Dausab (jun.), Daniel * 1875, ? † . 1887 Judt opens a School for Evangelists in Hoachanas with Daniel Dausab (sen.) and Winer [sic]1 Laaf wird, nachdem Hoachanas 13 Jahre unbesetzt war, 1920 von Lüderitzbucht nach dort versetzt. Als Laaf im Oktober 1920 dort zum ersten Mal einen Besuch macht, hält Daniel Dausab den Gottesdienst. Die Gemeinde hatte die Kirche über all die Jahre in einem guten Zustand gehalten. Der große Garten von Judt besteht noch zum größten Teil nur das Wohnhaus ist in einem schlechten Zustand, weil die Gemeindemitglieder nicht mehr hinein konnte, weil als anderswertig vermietet worden war.2 Attended the so called "second course" for teachers and Evangelists of Vedder at the Augustineum from 16.07.1926 (its actual commencing date) till the end of the teachers course on the 21.06.1929 and was send as a teacher to Rehoboth. [The photo of this course shows, that this must have been some kind of refreshment-course for active teachers. Some of the participants can be over 40 and more.]3 Daniel Dausab (jun.) was the son of Daniel Dausab (sen.), the school teacher of Bethany in 1888. When Judt opened the School for Evangelists in Hoachanas in 1887, Daniel Dausab (jun.) was one of his students and Judt praised him as "[...] very intelligent, diligent and at the same time humble [...]"4 Brother of Johannes and Traugott Dausab. Was working as an evangelist of the RMS in Rehoboth when he joined AMEC, like his brother Johannes.5 His son was Gert Dausab. Gert Dausab was baptized by missionary Vollmer in Hoachanas and send to the teachers seminary of the Moravian mission society in Gnadental in the Cape. After a one year course he worked as a teacher in Berseba.6 A petition concerning the exemption of passlaw for Eduard Frederik is signed in April 1964 by the following persons during the Gibeon district conference of AMEC: "Pastor P. A. Schmidt, Chief-pastor Pastor W. M. Jod Pastor J Nakem Pastor M. Witbooit Pastor J. Topnaar Pastor D. Dausab Pastor J. Jod Pastor J. Links"7 "My name is Reverend Daniel Dausab; I have been waiting all the time upon men who will come from the United Nations Organization. The onliest [sic] thing we are getting is slavery. I will therefor wait on the help of the United Nations before I die. I also ask the United Nations that the Reverend Michael Scott be bringed [sic] back by the Administration of South West Africa."8 Daniel Dausab Memorial AME Church, Rehoboth; (http://www.netministries.org/frames.asp?ch=ch10824&st=Hardap%20Region&name=St.%20Marks%20African%20Methodist%20Episcopal%20Church&city=Gibeon Access: 10.09.2014) It was in Gibeon, on July 3rd, 1946 that the heroic founding fathers drafted and delivered the break-away letter to the racist German Rhynish Missionary Society. The mastermind behind this move was the late Rev. Petrus Andreas Jod (the 1st Presiding Elder) in the company of Daniel Dausab, Markus Witbooi, Jakobus Jod, Markus Kooper, Zacheus Thomas; Dirk van Neel; Johannes Ludwig, Simon Goeieman, Petrus Andreas Schmidt, Wilem Moses Jod; Jonas Richter and many unsung heroes of African Methodism. The Rev. Petrus Andreas Schmidt, who was task to deliver the letter to the German missionaries, succeeded him in 1958 and led the Gibeon District to a period of expansion and romance with African Methodism. (http://www.netministries.org/frames.asp?ch=ch10881&st=Khomas%20Region&name=A%20M%20E%20Church%20Namibia%20Gibeon%20PE%20District&city=Windhoek Accessed: 10.09.2014) Left RMS with: . They were Zacheus Thomas, Markus Witbooi, Johannes Dausab, Jacobus Jod, P.A. Schmidt, Markus Kooper and Petrus Jod (Tjibeba 2003:73). A 74 year old chief evangelist of the RMS, Johannes Dausab, was sent by the committee members of the schism from Keetmanshoop to his home Hoachanas by the AMEC in order to motivate his relatives there to leave the RMS. He was successful. His brother Daniel Dausab, a principal in Rehoboth, caused a part of the people to leave. Those still remaining loyal to the RMS were excluded from the ethnic community on a psychological level by branding them as "sell outs". Rev. H.S. Isaak remained faithful to the RMS in Maltahohe. He strongly condemned the action of schism, and was of the opinion to give the RMS more time. (Tjibeba 2003:73). , "Agitasie teen die blanke Genootskappe." It has six paragraphs. In the first, it states: Namens die nie-blanke gemeentes en die nie-blanke gemeentelede van die suidelike deel van SW A wat tot dusver onder die geestelike bearbeiding van die RSG was, wens ons hiermee te kenne te gee, dat die gemeentes weier om verder onder die bearbeiding van enige blanke Genootskap te wees, die RSG of die NGK. Uit die volgende beskrywings sal die redes duidelik blyk. 29 The document then refers to the fact that the Nama has been served by the RMS for nearly one hundred years, and that the RMS has failed to make them independent, and that the social and moral condition in which both the Nama and white people find themselves, are due to the policy of the RMS in SW A. The third paragraph shows why the policy will never bring about upliftment and development (opheffing en ontwikkeling). It refers to the evangelists' and teachers' own experiences of the RMS missionaries, the difference in policy with the Finnish Missions in Ovamboland (which encourage independence), and RMS "books" in which it is explicitly stated that it is not policy to uplift and develop the Nama people. The most serious however, is that the funds the church members provide are not used for church reparations and other expenses, and also that they are not spiritually served. It closes with the sentence: "Gevolglik sien ons nie meer kans om verder onder die beleid van daardie Genootskap te staan nie. The fourth paragraph focuses on the humiliating attitudes of the whites towards non-whites. In the most important part, it says: Dan die rede waarom dit geweier word om onder enige blanke Genootskappe te wees is: as volg van die veragtended en vemederende houding van sommige blanke, ingesluit ook sommige teenswoordige leraars en predikante, oor die algemeen teenoor die nie-blankes. Alhoewel ons nie begeer om blankes te wees of om gelyk met hulle te staan nie, besef ons darem dat ons ook mense is, mense met onsterflike siele, mense wat, wat die tydelike betref, definitiewe deel van ons samelewing uitmaak. 30 29 ELCRN archives. The actual letter of the notification of the breakaway from the RMS, signed by the Nama leaders in Keetmanshoop. Pastor P.A. Schmidt handed the letter to Dr Vedder. 12 January 1946. 30 ELCRN archives. The actual letter of the notification of the breakaway from the RMS, signed by the Nama leaders in Keetrnanshoop. Pastor P.A. Schmidt handed the letter to Dr Vedder. 12 January 1946. 107 The last two paragraphs and the conclusion focus on the fact that the governance policy must be based on the congregation and the church board. It says: Ten laaste, as die RSG voort bestaan om ons onder sy geesttelike bearbeiding moet bly, weier ons om verder saam te gaan, tensy die beleid en bestuur wat voorheen was, verander word. In die geval eis ons dat die gemeente en kerk vir die gemeente deur die gemeente bestuur word. Die mag berus by die gemeente, d.i. die Kerkraad, en daar is nie alleen-heerskappy van die predikant nie. Evangeliste, ouderlinge en kosters vorm die Kerkraad, met die predikant as voorsitter. Alle kerksake moet in halfjarige kerkraadsvergaderinge bespreek en beslis word. Daar kan sekretaris en tesouriers gekies word wat verantwoordelik is van alle verrigtings en besluite van die inkomste en uitgawes. Geen inkomste en uitgawes geskied sonder die medewete en toestemming van die Kerkraad nie. AS DIE BASSEER KERK VOORTAAN OP WORD, DAN GAAN Anders nie31 HIERDIE SISTEEM ONS SAAM. The document is stamped with the stamp of the Evangeliste- en Onderwysersbond, Namaland. It is signed by Z. Thomas, J. Dausab, D. Dausab, J. Jod, and M. Witbooi. (Tjibeba 2003:108). Die Superintendent Mm. F. Rust 39 Rust addresses the issues stated in the document, "Agitasie teen die blanke Genootskappe", ELCRN archives. The actual letter of the notification of the breakaway from the RMS, signed by the Nama leaders in Keetmanshoop: Pastor P.A. Schmidt handed the letter to Dr Vedder. 12 January 1946. 40 Archival material Berlin. 0098-0102. Newsletter: Rust to the brothers and sisters in Namaland. 09-05-1946. 112 Liideritz Geagte Superintendent Ons het die laaste poging gemaak met die gemeente om die gemeente van sy standpunt te beweeg tot terugkering, dit het egter op mislukking uitgeloop. Die gemeente verklaar duidelik dat sy onder geen onstandighede onder die bestuur van die Rynse Sending sal staan nie. Die Kerkraad het saam gekom en die brief van Mnr. Rust deurgelees en die saak oorweeg. Na die grondige samepreskings het die saak in ander rigting beweeg, ooreenkomstig die stemme. Die Kerkraad het besluit om die pad van die gemeente te kies. So gee ons, die Ouderlinge en die Evangeliste hiermee ons finale antwoord te kenne, aangesien ons die pad van meerderheid volg. En verklaar duidelik dat ons vanaf hierdie datum onherroeplik uit tree en sal hulp by enige ander kerkgenootskap soek. Ons sal die gemeente bedien met die Evangeliese Christelike bediening soos ons opgevoed is. Geteken 1. Eipinge, Z. Hange, S. Pietse, E. Thomas, D.V. Neel, 1. Jantse, 1. Cloete, John Dausab, Th. Windstaan, Jakobus Februarie, Zacheus Thomas, P. Bantam, A. Murine, and P. Gertze 41 (Tjibeba 2003:113). Keetmanshoop 27/511946 Aan die Superintendent Mnr. Dr. H. Vedder en leraars Plaaslik 41 Archival material. ELCRN archive. The letter is in Afrikaans. Windhoek 13 May 1946. 377. The letter is also available in Box SWAA 1423: A216/6. Rhenish Mission General. Letter by Nama leaders to Mr. F. Rust, Superintendent of the RMS based at Liideritz, stating that they are breaking away from the RMS. 113 Geagte Mnre Nadat ons samespreking deeglik gehou het, het ons op ons vorige besluit neergekom.42 Ons sien nie moontlikheid om verder op beloftes saam te gaan nie dus salons bly bestaan daarop, aangesien ons glo dat die Here ons sal help. Ons bedank egter die Rynse Sending vir dit wat sy aan ons gedoen het. Met beste groete. Geteken: Salomon Pieters, Zach Thomas, John Dausab, Th Windstaan, and Dirk van Neel. 43 (Tjibeba 2003:114). Reaktion der RMS: 5. From the day of his declared resignation an evangelist will not receive a salary any more. 6. Teachers who have resigned will stay employed. The education administration (school board) will not permit the mission to dismiss them. The children of members who have left will stay in school as long as their parents send them; as even the children of heathen are accepted in our schools. 7. Our teachers will continue their teaching as usual, likewise our nurses. They are not to ask whether somebody is a member of Rhenish Mission or not. Their service is for everybody (Tjibeba 2003:116). Keetmanshoop 13/5/1946 Aan die Superintendent Mnr. F. Rust Ltideritz Geachte Superintendent Ons het die laaste poging gemaak met die gemeente om die gemeente van sy standpunt te beweeg tot terugkering. Dit het egter op mislukking uitgeloop. Die gemeente verklaar duidelik dat sy onder geen omstandighede onder die bestuur van die Rynse Sending sal staan nie, soos deur die Kommisie aan u gese. Na die grondige samesprekings het die saak 'n ander rigting ingeslaan, oorkomstig die stemme. So gee ons, die ouderlinge en Evangeliste hiermee ons finale antwoord te kenne. Ons gaan die pad van meerderheid, en verklaar duidelik dat ons vanaf hierdie datum onheroepelik uit tree en sal hulp by enige ander kerkgenootskap soek. Ons sal die gemeente bedien met die Evangeliese Christelike bediening soos ons opgevoed is. J. Eipinge Z. Hange S. Pietse E. Thomas D.V. Neel 1. Jantse J. Cloete John Dausab Th. Windstaan 1. Februarie Zach Thomas P. Bantam A. Murine P. Gertze (Tjibeba 2003:247). "Almost simultaneously with this White triumphalism, African reactions began to be marked by disappointment and delusions. The new men, those few who, often at considerable cost, had acquired the new skills and had even successfully acquired the same academic qualifications as their White teachers and rulers, discovered that this long, laborious appretniceship had not opened for them the way into the charmed circle of power and influence. The Gospel might proclaim that God was no respecter of persons, but His European servants were deeply conscious of racial and class differentials. the whole structure of colonial rule rested on the seemingly inviolable prestige of the Whites. And beyound the few Africans who so laboriously reached even the lowest rungs of the educatinal ladder, stood the mass of villagers, old and young, women and men, increasingly desirous of putting the new religion to test, wanting, sometimes desperately wanting, to discover whether these new rituals, this new mode of communication with the supernatural, would provide them with effective access to a power which could solve both their age-old problems of disease, poverty and social control, and also assist them in the harsh new trials which colonialism brought in the wake. The vast majority of White missionaries resolutely barred the way to mass baptisms. The gate into the new community was straight and narrow. Generally it involved the acquisition of literacy; always it demanded the acceptance of a perplexing plethora of disciplinary restrictions, often apparently diametrically opposed to previous marriage and kinship customs and beliefs."9 Married: Children: Education: Other family members connected to RMG: Christian Dausab attended the so called "second course" for teachers and Evangelists of Vedder at the Augustineum from 16.07.1926 (its actual commencing date) till the end of the teachers course on the 21.06.1929 and was send as a teacher to Keetmanshoop.10 Mission Stations: History with the RMG: 1 BRMG 1888:109. 2 BRMG 1921:40. 3 AELCRN V 6.1:18. 4 BRMG 1888:109. 5 Schlosser 1958:103. 6 Altena 2001:445. 7 NAN BAC 23. 8 Lowenstein 1962:124. 9 Gray 1990:64. 10 AELCRN V 6.1:18. --------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ --------------- ------------------------------------------------------------