Hendrik Witbooi documentary brings history to life

'Hendrik Witbooi: God from Heaven Has Now Broken the Treaty’ is an 82-minute documentary that tells the story of the life of the Nama leader and his resistance against German colonial rule in the late 19th century.

Through re-enactments, historical research and community voices, the film brings to life a leader who refused to surrender his people's dignity.

For Alexander Honisch, the director, the project became deeply personal. He describes the documentary as his “old-age work,” a step-by-step project built through research, interviews and careful storytelling.

The documentary will be screened on 14 March during The Film Week at the Namibian University of Science and Technology, which runs from 12 to 15 March.

The film took nearly ten years to complete. Honisch chose not to accept external funding, allowing him to work at his own pace. Despite challenges in sourcing archival material, he remained committed to historical accuracy.

“There is always some ambiguity in a hero; heroes who never make mistakes only exist in Hollywood,” the filmmaker acknowledges. He hopes young Namibians will leave the screening with pride in their history and a deeper understanding of Witbooi’s courage and character.

“After I turned 60, I started thinking about what I am going to do with the rest of my life,” Honisch says.

Into the past

While reflecting on his own life, Honisch returned to the Witbooi papers, a collection of letters and diary entries authored by the Nama leader.

In the opening pages of Witbooi's account, he describes escaping certain death during an encounter in Hereroland more than 130 years ago.

The film explores the history of the Nama people, tracing their roots to the Khoikhoi in the Cape, where there were green pastures and abundant cattle herds before their migration into southern Namibia. Honisch admits he was unaware of this detailed history before starting the project.

A version of the film with Nama narration is also available, and Honisch hopes to screen it in Gibeon.

Family support

Support from members of the Witbooi family in Gibeon gives the film depth and authenticity. With the help of the Gibeon riders, Honisch filmed powerful re-enactment scenes that became central to the documentary’s visual storytelling.

Casting for the re-enactments happened naturally, with one of the Gibeon riders portraying Witbooi. Honisch then refined the scenes during editing to give them a more symbolic and historical tone.

Historian Werner Hillebrecht assisted with the research, while the late Petrus Moses Kooper provided valuable insight into the arrival and division of the Nama people.

The documentary also examines the arrival of German colonial rule in 1884 and how control gradually intensified, eventually leading to the genocide of the Nama and Herero people in 1904.

Honisch highlights how Hendrik Witbooi recognised the true intentions of the colonial power early on and sought to guide his people through growing political and military pressure.

“In between all of this was this honest and intelligent man who wanted to live freely and guide his people through difficult times,” Honisch says. At the age of 74, Witbooi once again mounted his horse and chose resistance.

Home-grown

The Film Week is an annual celebration of Namibian creativity, cinematic offerings and industry collaboration across Africa.

This year, 656 eligible submissions across multiple film categories, including student films, were received.

Following the rigorous and highly competitive selection process, 159 films were selected for screening. Of these submissions, 64 are home-grown productions, reflecting the continued growth, diversity and creative progress of the Namibian film industry.