Hundreds attended his funeral. The entire nation mourned his passing. Namibia's Afro-reggae legend Ras Sheehama was laid to rest over the weekend, less than two kilometres from the place where he was born 59 years ago.
The day after his death on 5 September, President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah addressed the Namibian people with a message of condolence. "Ras Sheehama was more than a reggae artist," Nandi-Ndaitwah emphasised on the Namibian Presidency's Facebook page . "[H]e was a voice of hope, resistance, and unity who inspired generations before and after independence. Through his music, he embodied the spirit of freedom and reminded us of art's power to heal, challenge, and uplift."
Hans Jaaliyatala Sheehama was born on 29 July 1966 in Onakayale near Outapi (see also Wikipedia). From birth, his life was marked by the struggle for Namibia's independence.
The first battle between South African soldiers and SWAPO fighters took place only four weeks later, on 26 August, in Ongulumbashe (see article on Wikipedia). Which is located only 30 km southwest of Onakayale.
His father, David Enghali Sheehama (see Wikipedia), had built up a successful business despite apartheid and supports SWAPO's struggle for liberation. As a result, his son was forced to flee into exile in 1979 at the age of twelve.
Hans Jaaliyatala made his way across the border to Angola with other boys and young people. He was trained for six months for guerrilla warfare. During this time, his father was assassinated by a South African special force's unit ('Koevoet').
In Zambia, Hans Sheehama discovered music, plaid guitar, encountered the Rastafarian movement and composed his first songs. In 1984, he is sent to Nigeria for secondary education. There he plaid in the school band.
In 1986, Sheehama recorded his first demo song. After school in 1988, he returned to Angola and joined the Ndilimani Cultural Troupe. With this political group, he supported SWAPO's election campaign for the first free elections in 1989. After independence in 1990, he began his solo career.
Contrary to what his stage name suggests, Ras Sheehama did not see himself as a Rastafarian, neither in terms of lifestyle nor religion (see obituary in The Namibian). He created his own sound and style by fusing reggae with African music genres. In his lyrics, he processed his experiences in exile.
He quickly achieved star status in Namibia with top-selling albums such as "Push and Pull" (1992; title song on YouTube). Soon, Ras Sheehama also performed with internationally renowned musicians such as Manu Dibango, Salif Keïta, Lucky Dube and Brenda Fassie.
This was followed by a tour of the United Kingdom and performances in France, Portugal, Germany, Switzerland and Czechia. He won several prestigious music awards in Namibia and South Africa.
On 5 September, at the age of 59, Hans Jaaliyatala 'Ras' Sheehama's journey ended. He was laid to rest on Anamulenge cemetery near Outapi, just two kilometres from his birth place Onakayale. However, his music will live on.
Sven-Eric Stender