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Schimming family

I remember when black people came from abroad and landed at the airport, not realising that hotels were not open to them under the apartheid system, the police would bring them to our house. It was a house in which discussion and critical debate was encouraged. I grew up in the shadow of relatives and friends like Hosea Kutako, Clemens Kapuuo, Bethold Himumuine, Mbuende and Theo Katjimuine, who were the politicians of the time.”

— Ottilie Abrahams, 2004

Otillie’s maiden surname was Schimming. The Schimming family is known for its anti-colonial and feminist activism both before and after independence. Otillie’s younger sister Norah Schimming-Chase was a member of SWAPO and later appointed as the Ambassador to Germany shortly after independence. Later, she joined parliament as part of the CoD political party where she played an important role of advocating for the rights of marginalized communities. Otillie and Norah were raised together with their siblings in a way that gender roles were challenged. Otillie’s daughter, Yvette who is also an activist and educator, studied her PhD on the resistance of Sarah Baartman. She heard her cousin Esi Schimming-Chase talking about Sarah Baartman and this prompted the struggle for return of her remains from Europe.