Kustaa1-Family, (Grandfather: Gustav Shigweda Iithoko, Father: Josafat (Josofat), Son: Bernhard) * 30.04.1924, Onajena †2005 . Baptized: 18.05.1924. Confirmed: 19.10.1941. Mother language: Oshindonga. Other languages: Herero, Afrikaans. Worked as a teacher in Lüdertizbucht before joining the Church. Completed Std. VI and teachers course. Evangelist course: 1960.2 Father: Josafat Kustaa. (spoke Oshindonga)* 1888 † beginning of the 1960´s Mother: Julia Jakob (was from Oniipa) Children: 4th child Bernhard Kustaa * 04.1924 † 2005 (died in SA) 7th Jakob Kustaa * 1932 in Tsumeb Youngest daughter (10th child) Josephin Kustaa 19.08.1938 Father was a teacher trained by the FMS missionaries in Ovamboland. Was from Ovamboland. When he got sick with malaria, he was send to Tsumeb in the hope that he would recover. As this was not the case, he was send to Okavango, back to Tsumeb. Swakopmund were he did not work as a teacher. Moved to Luderitz in 1934/35. Started to teach the Ovambo children (as the mission school was only offered to Nama and Herero children) in the Luderitz in 1938 in the RMS church building after work at the SAR at 17:00. He had the permission of missionary Rust. Amongst his first pupils were his own children. He worked without appointment or payment. Josafat Kustaa had a sister in Luderitz (Menette Jesaja), and Annanias Jesaja (the only child of Menette Jesaja - not in Database, as he was not an Evangelist) was send to Augustineum to Okahandja. Bernhard Kustaa was also send to Augustineum. Josafat Kustaa used his free time as Evangelist. He walked from Luderitz to Kolmannkoppe. He preached in Oshindonga.3 Was elder in the congregation Lüderitz and in 1949 employed as evangelist. RMG 2.651a p. 152r. Mentioned as "Ouambo" EC Okahandja Sept.1951 RMG 2.462 p. 48, Joined the second pastors course in Paulinum in Februar 1953. This was the course which had the aim, according to the wishes of the RMS board in Wuppertal and its Africa inspector, to primarily train teachers who had a sound basic knowledge and who could speak Afrikaans. It proofed however difficult to find any candidates which fulfilled this precondition. Bernhard Kustaa satisfied the conditions as he was a teacher who spoke Afrikaans. He joined the Paulinum for the start of the course. He interrupted his studies at the Paulinum, because of the illness of his wife - Julia - in Lüderitz. Since the wife of Berhard Kustaa did not recover - she later died - Kustaa stopped his training and went back to Bethany in his job as a teacher, so that he would be able to cover the hospital costs. Erastus Nambende joined the course and took the place of Kustaa. Worked as a teacher in the "Rynse Naturelleskool, Luderitz" in Lüderitz in June 1956. Was issued with a certification of exemption from pass law in the rank as a teacher June 1956.4 Roßkothen schreibt im Januar 1959 über Bernhard Kustaa: "Aüsserte im letzen Jahr den Wunsch Pastor zu werden. Vergangenes wollte ich nicht berühren, da ich dies nur von Hörensagen weiss. Seine heutige Haltung ist gut, in sener Arbeit zuverlässig, als Gemeindehelfer vorbildlich. (Seine Lebensführung ist in Ordnung, er trinkt nicht, sein Haus ist in Ordnung, u. geht gut gekleidet)."5 Was issued with a certification of exemption from pass law in the rank as an Evangelist from the headquarter Lüderitz in November 1961.6 Bernhard Kustaa (who had been a teacher in Luderitz) completed the Evangelist course of 1961/62 in 1961 and returned to the Luderitz congregation.7 8 Although Bernhard Kustaa had the training and qualification as an Evangelist, he never worked in this field. He was principal of the Primary School for Ovambo children in Luderitz. "Die twis het toe gekom, want die twee, Bernhard en sy broer Jakob, wat nog in Johannesburg bly, het gevoel, dat hulle hulleself as Kleurlinge kwalifiseer. Omdat my pa 'n bastard was. Omdat die Kleurlinge meer verdien het as die Bantoes, soos ons toe mos destyds gesê het." ... "Want die Ouma se pa was 'n Engelsmann." Because he was re-grouped as a Kleurling, he had to resign form his post as the principal of the Ovambo School in Luderitz. He left Luderitz and got an appointment in the offices of the Rössing Foundation in Swakopmund. Divorced his second wife. Went to South Africa for vacation and met a woman there which he married. She moved with him to Swakopmund. After his retirement he settled with his wife in South Africa, where he died. 9 GUSTAV IITHOKO (name and surname) The following 4 Wambo youths were baptized on 06.11.1881 at Omaruru by a Missionary from Germany, and they are: Martin Iipinge, Gustav Iithoko, Gabriel Nangolo, and Wilhelm Amutenya. Gustav Iithotho, former Shigwedha ("the one that was added") Iithoko born at Oniihwa in Ondonga approximately in 1861. In his boyhood he heard from a heathen woman that at Omandongo (in the congregation of Onayena), there people are taught about the word of God, but she was unable to explain what really the word of God mean. ("Omandongo, the first base of the Finns in Ovamboland, was the Rautanen's home for six years from July 1874. The superintendent of the field Björklund10, whose wife was Frieda Rautanen's sister [Kleinschmidt], lived there, as did lay brother Juho Heinonen with his family and the other lay brother Antti Piirainen and his family. The position of the last, however, had become untenable because King Shikongo used the handy Piirainen11 as if he were his slave and made him work without recompense. In July 1874, the brothers held an "intermediate" meeting and decided to send Piirainen to Omaruru for the time being, far away from Shikongo's court Piirainen stayed there permanently, established a shop, and acted as the Missionary Society's agent for many decades."12) Shigwedha when he was thirteen he went to the Missionary looked for work, so that he may also listen and understand what the word of God means, but the missionary refused him the work. Instead Shigwedha went to look after the horse of one of the Traders in Ondonga, with the aim to still to hear the word of God. And when he realized that he will not hear the word of God from this Trader, Shigwedha left the work. One day he went to attend the church service at Olukonda, but he failed to understand Otjiherero language. In the mean time, he joined the Traders who were travelling to the South (uushimba), it is when he met Missionary Piirainen13 at Omaruru. ("Some young men from Ondonga, who had long been servants and gone to school at mission stations, wished to be prepared for baptism at the end of 1870's. King Kambonde kaNankwaya prodeeded to force one of them who was married, to take a second wife, as he had power to give orders concerning the private life of his subjects. The young man refused and incurred the King's anger. The subject decided to flee to Hereroland in order to become a catechumen. The Finnish brothers were too afraid to give him a letter, but Martin Rautanen wrote in German on the cover of his book that he was fleeing because his life was in danger. The young man was accompanied by another young man, also Rautanen's former servant. They arrived in Omaruru at the end of January 1879 where they were received by Piirainen. Together with some other Ovambos, they became catechumens in German Missionary Gottlieb Viehe's school."14) During the day he used to go and look after husbandery animals, while in the evening he listened to Missionary telling the Biblical stories. He used to go to church services and to the devotions, although it was in Otjiherero. Later on he went back to Ondonga, and got the chance to be at Finnish Missionary Station. Finally, he got to know how to read and knew more about Christianity as well. As the desire for baptism grew in him, he went back to Uushimba in order to be baptized, since baptism was not allowed to take place in Ondonga. After spending some days at Uushimba, Gustav came back to Ondonga, and reported himself to the palace that he became a Christian. The king rebuked him but did not arrest him or persecuted him. Gustav went to Omandongo15 to Weikolin, and supported him in his mission work. Because of ill-health of the family of Björklund (also stayed at Omandongo), they left Ondonga in August 1882, and went to Cape Town, accompanied by Gustav who took care of their children. Although Björklund wanted to take Gustav along to Finland, unfortunately the Finnish Missionary Board did not allow him. Therefore, Gustav came back to Owambo on 09.03.1885. Gustav got married to the adopted daughter of the Missionary Piirainen, Josephina Nathalia Todd. Josephina was baster a daughter of the Manager of mines, trader and hunter James R. Todd16, who approximately came to our nations in 1856, and was killed at Ombwenge (Kavango) in 1878. In 1893, Gustav moved to Oshitambi. And at that time King Nehale was happy with Missionaries. And Gustav was given a hut by King Nehale in which he was teaching children. In the same year Gustav together with a fellow Christian established another place for teaching at Onamayi with branches from the trees. It is where he was teaching the children and did preaching. After 2 years together with neighbors and children he built a building made of clay. Missionaries only supplied with materials and pole for the roof. And then on 13 October 1895 Missionary Martti Rautanen ( Nakambale) inaugurated this building as a new synagogue. On the first place Nehale was happy with Gustav's work, but due to accusations, the relationship had changed later. In June 1897, Gustav abandoned everything and fled to Onamayongo. And then later King Kambonde Mpingana gave him a new place to operate from at Oyovu, where he cleared the plot and built a hut with clay bricks. One day in 1899 one heathen deliberately let his cattle destroyed Gustav's mahangu field, and it was about the harvest time. But neighbors wanted to punish that heathen, but Gustav prevented them from punishing him. He only told Sovola who went to the palace with Rautanen. The king only sent the heathen with a message that HE MAY NOT PROVOKE OTHERS, BUT HE MUST JUST STAY IN HIS HOUSE'. Therefore, Gustav continued with his teaching profession, and in 1899, Gustav had more than 30 pupils. During the school inspection of 1901, pupils of Gustav were 60. The teaching take place in type of a tent that was made of mahangu reeds, which can accommodate up to 150 people, and specifically that day there was a good attendance, because it was Sunday. In that tent there was an altar and the pulpit. And on that Sunday Gustav had 2 assistants a Christian by the name Malachiah, and non Christian girl a music organizer by the name Ngwena. Even though it was believed that Gustav lived far deep in the forest, in 1901 Gustav had had 28 homesteads in the neighborhood, he was even the headman of that village. It was a custom to first Christians to send greetings to Missionary leaders in Finland, Gustav also did send his greetings to Finland in 1898. In the annual Mission festival at Onayena on 09.07.1914, Gustav Iithoko was one of the important speakers. And his speech was about 'THINGS OF THIS WORLD CAN MISLEAD A PERSON.' Together with many other teachers Gustav went to also work in the south (uushimba), that was when the school closed in October, and it was where he died in August due to the terrible draught. (extremely hot). Although that was a difficulty time Gustav one of the first christians in Ondonga worked with commitment in mission field. He was a brave man, the first Oshindonga speaking person to build for himself 3 domitories with bricks. Inside, sometimes he was a happy person, while on the other hand was a cruel person. But he worked in the humble way, and even his pupils trusted him. Tirronen, T. E. Nakambalekanene. ELOK. Oniipa, 1977. (Seite 67-69) (Übersetzung eines Textes in Oshindonga, übersetzt von Pastor Haitula. August 2011. Das Buch hatte Frau Kustaa bei dem Gespräch in Lüderitz dabei.) Kontaktpersonen in Lüderitz: Alina Shipanga 0814697827 Und ihre Tochter Hambera Shipanga 0813031960 Married: Julia Joas (Ovambo) AELCRN\AELCRNVIII2.17.7CircularLetterbyFPönnighaus1947-1951 467_6730.jpg Married on the 28.04.1954 Christine Krüger, born 14.11.1929 in Bethanie.17 Children: Johannes Simon 10.07.1947 Cecili Helen 12.1957.18 Education: Other family members connected to RMS: Mission Stations: Congregations: Lüderitzbucht-Ovambo 1961-1963 Jeugkantoor Okahandja 1963-1964 History with the RMS: 1 "Kustaa, Kustavi oder Kyösti" ist ein finnischer Vorname und entspricht dem deutschen "Gustav". Der Namenstag ist der 06.06. Wikipedia.org. 2 AELCRN Cardsystem of the co-workers, n.N. 3 All information concerning teacher Josafat Kustaa from his daughter Josephin Kustaa, Luderitz, 13.07.2011. 4 NAN BAC 16. NN. 1/10/3/329. 5 AELCRN I 3.16 The Southern Synod. Correspondence. 1961-1964:51. 6 NAN BAC 16. NN. 1/10/3/329. 7 AELCRN V 16:127 Gemeinde-Chronik Lüderitzbucht 8 Document in the possesion of Adelheid Kariko. Photographed on 21.04.2006 in Omaruru at Adelheid Kariko's house. The document (A4 paper) was compiled and given to her by Dag Henrichsen on 03.06.1990, according to the date noted on the paper. 9 All information concerning teacher Josafat Kustaa from his daughter Josephin Kustaa, Luderitz, 13.07.2011. 10 Botolf Bernhard Björklund (1844-1902) was married in 1874 to Katharine Albertine Kleinschmidt (born 19.07.1847 in Rehoboth). The couple had four children. (http://www.namweb.net) 11 Piirainen arrived in Hereroland in the middle of January 1871 and was send to the Kwambi area, together with Rautanen and Weikkolin. (Peltola 2002:57. 12 Peltola 2002:76. 13 Antti (Andreas) Piirainen, born 27.09.1840 in Finland, died 12.05.1910 in Omaruru. "A Swedish speaking Finn who came to live in Omaruru in 1874. A craftsman, he managed the material affairs of the fledging Finisch Lutheran Mission to Ovamboland. His store was built around two large camel-thorn trees. It was roofed, boxes served as counters, there were medicines and food, and articles such as shoes and watches hung from the branches of the trees." (http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=61292157). Am 18.07.1870 wird in Elim (im Gebiet der Uukwambi) die erste finnische Missionsstation gegründet. Erste Missionare sind Kurvinen, Rautanen und Piirainen, gefolgt von Weikkolin. (Dierks, 2000:51.) Antti Piirainen was blessed as one of the four laymen on the 11.06.1868 in Helsinki before he was send out to Africa. (Peltola 2002:27.) Piirainens first wife, Mathilda S. Piirainen born 22.01.1840 in Finland, died during childbirth (Emma) on the 19.11.1881 in Omaruru. (http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=61292157). After the death of his wife, Piirainen went to Finland to "accompany his three daughters" [which probably means that he left the daughters in Finlan.] He himself returned to Omaruru in October 1882. Peltola 2002:94. 14 Peltola 2002:97. 15 In Omandongo (Ondonga) gründet die FMS eine Missionsstation am 11.07.1870. Erster Missionar ist bis 29.07.1871 Botolf Bernhard Björklund, zusammen mit Karl Emanuel Jurvelin und Malmström. Sein Nachfolger ist Juho Heinonen (11.07.1870 bis März 1878). (Dierks 2000:51) 16 "Todd, James (Jimmy), came to the country as one of the copper prospectors in ca. 1855; elephant hunter fitted out by Andersson in the 1860s, (e.g. in March 1862 he was equipped by Andersson. Andersson 1989:57) (in October 1864 he shot elephants with Lewis, when he was on his way to Ondonga "Where also the other hunters were said to be wending their way." Andersson 1989:165) (Andersson called Todd amongst his "friends", together with Palgrave, Hartley, Pereira, Lewis and Smuts. Andersson 1989:167.) (Todd mentioned to Andersson the rich copper deposits west of Otavi. Andersson 1989:184.) later worked for Erikksen. Married to an Herero wife, Todd not seems to have respected the Herero, nor orders by Chief Kamaherero; according to Tabler: Pioneers, 112, he "was murdered by his own servants ... in 1878"; Qu20, 04.11.1856; Hahn: Report 1882, 56, 61." Andersson. Trade and Politics ... 1989:315. 17 AELCRN Cardsystem of the co-workers, n.N. 18 AELCRN Cardsystem of the co-workers, n.N. --------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ --------------- ------------------------------------------------------------