Karamo, Eliphas * ?, ? † 1904, Omaheke. In the end of January 1904, Maria Cain [She was a farmer's wife, and was of Irish and Herero origin. Her father John Cain was a trader, who lived in Okahandja with his Herero wife and several children. He had a row with some Nama people in Windhoek in 1863. John Cain left Hereroland before November 1887. (Tabler 1972:18)] was forced by Herero troops to follow them to the main camp of Tjetjo in Oviombo, where most of the Herero forces had concentrated. Here she witnessed the church services held by Julius [Kauraisa] (from Okahandja), Christian [Mupurua] (from Otjiruse), Elifas [Karamo] (of Otjimbingwe), Elifas [Katuairua] (no place of origin mentioned) Josaphat [Kamatoto] (no place of origin mentioned), Romatoto [sic] (no place of origin mentioned) and Johannes [Mupurua] (no place of origin mentioned). Maria Cain remained for 5 month in the camps of the Herero, before she was send by Samuel Maharero to Omaruru. Rust qouted her account partly in direct speech.1 Lucas Kamatoto (together with Eliphas Karamo and Willem Cloete) was a co-worker of RMS missionary Johannes Olpp (sen.), and kept the congregation work flourishing in 1900, when the second station missionary had to leave for Germany.2 Gewald describes the four months before the deciding battle at Hamakari as the "phoney war", a time when the Herero did not attempt to sabotage the German telephone lines or attack the German supply lines. When the Herero retreated towards the plains between the Omuramba Omatako and the Waterberg, church services were held in the Herero laagers by the evangelists Julius (Okahandja) - this must have been Julius Kauraisa - , Christian (Otjiruse) - this must have been Christian Nathanael - , Elifas (Otjimbingwe) - this must have been Eliphas Karamo - , Elifas (Otjosazu) - most probably this was Eliphas Katuairua - , Josephat, Komatoto [sic]) - this must have been Josaphat Kamatoto - , Johannes (Okahandja) - this must have been Johannes Mupurua."3 Shortly before Christmas 1904, the first Herero "[...] a young Christian, with the name Matthias" returned to Otjimbingwe. He was completely starved and had a bullet wound. Olpp gave him food and treated him and heard from him that Lukas Kamatoto and Eliphas Karamo, together with their wives, had died on the flights through the Omaheke. Matthias, who belonged to the group of Zacharias with his Under-Chief Victor also reported that Zacharias and Victor were always against the war.4 Married: Children: Education: Other family members connected to RMS: Mission Stations: History with the RMS: 1 Rust 1905:135. 2 Baumann 1967:72. 3 Gewald 1999:170, Footnote: Quoting Rust 1905:135 4 BRMG 1905:64. --------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ --------------- ------------------------------------------------------------