Emil Liljeblad

Karl Emil Liljeblad (27 February 1876, in Oulu – 27 July 1937) was a Finnish pastor, vicar, missionary and educator, and during his final years, a researcher in Folkloristics.

Liljeblad was born in Oulu, Finland. His parents were surveyor Gustav Wilhelm Liljeblad and Margareta Elisabeth Leiviskä. He completed the study programme in the Mission School of the Finnish Missionary Society and was ordained a missionary in 1900.

Liljeblad arrived in Ovamboland, then German South-West Africa, together with Rev. Jooseppi Mustakallio, the Director of the Finnish Missionary Society, who came to South-West Africa for an inspection trip. This was the first visit of its kind in the oldest mission field of the FMS. They left Finland on 31 January 1900 and arrived in Ovamboland on 22 June the same year.

During his first term in Ovamboland, Liljeblad founded the Onayena mission station in Eastern Ondonga and 1903 the Nakeke mission station in Ongandjera, together with Heikki Saari. Liljeblad arrived in Ongandjera in 1903. King Shaanika was glad to have teachers in his kingdom, but Liljeblad did not get along with the king and was forced to leave the kingdom already in 1904. During his first term, Liljeblad also taught school in Ondangwa and Ontananga.

During his furlough in Finland, he studied theology, completing his studies in 1910, and in 1911 he was ordained a minister.

At the beginning of his second term, Liljeblad first visited the Cape, in order to acquaint himself with the educational system there. He visited institutions run by various missionary societies.

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