Situated at a major crossroad on the eastern trade route to Owambo, Olukonda came to be regarded as the Capital of the North in the late 1800s. Its importance increased when King Kambonde kaMpingana established his royal court at Okaloko, south of Olukonda, in 1884 and the mission station became the centre of the work of the Finnish Mission Society after Omandongo was abandoned in 1888.
Olukonda was the second Finnish mission station in Owambo. It was founded by missionary Karl Emanuel Jurvelin on 29 July 1871 β a year after the establishment of Omandongo. The mission station is inextricably linked to the Reverend Martti Rautanen who arrived at Olukonda on 8 July 1880 after serving briefly at Rehoboth (later renamed Okahao) and Omandongo. Except for short periods of absence, he served the Olukonda congregation until his death in 1926.
Rautanenβs Oshindonga name Nakambale is an abbreviation of Nakambalekanene β a reference to the skullcap that he often wore and that reminded the Aawambo of a small palm leaf basket known as okambale.
Despite the missionariesβ zeal and dedication, the first four male converts were baptised at Olukonda 13 years after it was established. This took place in June 1884.
The historic Nakambale mission complex consisting of the mission house, the church and the adjoining cemetery, was declared a national monument on 2 November 1992.
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The mission house built by missionary Karl Tolonen in 1875 was replaced by a new house built by Rautanen in 1893. It is still in its original state except for the corrugated iron roof.
The mission house found a new use when it was converted into a museum in 1995. Exhibits include photographs and maps depicting the history of the Finnish Mission Society and the political history of Owambo. A variety of household utensils, traditional weapons, music instruments and ornaments worn by women are among the other displays.
The museum is open from 08:00 to 17:00 Monday to Friday; from 08:00 to 13:00 and 14:00 to 17:00 on Saturday and 08:00 to 13:00 on Sunday.
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Religious services were originally held in the school building until work started on the first church building in Owambo in May 1888. It was built under Rautanenβs supervision by the first
Christians of the parish with sun-dried clay bricks. The height to the top of the cross was 12 metres. The church was inaugurated on 29 September 1889.
The building became obsolete after a new church was taken into use in the early 1970s, but fortunately the old church was maintained and repaired and thatched in 1976. A project to restore the historic complex was launched in 1991 with the support of the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church and Finnida, the Finnish government agency for development.
An ox-wagon shelter, similar to the one used by Rautanen, and a bell tower near the church were also restored. The restoration project was celebrated in May 1992.
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Rautanen, his wife Frieda, five of their children and other mission workers and their family members were buried in the cemetery near the church. Three Ondonga kings, including King Immanuel Kauluma Elifas who passed away in March 2019, as well as members of the royal family, Reverend Pinehas Kambonde (one of the first local Aandonga pastors) and several prominent Olukonda parish members are buried here.
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The reconstruction of a traditional Ndonga homestead next to the mission house is not included in the declared monument site. A guided tour of up to 45 minutes provides a fascinating insight into the culture of the Aandonga, their day-to-day lifestyle and the intricate layout of a traditional home.
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The church property was leased to a private operator in 2019 on condition that jobs would be created and that the historical site, which was in urgent need of renovation, would be restored.
Overnight facilities range from en-suite tents to camping sites, each with its own ablution facilities (except one) and fully serviced glamping sites with shared ablutions. There is also a restaurant and bar (open 10:00 to 21:00), swimming pool (for in-house residents only) and conference facilities.