Nkurenkuru

History

The history of Nkurenkuru (formerly also Kuring Kuru), Kwangali language: „the old place”, is closely linked with the history of the Kwangali people, the westernmost of the five kingdoms of the Kavango people. The currently oldest deliverances date around the middle of the 18th century, when Uukwangali queen (hompa) Mate I. and her people left their former area of settlement on the Kwando River near Mashi and moved about 500 km to the west into an area near Makuzu , around 20 km to the northwest of Nkurenkuru. Successor of Queen Mate I. became hompa Nankali (1750–1775). During her reign tensions arose with neighboring people and the Kwangali moved from Mazuku first to Sihangu near Mukukuta and then further to Karai (nearby today's Cuangar). Likely during the reign of hompa Siremo, Nkurenkuru was founded in 1820 and became homestead of the kings under King Mpande in 1880. On December 30, 1886, Portugal and Germany signed a bilateral agreement, in which the borders between Angola and South West Africa were defined along the Okavango River. The tribes of the Kavango people, who at this time settled on both sides of the river, were informed about this new territorial setting only afterwards. On the north side of the river, the Portuguese started with the construction of a number of forts; among others Fort Cuangar, directly opposite of the residence of the Kwangali kings. On the south side, a number of military and missionary expeditions were carried out along the river. On August 17, 1909, Berengar von Zastrow, for the German administration, and King Himarua (1886–1910), for the Uukwangali hompas, signed a protection agreement (Schutzvertrag) with general authority for the government in Windhuk and land ownership of the kings. In response to those forts on the…

Most-observed species

• Ring-necked Dove

  Streptopelia capicola (Sundevall, 1857) · Aves
  24
• Fork-tailed Drongo

  Dicrurus adsimilis (Bechstein, 1794) · Aves
  17
• African Gray Hornbill

  Lophoceros nasutus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  14
• Lilac-breasted Roller

  Coracias caudatus Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  10
• African Palm-Swift

  Cypsiurus parvus (M.H.K.Lichtenstein, 1823) · Aves
  10
• Gray Go-away-bird

  Corythaixoides concolor (A.Smith, 1833) · Aves
  8
• Laughing Dove

  Spilopelia senegalensis (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  8
• Pied Crow

  Corvus albus Statius Muller, 1776 · Aves
  7