Amraal Lambert
Encyclopedia
Amraal Lambert, Nama name: ǂGaiǀnub, (ca. 1774–13 February 1864) was the first Captain
of the Kaiǀkhauan (Khauas Nama), a subtribe of the Orlam, in the eastern area of Namaland
, today's Namibia
.
Amraal Lambert was born around 1774 near Hex River in the Clanwilliam district in the Cape Colony
(today's South Africa
). A Cape Khoikhoi
descendant, his status was little better than that of a slave, and he was forced to work in Worchester
and Cape Town
in his youth. In 1814 Lambert moved to Namaland
(today's eastern-central Namibia), accompanied by missionary
Heinrich Schmelen
, who baptised him in Bethanie in 1815. Schmelen and the Kaiǀkhauan group led by Lambert stayed together for 14 more years but Schmelen closed the missionary station in Bethanie in 1822 and travelled on. Lambert accompanied Schmelen on his travel to Walvis Bay
in 1825.
Between 1830 and 1860, Amraal Lambert and his cousin Jonker Afrikaner
controlled much of southern and central South-West Africa. Together they have been described as "super-power[s] in the cattle raiding business". From 1825 onwards Jonker Afrikaner and his council played a dominant political role in Damaraland
and Namaland, creating a de-facto state.
In 1840 Lambert and his people moved to Naosanabis (today Leonardville
) where they allied with ǁOaseb, leader of the Khaiǁkhaun (Red Nation). In 1855 or 1856 they abandoned Naosanabis and moved to ǂKoabes. Amraal, who spoke only Afrikaans
, could not pronounce the Nama name for this settlement, and changed it to its now common name Gobabis
.
In the 1860s the Kaiǀkhauan were severely weakened in their political and economic power. Their cattle died of lung disease, and smallpox
befell the Nama community at Gobabis. Many members of the Lambert family succumbed to the disease, among them Amraal who died on 13 February 1864 in Gobabis. His grandson Andreas Lambert
succeeded him as Captain of the Kaiǀkhauan at the age of 20.
Tribal chief
A tribal chief is the leader of a tribal society or chiefdom. Tribal societies with social stratification under a single leader emerged in the Neolithic period out of earlier tribal structures with little stratification, and they remained prevalent throughout the Iron Age.In the case of ...
of the Kaiǀkhauan (Khauas Nama), a subtribe of the Orlam, in the eastern area of Namaland
Namaland
Namaland was a bantustan in South West Africa , intended by the apartheid government to be a self-governing homeland for the Nama people. A centrally administered local government was created in 1980....
, today's 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...
.
Amraal Lambert was born around 1774 near Hex River in the Clanwilliam district in the Cape Colony
Cape Colony
The Cape Colony, part of modern South Africa, was established by the Dutch East India Company in 1652, with the founding of Cape Town. It was subsequently occupied by the British in 1795 when the Netherlands were occupied by revolutionary France, so that the French revolutionaries could not take...
(today's South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
). A Cape Khoikhoi
Khoikhoi
The Khoikhoi or Khoi, in standardised Khoekhoe/Nama orthography spelled Khoekhoe, are a historical division of the Khoisan ethnic group, the native people of southwestern Africa, closely related to the Bushmen . They had lived in southern Africa since the 5th century AD...
descendant, his status was little better than that of a slave, and he was forced to work in Worchester
Worcester, Western Cape
Worcester is a town in the Western Cape, South Africa. It is located 120 km north-east of Cape Town on the N1 highway north to Johannesburg....
and Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
in his youth. In 1814 Lambert moved to Namaland
Namaland
Namaland was a bantustan in South West Africa , intended by the apartheid government to be a self-governing homeland for the Nama people. A centrally administered local government was created in 1980....
(today's eastern-central Namibia), accompanied by missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
Heinrich Schmelen
Heinrich Schmelen
Reverend Johann Heinrich Schmelen was a German missionary and linguist who worked in South Africa and South-West Africa. Traveling through the area of today's northern South Africa and central and southern Namibia he founded the mission stations at Bethanie and Steinkopf and discovered the natural...
, who baptised him in Bethanie in 1815. Schmelen and the Kaiǀkhauan group led by Lambert stayed together for 14 more years but Schmelen closed the missionary station in Bethanie in 1822 and travelled on. Lambert accompanied Schmelen on his travel to Walvis Bay
Walvis Bay
Walvis Bay , is a city in Namibia and the name of the bay on which it lies...
in 1825.
Between 1830 and 1860, Amraal Lambert and his cousin Jonker Afrikaner
Jonker Afrikaner
Jonker Afrikaner was the fourth Captain of the Orlam Afrikaners in South West Africa, succeeding his father, Jager Afrikaner, in 1823...
controlled much of southern and central South-West Africa. Together they have been described as "super-power[s] in the cattle raiding business". From 1825 onwards Jonker Afrikaner and his council played a dominant political role in Damaraland
Damaraland
Damaraland was a name given to the north-central part of what later became Namibia, inhabited by the Damaras. It was bounded roughly by Ovamboland in the north, the Namib Desert in the west, the Kalahari Desert in the east, and Windhoek in the south....
and Namaland, creating a de-facto state.
In 1840 Lambert and his people moved to Naosanabis (today Leonardville
Leonardville, Namibia
Leonardville is a village in Omaheke Region in eastern Namibia. It belongs to the Aminuis electoral constituency. The place normally receives an annual average rainfall of , although in the 2010/2011 rainy season were measured....
) where they allied with ǁOaseb, leader of the Khaiǁkhaun (Red Nation). In 1855 or 1856 they abandoned Naosanabis and moved to ǂKoabes. Amraal, who spoke only Afrikaans
Afrikaans
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...
, could not pronounce the Nama name for this settlement, and changed it to its now common name Gobabis
Gobabis
Gobabis is a town in eastern Namibia. It is the regional capital of the Omaheke Region, and the district capital of the Gobabis electoral constituency. Gobabis is situated down the B6 motorway from Windhoek to Botswana. The town is from the Buitepos border post with Botswana, and serves as an...
.
In the 1860s the Kaiǀkhauan were severely weakened in their political and economic power. Their cattle died of lung disease, and smallpox
Smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
befell the Nama community at Gobabis. Many members of the Lambert family succumbed to the disease, among them Amraal who died on 13 February 1864 in Gobabis. His grandson Andreas Lambert
Andreas Lambert
Captain Andreas Lambert, also: Andries Lambert, Nama name: ǃNanib, was the second Kaptein of the Kaiǀkhauan , a subtribe of the Orlam, in the eastern area of South-West Africa, today's Namibia....
succeeded him as Captain of the Kaiǀkhauan at the age of 20.