Gaob Kawango

R.I. Gaob Kawango
Native name	ǃGawax’mâ ǃKhâxa ǀKharu ǀNaniseb
Birth name	Richard Ignasius Gaob Kawango
Also known as	ǀOroǀōb
Born	Namibia
Occupation(s)	Musician, Traditional Leader, Educator, Politician, Poet, Language Advocate, Indigenous Astronomer
Years active	2024–present (music)
Labels	Independent
Associated acts	DJ Underwater, Prezz [ǁKhoab Axagu]

Richard Ignasius Gaob Kawango (also known as Gaob Kawango or ǀOroǀōb; indigenous name: ǃGawax’mâ ǃKhâxa ǀKharu ǀNaniseb) is a Namibian musician, poet, educator, traditional leader, politician, language advocate, and indigenous astronomer. He serves as the Senior Headman (Danadanakhoeb) of the !Ainîdaman Traditional Community and as Chairperson of the Management Committee of the Rehoboth Town Council. He is known for preserving ǂNūkhoe traditions, promoting youth development, revitalizing Damara cultural heritage, teaching indigenous philosophy and language, and advancing Khoekhoegowab astronomical and calendrical knowledge.

Early Life and Family

Gaob Kawango was born in Namibia into a family with deep historical and cultural ties to the Damara people. His surname, more accurately Kavango, reflects the legacy of the 1920s Contract Labour System, which subjected Ovambo and Kavango men to exploitative labor conditions.

His maternal great-grandmother, Katrina Kameito (born !Khōkhoe Garises), descended from the Garise lineage of Damara nobility, while his maternal great-grandfather, Johannes Kameito (“The Kavango”), was a lifelong SWAPO member who reportedly sheltered SWAPO militants during Namibia’s liberation struggle. Gaob Kawango is also related to Moses Mague ǁGaroëb (1942–1997), founding member of SWAPO and former Minister of Labour and Human Resources.

Traditional Leadership

Gaob Kawango holds the position of Senior Headman of the !Ainîdaman Traditional Community (also known as ǃAinîn), one of the 34 clans of the Damara people. The community is guided by the ǂNūkhoen concept of ǃNomab (“Root”), which emphasizes harmony, spiritual balance, and peaceful coexistence.

He serves as Chairperson of the Research and Archives Committee and has participated on the Damara Kings Council addressing matters of youth, language, and customs. He is also recognized as a fire keeper and praise poet. Gaob Kawango played a central role in the cultural revival movement ǂNūkhoe, including revitalizing traditional Damara attire for men, culminating in a 2023 ceremony in Outjo, Kunene Region. He has also ritually received the late President Hage G. Geingob at the sacred fire of the Annual Damara Cultural Festival (Gaob Fees).

Music Career

Performing under the stage name ǀOroǀōb (“The Ancient Melody” or “Old Song”), Gaob Kawango began his music career in November 2024.

• **Kāgeb is Coming Home** (24 November 2024): Featuring Prezz [ǁKhoab Axagu] and produced by DJ Underwater, the debut single narrates a journey of loss, regret, and redemption.
• **Haka Haigu**: Explores themes of emancipation, self-liberation, and indigenous heritage.

Political Career

A member of the SWAPO Party, Gaob Kawango was elected as a SWAPO candidate in the 2025 Rehoboth Local Authority elections. He was sworn in as a councillor and appointed Chairperson of the Management Committee of the Rehoboth Town Council on 5 December 2025, providing executive oversight, strategic leadership, and facilitating the implementation of council decisions.

Teaching and Church Leadership

Gaob Kawango is a teacher in training and has served at the ELCRN Ebenhaeser Parish as Secretary of the Partnership Committee, Chairperson of the Finance Committee, Delegate to the Synod, and Confirmation class instructor, teaching Luther’s *Small Catechism*.

Language Advocacy

He is the founder of Gowaba Gowaba, the largest Khoekhoegowab Facebook group, with over 17,000 members. The platform promotes the development and standardization of Khoekhoegowab, encourages the creation of new vocabulary, and advocates for the recognition and dignity of the language.

Literary Works

Under the pen name ǃGawax’ma ǃKhâxa ǀKharu ǀNaniseb, he has published poetry and literary works emphasizing cultural identity and heritage, including the poem ǁAris ǀKhai.

Indigenous Astronomy

Gaob Kawango is recognized as an indigenous astronomer and has conducted research and presentations on Khoekhoegowab star lore.

• He presented *ǀGamiroǂans: Xamaǃgâ Gamakhābeb, Aob tsî ǀKhûsedi*, narrating the Orion Myth (The Curse of the Women) and describing Orion, Aldebaran, and the Pleiades as a single constellation (*ǀgamiroǁaes*, “star clan”).
• He declared **5 September as Star Day Xammi di Mûra**, commemorating the IAU designation of Mu¹ Scorpii as Xamidimura, encouraging observation of the Milky Way and celestial storytelling.

Indigenous Calendar and ǃGâus (Damara New Year)

Gaob Kawango is an authority on the Damara lunar calendar and the celebration of **ǃGâus**, the Damara New Year, observed on 1 April. Traditionally, it marked the end of the rainy season and the start of the agricultural cycle.

• **Daytime:** Meditation, reflection, and greetings (“ǃGâus ge, ǃgâi ǃGâus ge”)
• **Nighttime:** Percussion, singing, dancing, URIǃGÂUS jumping ceremony, and ancestral rites (mâiǃū)

Modern observance includes wearing **green** (*ǃâubasen*, symbolizing hope) and cultural reflection to honor the ancestors and continuity of the ǂNūkhoen traditions.

See Also

• ǂNūkhoe people
• !Ainîdaman Traditional Community
• Namibian music
• Indigenous knowledge systems of Namibia
• SWAPO Party
• Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Republic of Namibia

References

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