Etymology The name Opuwo was given in the 1920s by the commissioner of
Ondangwa, , the grandson of
Carl Hugo Hahn, who came in search of land to build an office. Upon his arrival, he asked the local headman to give him land where he could build an office. The headman gave him a small plot, and when the headman tried to give him more land, Hahn responded, saying, "
Ohopoho (it’s enough for me). I don't want any more land". The word Ohopoho was changed to Opuwo in 1974 due to orthographic reform. The residents of Opuwo called it
Otjihinamaparero at the time, and some still call it that.
Colonial administration The first office to be established in the
Kaokoland area was the colonial administrative office in
Swartbooisdrift on the banks of the
Kunene River. This was the administrative centre of the area from 1925 to 1939. Afterwards, administrative control of the area shifted to Ohopoho, later called Opuwo. The police station in Swartbooisdrift was run by Sergeant Herbert, and he aimed to receive the
Angola Boers who had trekked to
Angola out of refusal to accept the British government in
South Africa. Sergeant Basson took over the office at Swartbooisdrift and excavated Opuwo's first borehole. Basson had the nickname “
Katjiriamakaja” (a person who eats tobacco). ==Culture==