Placido Hilukilwa
THE repatriation from South Africa of the body of Namibian musician Maria Tuna-Omukwathi Uushona ‘Tunakie’ who died in the neighbouring country on the 24th of April, did not go as smoothly as planned but the hindrances are now overcome and her body arrived at the Hosea Kutako International Airport this afternoon.
The arrival of the artist’s remains coincided with a memorial service that was held at Oshuungu village in the Omusati Region.
Linus Tobias and Angie Nampala, the relatives who travelled to South Africa to arrange the repatriation, said that they were disappointed that her body could not be repatriated on Thursday as they initially planned.
“We left Cape Town Wednesday after submitting all the necessary documents and after completing all the tasks assigned to us. We felt that our mission was accomplished and could not think of any obstacle to the repatriation back home. However, having reached Keetmanshoop we learned that one of the body repatriation authorization letters was still outstanding,” they said in a written brief to extended family members.
“We have submitted the outstanding letter and can now confirm that the body will arrive at the Hosea Kutako International Airport at around 13:00 today,” Tobias said in the letter.
They added that the memorial service at Oshuungu will go ahead in the absence of the body and the funeral will take place at Elim on Saturday morning.
Also known as the Queen of Otyaka, Tunakie was born in Angola during the liberation struggle and was repatriated with her parents in 1989.
As an artist, she won several awards locally and has displayed her talent and entertained crowds in several foreign countries.
