Nzinga Mbande (1583 – 1663) was king of the Ambundu Kingdoms of Ndongo and Matamba, in present day Angola. A brilliant strategist and military leader she waged war on the Portuguese throughout her reign, securing peace and the sovereignty of her Kingdoms. In the late 1640s she entered into an alliance with the Dutch West India Company (VOC) to defeat the Portuguese. She passed away on 17 December 1663 and is remembered for her intelligence, her political and diplomatic wisdom and her military tactics.

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Maria Moor van Angola (? – 1655) was taken to Utrecht where she lived and worked, probably in service of a family. The name Maria Moor van Angola was given to her when she was baptized, her own name is undocumented. She passed away on 17 September 1655 and is buried in the Buurkerk in Utrecht, now the Museum of Speelklok tot Pierement.

 

Nandjigwa Maria (1933 – 2001) grandmother of Shishani, singer-song writer and performer in Forget to Remember. She was born in Oniipa, northern Namibia and was the leader of her palace: the homestead. A mother of seven, she made sure everyone was well taken care of. She lived through the apartheid era with war for liberation waging in the country. Like many women in Namibia, she was a survivor of domestic violence which impacted her life and health. She taught her children to fight for the life they want; and for her daughters not to depend on men to provide for them. Despite her struggles, her children remember her as a strong, kind, hardworking, and thoughtful woman. 

 

Mayenge Sarah Ndinelago (1960) mother of Shishani, singer-song writer and performer in Forget to Remember. She is a go-getter. Born in Ondangwa, she was a small town girl with big city dreams. Growing up during apartheid, she excelled in school and was scouted by her missionary teachers. She then became the first in her family to study. She became a nurse and later a lawyer. After living in the Netherlands and Belgium for 15 years, she returned to Namibia and worked for her government, traveling around the world. She is the mother of one child, singer-songwriter Shishani, and a fierce believer in not compromising who you truly are.