Kukuri, Eliphas (Elifas) * ?, ? † . Only reference to "Eliphas" as an elder in Otjisazu in Irle: "Ich mußte manchen Jüngling und manches Mädchen von Liturgie und Unterricht ausschließen und hatte zuletzt keinen Konfirmanden mehr außer den Kindern unseres Ältesten Eliphas."1 "But Kukuri's [the old chief] children had already gone to study theology, to study the ministry. Their names were Zacharias Kukuri, who is Kamaituara tjongombe Ndjii jaKuzema mi Ngurumina jaTjipanga, and Elifas Kukuri. These children were selected to be trained for the mistry, for their father didn't dislike the missionaries."2 [italic in original text] "Während einer Konferenzreise setzte Samuel Maharero mit Hülfe des Distriktschefs einen Verwandten Kukuris als Häuptling ein. Kukuri und seine Söhne kamen über dieser Zurücksetzung mit diesem in Streit und zogen weg."3 [This must have been shortly before RMS missionary Lang was stationed in Otjihaenena in November 1892] In a footnote on the oral history narration by A. Kaputu, Brigitte Lau remarks: "Zacharias Kukuri could not be traced in locally available mission records (which consist largely of excerpts); Elifas, on the other hand, appears as a pillar of the congregation for many years."4 Here she quotes BRMG 1888, p. 144. An episode, told by "elder Eliphas" to Heinrich Brockmann (which he later used to demonstrate the cruelties committed by Germans against Herero and justifying the anger which motivated them to start the war): a Geman policeman passes a store near Okatjapa where he encounters a Herero and requests him to help him out with a horse. The Herero had to find his horse in the field and when he returns with the horse to hand it over to the policemen, he had left already. The Herero therefore let his horse return to the field. After a while the policeman returns and asks about the horse. When the Herero tells him the event, the policeman beats him with a whip. A younger Herero intervenes and holds the arm of the policeman. The policeman beats this young Herero now so much that blood is spilled.5 According to Brockmann's account it seemed as if Eliphas joined the Herero forces in Okahandja at the beginning of War in January 1904. After the defeat of the Herero, Eliphas returned to Otjisazu on the 26.01.1904 with bigger groups of Herero who moved to the East. Eliphas looked after Brockmann and the settler women who sought refuge in the mission house. He advised Brockmann to leave to Okahandja the next day as the road would then be free. Eliphas, together with his wife and the children, moved to the East the next day.6 Schlosser beschreibt in den 1950'ger Jahren wie folgt: Die Herero um Maharero wurden von der BM von Malokong aus betreut. Da die Herero aber kein Afrikaans verstanden und die Missionare mit ihren "[...] von sechs Mauleseln gezogenen Karren" drei Tage bis Groenfontein und Bobidiidi brauchten, deswegen hätten sie vor allem Dingen den sehr einflussreichen Herero-Evangelisten Julius Kauraisa, der Samuel auf seiner Flucht begleitet hatte, genutzt. Die Lebensbedingungen in Westtransvaal, müssen für die Herero durch das Fieberklima sehr schlecht gewesen sein. Sie waren außerdem für die Minenarbeit zu schwach, viele starben. Einige, darunter Maharero, zogen nach Johannesburg in die Minen.7 Dort soll sie sie Bernsmann besucht haben (Spiecker 1907:88). In Groenfontein fanden die Beerdigungen der Herero auf einem christlichen Friedhof statt. Durch ein Gesetz in Südafrika wurden die Herero gezwungen sich zu "fünf und fünf Familien" bei Werkendamm auf sechs verschiedenen Farmen niederzulassen und mußten dort mindestens 90 Tage im Jahr arbeiten. Dies erschwerte die Arbeit der BM unter den Herero noch mehr. Als die Lebensbedingungen in Südafrika unerträglich wurden, verließ Maharero mit seinen Leuten das Land und ließ sich 1922 unter dem Ngwatohäupling Khama in Mahalapye im Ngwato-Reservat nieder. Nach dem Tod von Maharero, wird ein schriftliches Dokument die letzen Äußerungen von Maharero, darunter die Klage, daß ihn sein Prediger Gebhard Tjitaiza sich von ihm getrennt habe, außerdem Julius Kuraisa, Eduard Tjamuaha und Eliphas Kukuri.8 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 [Kukuri] (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.9 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 Kukuri - , Josephat, Komatoto (sic!) - this must have been Josaphat Kamatoto - , Johannes (Okahandja) - this must have been Johannes Mupurua."10 Spellmeyer reports in BRMG 1909 that the "Gehülfe" Elifas from Gibeon visited the Herero who worked on the remote farms. "Er wurde überall auch von den Besitzern der Farmen freundlich aufgenommen. Er durfte Christen und Heiden das Wort Gottes verkündigen und hatte die Freude, daß sich einige zum Taufunterricht meldeten."11 Married: Children: Education: Other family members connected to RMS: Mission Stations: History with the RMS: 1 Irle 1906:299. 2 Heywood n.d.:108. 3 Irle 1906:299. 4 Heywood n.d.:121. 5 Hofmann 1992:68. 6 Hofmann 1992:61. 7 Schlosser 1955:216-217. 8 Schlosser 1955:216-217. 9 Rust 1905:135. 10 Gewald 1999:170, Footnote: Quoting Rust 1905:135 11 BRMG 1909:162. --------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ --------------- ------------------------------------------------------------