National anthem of Namibia | |
Lyrics | Axali Doëseb, 1991 |
---|---|
Music | Axali Doëseb, 1991 |
Adopted | December 1991 |
Preceded by | " Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika" |
"Namibia, Land of the Brave" is the national anthem of Namibia, adopted in December 1991. It was composed by Axali Doëseb, who was the director of a traditional music group from the Kalahari desert. Doëseb was chosen to compose it after winning a contest held after Namibia became independent in 1990.
Namibia's first national anthem, albeit unofficial, was " Das Südwesterlied " while under German colonization as German South-West Africa. [1] After it became South-West Africa as a League of Nations mandate under the Union of South Africa, the national anthem was changed to " Die Stem van Suid-Afrika" to match South Africa's. [2] Following independence, " Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika" was provisionally adopted as a temporary national anthem pending the formal adoption of an official national anthem. [3] [4] It was later decided that Namibia needed a unique anthem, and a national competition was held to compose a new national anthem. The competition was won by Axali Doeseb with "Namibia, Land of the Brave". [3] The anthem was first played in public in a ceremony on the first anniversary of Namibia's independence from South Africa in 1991. [3] The similarity of the lyric's first-line phrase "Land of the Brave" to the end of " The Star-Spangled Banner", the national anthem of the United States, has been noted by commentators. [4]
The composition of the Namibian national anthem was supervised by Hidipo Hamutenya, then chairman of the National Symbols subcommittee. [5] In 2006, Hamutenya claimed that he authored the lyrics himself, "on the plane to Cuba". Doëseb denied this claim. [6] In 2023, politicians Andrew Matjila and Ben Amadhila supported Hamutenya's claim. [7]
The Parliament of Namibia passed the National Anthem of the Republic of Namibia Act, 1991. This confirmed "Namibia, Land of the Brave" as the national anthem of Namibia; made it an offense to insult it, with punishment upon conviction of up to five years imprisonment or up to a 20,000- rand fine or both; and allowed the President of Namibia to create regulations relating to it. [8]
English lyrics [5] | German translation | Afrikaans translation |
---|---|---|
Namibia, land of the brave |
Namibia, Land der Tapferen. |
Namibië, Land van die Dapperes, |
National anthem of Namibia | |
Lyrics | Axali Doëseb, 1991 |
---|---|
Music | Axali Doëseb, 1991 |
Adopted | December 1991 |
Preceded by | " Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika" |
"Namibia, Land of the Brave" is the national anthem of Namibia, adopted in December 1991. It was composed by Axali Doëseb, who was the director of a traditional music group from the Kalahari desert. Doëseb was chosen to compose it after winning a contest held after Namibia became independent in 1990.
Namibia's first national anthem, albeit unofficial, was " Das Südwesterlied " while under German colonization as German South-West Africa. [1] After it became South-West Africa as a League of Nations mandate under the Union of South Africa, the national anthem was changed to " Die Stem van Suid-Afrika" to match South Africa's. [2] Following independence, " Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika" was provisionally adopted as a temporary national anthem pending the formal adoption of an official national anthem. [3] [4] It was later decided that Namibia needed a unique anthem, and a national competition was held to compose a new national anthem. The competition was won by Axali Doeseb with "Namibia, Land of the Brave". [3] The anthem was first played in public in a ceremony on the first anniversary of Namibia's independence from South Africa in 1991. [3] The similarity of the lyric's first-line phrase "Land of the Brave" to the end of " The Star-Spangled Banner", the national anthem of the United States, has been noted by commentators. [4]
The composition of the Namibian national anthem was supervised by Hidipo Hamutenya, then chairman of the National Symbols subcommittee. [5] In 2006, Hamutenya claimed that he authored the lyrics himself, "on the plane to Cuba". Doëseb denied this claim. [6] In 2023, politicians Andrew Matjila and Ben Amadhila supported Hamutenya's claim. [7]
The Parliament of Namibia passed the National Anthem of the Republic of Namibia Act, 1991. This confirmed "Namibia, Land of the Brave" as the national anthem of Namibia; made it an offense to insult it, with punishment upon conviction of up to five years imprisonment or up to a 20,000- rand fine or both; and allowed the President of Namibia to create regulations relating to it. [8]
English lyrics [5] | German translation | Afrikaans translation |
---|---|---|
Namibia, land of the brave |
Namibia, Land der Tapferen. |
Namibië, Land van die Dapperes, |