Markus Kooper
Encyclopedia
Reverend Markus Kooper was a Namibia
n activist, educator and religious figure. From Hoachanas
in the Hardap Region
, Kooper was one of the first Namibians who traveled to the United Nations
to petition for his country's independence from apartheid South Africa. He is buried at the National Heroes Acre memorial cemetery outside of Windhoek
.
Kooper studied with the Rhenish Missionary Society
and received teacher training in Okahandja
from 1939-1942. He then taught at missionary schools in Stampriet
, Gochas
and Hoachanas until 1946 and became headmaster at Hoachanas in 1949. He also attended ministry training with the African Methodist Episcopal Church
and was ordained as deacon
. Kooper became the spiritual leader of his community and was appointed to Hoachanas' Pastoral Church in 1955.
In 1956, Kooper spoke before the United Nations
on the issue of South West Africa along with Reverend Michael Scott, Mburumba Kerina, Hans Beukes
, Fanuel Kozonguizi
, Sam Nujoma
, Ismael Fortune, Jacob Kuhangua and Hosea Kutako
.
The Boer
e population of Hoachanas resented the presence of the 400-odd Nama residents and repeatedly tried to have them evicted. In 1959 they obtained an eviction order that was confirmed by the High Court in Windhoek
. On 29 January 1959, Kooper and his family was resettled by force to Itsawisis, a village 50 kilometres (31.1 mi) north of Keetmanshoop
, almost 300 kilometres (186.4 mi) away from his home settlement. He was brought back by his community in November of that year.
Markus Kooper went into exile in 1960 in order to petition the UN again, this time as representative of the South West Africa United National Independence Organisation (SWAUNIO). He returned only in 1976 and established a private school at Hoachanas but remained politically active. His community resisted all resettlement attempts throughout the days of apartheid.
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...
n activist, educator and religious figure. From Hoachanas
Hoachanas
Hoachanas is a settlement of 3,000 inhabitants in the Hardap Region of southern central Namibia, located northeast of Kalkrand. It is situated at the junction of the main road C21 from Kalkrand, and C15 from Dordabis to Stampriet and belongs to the Mariental Rural electoral constituency.Inhabited...
in the Hardap Region
Hardap Region
Hardap is one of the thirteen regions of Namibia. It is home to the Hardap Dam.Hardap stretches the entire width of Namibia, from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to Namibia's eastern national border. In the northeast, it borders the Kgalagadi District of Botswana, and in the southeast, it borders...
, Kooper was one of the first Namibians who traveled to the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
to petition for his country's independence from apartheid South Africa. He is buried at the National Heroes Acre memorial cemetery outside of Windhoek
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...
.
Kooper studied with the Rhenish Missionary Society
Rhenish Missionary Society
The Rhenish Missionary Society was one of the largest missionary societies in Germany. Formed from smaller missions founded as far back as 1799, the Society was amalgamated on 23 September 1828, and its first missionaries were ordained and sent off to South Africa by the end of the year.The...
and received teacher training in Okahandja
Okahandja
Okahandja is a town of 14,000 inhabitants in Otjozondjupa Region, central Namibia, and the district capital of the Okahandja electoral constituency. It is known as the Garden Town of Namibia. It is located 70km north of Windhoek on the B1 road...
from 1939-1942. He then taught at missionary schools in Stampriet
Stampriet
Stampriet is a village in Hardap Region, Namibia. It is located 10 km north of Mariental.-Local authority results, 2010:In the 2010 local authority election, a total of 349 votes were cast in the village. SWAPO won with approximately 74% of the vote...
, Gochas
Gochas
Gochas is a village in Hardap Region, Namibia. It is located southeast of Mariental on the way to the Mata Mata border post to the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. The village has been the main settlement of the ǃKharakhoen , a subtribe of the Nama people, since 1889.-References:...
and Hoachanas until 1946 and became headmaster at Hoachanas in 1949. He also attended ministry training with the African Methodist Episcopal Church
African Methodist Episcopal Church
The African Methodist Episcopal Church, usually called the A.M.E. Church, is a predominantly African American Methodist denomination based in the United States. It was founded by the Rev. Richard Allen in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1816 from several black Methodist congregations in the...
and was ordained as deacon
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
. Kooper became the spiritual leader of his community and was appointed to Hoachanas' Pastoral Church in 1955.
In 1956, Kooper spoke before the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
on the issue of South West Africa along with Reverend Michael Scott, Mburumba Kerina, Hans Beukes
Hans Beukes
Hans Beukes is a Namibian writer and former activist. Beukes was one of the leaders of the Coloured Baster community and one of the earliest petitioners for South West African independence when he traveled to the United Nations in 1956. In order to visit the UN, Beukes had to be smuggled out of...
, Fanuel Kozonguizi
Fanuel Kozonguizi
Fanuel Jariretundu Kozonguizi was a Namibian politician, activist, lawyer and ombudsman. A leading member of the South West African National Union-Biography:...
, 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...
, Ismael Fortune, Jacob Kuhangua and Hosea Kutako
Hosea Kutako
Chief Hosea Kutako was an early Namibian nationalist leader and member of the South West African People's Organization. Kutako, alongside Rev. Michael Scott led petitions to the United Nations which eventually led to the recognition of Namibia's status as a sovereign country under colonial control...
.
The Boer
Boer
Boer is the Dutch and Afrikaans word for farmer, which came to denote the descendants of the Dutch-speaking settlers of the eastern Cape frontier in Southern Africa during the 18th century, as well as those who left the Cape Colony during the 19th century to settle in the Orange Free State,...
e population of Hoachanas resented the presence of the 400-odd Nama residents and repeatedly tried to have them evicted. In 1959 they obtained an eviction order that was confirmed by the High Court in Windhoek
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...
. On 29 January 1959, Kooper and his family was resettled by force to Itsawisis, a village 50 kilometres (31.1 mi) north of Keetmanshoop
Keetmanshoop
Keetmanshoop is a city in Karas Region, southern Namibia, lying on the Trans-Namib Railway from Windhoek to Upington in South Africa. It is named after Johann Keetman, a German industrialist and founder of the city....
, almost 300 kilometres (186.4 mi) away from his home settlement. He was brought back by his community in November of that year.
Markus Kooper went into exile in 1960 in order to petition the UN again, this time as representative of the South West Africa United National Independence Organisation (SWAUNIO). He returned only in 1976 and established a private school at Hoachanas but remained politically active. His community resisted all resettlement attempts throughout the days of apartheid.