Axel Wilhelm Eriksson
Encyclopedia
Axel Wilhelm Eriksson was a Swedish ornithologist, settler and trader in what is now Namibia
. He was born in Vänersborg
, in Sweden
.
Eriksson went to South-West Africa in 1866 (before Germany had established its colony of German South West Africa in 1884) to serve out a three-year apprenticeship to Charles John Andersson
. In 1871, with Swede Anders Ohlsson, he established a brewery at Omaruru. Eriksson established a trading post there, which flourished and by 1878 employed about forty whites. Eriksson's business was based upon long-distance trading between southern Angola
and Cape Colony
, which necessitated the establishment of regional trade routes. He also built up an extensive bird collection, specimens coming from South West Africa, Angola
and the Transvaal
(now Gauteng Province in South Africa), which has since been donated to the municipal museum in Vänersborg.
His activities gained much respect from a wide range of communities, including native and Boer
, over a large geographic area. He was known to the Herero as Karuwapa Katiti ("the small white person").
Axel Eriksson died on May 5, 1901 at Urupupa. It was said that "when Karuwapa died, the goodness in the country died as well". His grave at Rietfontein, thirty kilometres south west of Grootfontein
, was made a national monument
in 1978; a sign beside the grave reads: "This is the last resting place of Axel Eriksson, well known traveller, hunter, trader and pioneer, through whose intercession the Cape Government
sent food to the distressed thirstland trekkers in 1879 thus rescuing various families from certain death".
Eriksson married Fanny Stewardson, in 1871 and the couple had two sons, Axel Eriksson (1871-1924 (died at Gaideb, Warmbad
)), a noted painter and Andrew Albert Eriksson (1876-), who became a priest in Sweden. There was also a daughter, Maud Alice Eriksson. Eriksson's two brothers, Carl and Gustav also migrated to South-West Africa.
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...
. He was born in Vänersborg
Vänersborg
Vänersborg is a locality and the seat of Vänersborg Municipality, Västra Götaland County, Sweden with 21,672 inhabitants in 2005. Until 1997 it was the capital of Älvsborg County, which was dissolved in 1998. Since 1999 Vänersborg is the seat of the regional parliament of Västra Götaland County...
, in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
.
Eriksson went to South-West Africa in 1866 (before Germany had established its colony of German South West Africa in 1884) to serve out a three-year apprenticeship to Charles John Andersson
Charles John Andersson
- References :* at Internet Archive...
. In 1871, with Swede Anders Ohlsson, he established a brewery at Omaruru. Eriksson established a trading post there, which flourished and by 1878 employed about forty whites. Eriksson's business was based upon long-distance trading between southern Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
and 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...
, which necessitated the establishment of regional trade routes. He also built up an extensive bird collection, specimens coming from South West Africa, Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
and the Transvaal
Transvaal Province
Transvaal Province was a province of the Union of South Africa from 1910 to 1961, and of its successor, the Republic of South Africa, from 1961 until the end of apartheid in 1994 when a new constitution subdivided it.-History:...
(now Gauteng Province in South Africa), which has since been donated to the municipal museum in Vänersborg.
His activities gained much respect from a wide range of communities, including native and 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,...
, over a large geographic area. He was known to the Herero as Karuwapa Katiti ("the small white person").
Axel Eriksson died on May 5, 1901 at Urupupa. It was said that "when Karuwapa died, the goodness in the country died as well". His grave at Rietfontein, thirty kilometres south west of Grootfontein
Grootfontein
Grootfontein is a city of 14,200 inhabitants in the Otjozondjupa Region of central Namibia. It is one of the three towns in the Otavi Triangle, situated on the B8 national road that leads from Windhoek to the Caprivi Strip...
, was made a national monument
National monument
A National monument is a monument constructed in order to commemorate something of national importance such as a war or the country's founding. The term may also refer to a specific monument status, such as a National Heritage Site, which most national monuments are by reason of their cultural...
in 1978; a sign beside the grave reads: "This is the last resting place of Axel Eriksson, well known traveller, hunter, trader and pioneer, through whose intercession the Cape Government
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...
sent food to the distressed thirstland trekkers in 1879 thus rescuing various families from certain death".
Eriksson married Fanny Stewardson, in 1871 and the couple had two sons, Axel Eriksson (1871-1924 (died at Gaideb, Warmbad
Warmbad, Namibia
Warmbad is a settlement located in the Karas Region of southern Namibia. It is situated south of Karasburg at the Homs River, close to the border with South Africa, and belongs to the Karasburg electoral constituency.First occupied by traders, hunters, and missionaries of different congregations,...
)), a noted painter and Andrew Albert Eriksson (1876-), who became a priest in Sweden. There was also a daughter, Maud Alice Eriksson. Eriksson's two brothers, Carl and Gustav also migrated to South-West Africa.