NDN Staffer
WINDHOEK, May 1 — The story of the Namibian Czechs is a tale of political and social experimentation that has left a lasting impact on the lives of those involved. In the 1980s, a group of 56 children arrived in Czechoslovakia through a special education program by the South West Africa People’s Organisation (SWAPO), an independence movement in Namibia. The children, who were war orphans and semi-orphans, were educated to become leaders and were sent to Czechoslovakia to receive training and education.
The children spent four years in the town of Bartošovice in the Moroavia-Silesia region and two more years in Prachatice in South Bohemia. During that time, they learned to speak Czech and learned some cultural traditions. However, after six years, the children were transported back to Namibia. The call for the children to be returned came from the Namibian side, as false rumours had spread that the children had been sold to Czechoslovakia and were being poorly treated. This event led to the breaking of the children’s ties to Czechoslovakia.
Many now-adult children still consider themselves Black Czechs and see Czechoslovakia as their real home. They would like to return and show their children the place where they were raised. Some are interested in finding jobs in the Czech Republic and creating a supportive environment there. Others are interested in reading Czech books and watching Czech films in the expatriate Namibian centre.
The story of the Namibian Czechs was presented in a documentary titled “Black Czechs” at the Goethe Institute in Prague. The filmmakers searched for the Namibians, now adults, and mapped their life stories in Czechia and Namibia for three years. They talked to Czech educators and families caring for Namibian children in the 1980s.
The then-educational program was a political and social experiment, said Mildnerová, who worked on the documentary. “Without completed primary education and without any language and psychological preparation, the children were forced to move to Namibia where they did not manage to adapt culturally,” she said. “They were returned to a country whose language they did not know, where they did not have families and the life of many of them were affected by existential problems, drugs, or sexual violence.”
The story of the Namibian Czechs highlights the importance of cultural sensitivity and the need to consider the long-term impact of social experiments. It also shows the resilience of the human spirit and the power of community to create a sense of belonging and support.
The Namibian Czechs may be physically far from Czechia, but they have not forgotten their roots. Their desire to return and their efforts to create a supportive environment in Namibia show their commitment to their identity and heritage. It is important for governments and communities to recognize and support the needs of diaspora communities, as they have the potential to enrich and diversify society. – Namibia Daily News
