Nakayale

Nakayale, also known as Nakayale Keengulu is a village in northern Namibia near Outapi in Omusati Region situated 86km northwest of Oshakati and 4km from Outapi. It is in Anamulenge Constituency.

History of the mission station

An auxiliary mission station was founded in Nakayale in 1917. The teacher Sakeus Iihuhua, who had graduated from the teacher training seminary of Oniipa, was stationed there. Around that time, a great many Ovambadja moved from Angola to the Ombalantu tribal area, in order to escape the famine in Angola. The Aambalantu were not too eager to receive Christianity, but the Ovambadja were more receptive.

In 1925, Nakayale became an official mission station, when Heikki Saari settled permanently there.[1] In the same year, Sakeus Iihuhua was ordained a minister, as one of the first Ovambos who became pastors.[2] The following year the Aambalantu built a church in Nakayale, mainly by themselves. The missionary Heikki Saari relates, that “the youngest builder was a four-year-old ward of the mission station, who could only carry one brick at a time, but the tirelessness of this small brick bearer was an utterly moving sight to see.”[3]

Pastor Saari worked in Nakayale until 1931, when he was replaced by Tuure Vapaavuori. His wife Aino Vapaavuori, who was a deaconess, took care of the policlinic at Nakayale.[4]

During the years 1931–1935 the Nakayale Parish primary schools had between 163 and 217 students. The school was taught in the church building, but as there were two classes to teach there by two teachers, it was thought that better premises were needed, and thus Vapaavuori began in 1934 to build a separate school building. In 1935, the Vapaavuori couple were transferred to Ondonga, to the Onayena mission station.[5]

Later Finnish missionaries in Nakayale included nurse Ebba von Pfaler (1934–47, 1952–57), doctor Eila Plathán-Saarinen (1951–54) and nurses Helmi Makkonen, Kaino Kovanen and Anneli Linkola.[6][7]

Climate

The village normally receives an annual average rainfall of 440 millimetres (17 in), although in the 2010/2011 rainy season 723 millimetres (28.5 in) were measured.[8]

Surroundings

Nakayale is one of the well known villages in Namibia with two schools, Nakayale Primary School, now named the Sakeus Iihuhua School[7][9] and Erkki Tauya Junior Secondary School.[10] There is a main branch of ELCIN (Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia) church of all northern ELCIN churches which was named after the village itself and a center for disabled people. The language spoken there is Oshiwambo Oshimbalantu in specific and a few speak English. Nakayale is one of the hottest places in northern Namibia with temperatures ranging between 26 and 30 degrees Celsius.[11] In this village you can also find some houses of well known businessmen like the late David Sheehama, Mauno Haindongo, and many more. There is also big shop owned by Chester called The Village Bar where people from there buy their basic needs. Villages around Nakayale are Okapanda, Onamulunga, Omukoko, Okaile, and many others.[12] There are also some small locations like Oshambomba City, Ondjamba Nevu, Okalonda, and Okakwa. Blue Birds FC, a well known soccer team from Omusati region, is also from Nakayale.

References
  1. Peltola 1958, p. 208.
  2. Peltola 1958, p. 245.
  3. Peltola 1958, p. 211.
  4. Eeva Salo 1993, p. 21, 30.
  5. Eeva Salo 1993, p. 32, 33, 38.
  6. Peltola 1958, p. 268, 272.
  7. Lukileni-Iipinge, Hertha (19 Nov 2019). "Nakayale Keengulu, a Center for Missionary Activities". Retrieved 23 Nov 2020.
  8. Menges, Werner (26 May 2011). "Rainy season was one for the record books". The Namibian. Archived from the original on 15 December 2011.
  9. "Home - Nakayale Primary School". Nakayaleprimary.webs.com. Archived from the original on 2013-02-09. Retrieved 2012-10-05.
  10. "Home - Erkki Tauya Junior Secondary School". Erkkitauyaschool.webs.com. Archived from the original on 2013-05-14. Retrieved 2012-10-05.
  11. "Weather in Nakayale, Namibia | 14 day weather outlook of Nakayale". Worldweatheronline.com. Retrieved 2012-10-05.
  12. "Nakayale / Nakayale, Omusati, Namibia, Africa". NA: Travelingluck.com. Retrieved 2012-10-05.

Sources
  • Peltola, Matti (1958). Sata vuotta suomalaista lähetystyötä 1859–1959. II: Suomen Lähetysseuran Afrikan työn historia [‘One Hundred Years of Finnish Missionary Work 1859–1959. II: The History of FMS’s Missionary Work in Africa’]. Helsinki: The Finnish Missionary Society. p. 91.
  • Salo, Eeva (1993). Tuure Vapaavuori lähetystyöntekijänä Ambomaalla ja Angolassa vuosina 1931–1946 [‘Tuure Vapaavuori as a missionary in Ovamboland and Angola during 1931–1946’]. Helsinki University, Faculty of Theology. M. Div. thesis in chuch history.

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