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Stamp stories

Managing Director of Gondwana Collection Namibia group of lodges, Manfred Goldbeck (right) and Managing Director of Namibia Post Limited, Festus Hangula at the launch of ‘Stamps and Stories.

Managing Director of Gondwana Collection Namibia group of lodges, Manfred Goldbeck (right) and Managing Director of Namibia Post Limited, Festus Hangula at the launch of ‘Stamps and Stories.

Gondwana Collection Namibia, this week launched a book on postage stamps that tells the story of Namibia. The book titled ‘Stamps and Stories ‘ contains fifty entertaining and illustrated stories related to pictures on Namibian postage stamps.
Stories in the book include stories about the dangerous life of postal runners almost 200 years ago, about exploding mushrooms and the medicinal qualities of the Devil’s Claw, a reluctant steam ox, the Mbalantu woman’s braid touching the ground and the famous “How the leopard got its spots.”
The book covers Namibia’s natural environment, culture and history in a colourful mix, and is a Namibian portrait resembling a mosaic which here and there may even surprise those who think they know the country inside out.
“Every significant event in Namibia, before and after independence has been commemorated with a stamp” said Managing Director of Namibia Post Limited, Festus Hangula. “The fascinating stories of the country’s natural environment and history can hardly be told in a more vivid manner than this”, added Managing Director of the Gondwana Collection Namibia group of lodges, Manfred Goldbeck.
It is against this background that the two companies share their goals of bringing the people of Namibia together, of promoting Namibia throughout the world and of advancing the country’s development.
The idea for ‘Stamps and Stories’ was launched last year September in a weekly ‘Stamps and Stories’ series that was published in four local newspapers. The response from the readers was overwhelming and soon readers even began collecting the weekly instalments for safekeeping. This triggered the idea of publishing a collection of the stories in book form. This is a milestone for both companies. For Nampost, the book combines its past, present and future. The first two stories are a memorial to the postal runners, the pioneers of the 19th century postal services. The book also marks the 20-year jubilee of postal services in Namibia since independence.
For Gondwana ‘Stamps and Stories’ is another title in a series of books that Namibian and foreign guests can buy at Gondwana lodges to complement their stay, as well as a memento of a wonderful holiday, or as a gift.

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