both black and white.
History and political importance
Hochland Park was established in the late 1960s at the place where Windhoek's Old LocationOld Location
The Old Location was an area segregated for Black residents of Windhoek, the capital of Namibia. It was situated in the area of today's suburb Hochland Park....
, a township
Township
The word township is used to refer to different kinds of settlements in different countries. Township is generally associated with an urban area. However there are many exceptions to this rule. In Australia, the United States, and Canada, they may be settlements too small to be considered urban...
for black residents, used to be. Blacks were evicted from this township by force when central Windhoek grew too close to the area. A new township, Katutura
Katutura
Katutura is a township of Windhoek, Khomas Region, Namibia. Katutura was created in 1961 following the forced removal of Windhoek's black population from the Old Location, which afterwards was developed into the suburb Hochland Park. Sam Nujoma Stadium, built in 2005, is located within Katutura...
, was established far away from the city centre.
The eviction faced severe resistance by the black community. On December 10, 1959, apartheid police attacked a protest gathering, killing 11 people and wounding 44. This day became known as the "Old location uprising". It was one of the events leading to the foundation of SWAPO by forcing community leaders from the Ovamboland People's Organization
Ovamboland People's Organization
The Ovamboland People's Organization is a defunct nationalist organization that advocated an independent Ovamboland . Andimba Toivo ya Toivo and Sam Nujoma founded the OPO in 1959...
into exile, among them Sam Nujoma
Sam Nujoma
Samuel Daniel Shafiishuna Nujoma is a Namibian politician who was the first President of Namibia from 1990 to 2005. He led the South-West Africa People's Organisation in its long struggle against South African rule and took office as President when Namibia obtained independence on 21 March 1990...
, who later became Namibia's founding president. The Old location uprising is the reason for the declaration of December 10, Human Rights Day
Human Rights Day
Human Rights Day is celebrated annually across the world on 10 December.The date was chosen to honor the United NationsGeneral Assembly's adoption and proclamation, on 10 December 1948, of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights , the first global enunciation of human rights...
, as a Namibian national holiday.
1968 Old Location was officially closed and whites began to settle. Today, blacks who participated in the liberation struggle and became economically successful after independence often make a political statement by taking up residence in Hochland Park, the area they had been chased away from by the whites. Many ministers and high government officials and the inspector-general of the Namibian police today live in Hochland Park.
Street names
Street names in Hochland Park are named after birds, just like in the adjacent suburbs of Tauben Glen and Acacia, reflecting the languages spoken by the white community at the time of the establishment of the suburb. Approximately a third of them are English (Goshawk Street, Kingfisher Road), AfrikaansAfrikaans
Afrikaans is a West Germanic language, spoken natively in South Africa and Namibia. It is a daughter language of Dutch, originating in its 17th century dialects, collectively referred to as Cape Dutch .Afrikaans is a daughter language of Dutch; see , , , , , .Afrikaans was historically called Cape...
(Hamerkopweg, Kestrell Straat), and German (Raben Road, Falkenweg), respectively.