Reports from 'beyond the line': The accumulation of knowledge of Kavango and its peoples by the German colonial administration 1891-1911

Abstract

This paper explores the accumulation of knowledge of the Kavango region and its peoples by analysing twenty reports on expeditions which cover a wide range of observations. The article intends to determine the internal logic of the accumulation of knowledge by German officials as part of the deconstruction of colonial discourse. Kavango became a matter of interest for the colonial administration only at a late stage. It will be shown that all reports by German officials on the region paid tribute to the fact that Kavango was always a region which still had to be brought under control, but actually never was. As a result, the accumulation of knowledge was mostly limited to the economic value of the region while interest in the Kavango peoples themselves remained weak.