Paper short abstract:

My paper investigates how recent sites that anchor memories of anti-colonial resistance and national liberation have changed the urban landscape of Windhoek. I discuss their aesthetics, transnational connections and the symbolic politics of location, to understand contestations of nationalist narrative.

Paper long abstract:

My paper investigates how recently-constructed sites that anchor memories of anti-colonial resistance and national liberation have changed the urban landscape of the Namibian capital, Windhoek. The presentation focuses on the Namibian Independence Memorial Museum and the Genocide Memorial. These North Korean-built memorials take different forms as a massive modernist building and statue of Nambia's first President, Sam Nujoma, and as a heroic monument to commemorate the early 20th century German genocide in Namibia. Sitting in a prominent hill-top position of central Windhoek, together they have significantly altered the city's skyline. They have replaced an infamous colonial memorial, the 'Windhoek Rider' equestrian statue, and dwarf nearby iconic German colonial era buildings.

The presentation will focus on the aesthetics and politics of these key sites for the production of social memory and nationalist narrative. It will expand the discussion of the sites' visual and iconic signifiers to the symbolic politics of location. I argue that aesthetics and location are crucial to understand the political contestations surrounding the memorials. This includes the transnational connections of southern African memorials to African heroism, which have been designed and erected by a conspicuous North Koream company.