THE HIMBA PEOPLE

The Kaokoveld and Kunene regions in the remote north-west region of Namibia are home to one of the last semi-nomadic peoples on earth: the Himba. Numbering approximately twelve thousand individuals, the Himba live an isolated existence that has allowed them to preserve their culturally rich lifestyle.

These people are descendents of a group of Herero herders who fled northwards after being displaced by the Nama many years ago. They have kept their traditions, leading a pastoral lifestyle tending goats and cattle, and the women are known for their intricate hairstyles and beautiful jewellery. They wear few clothes apart from a loincloth or goatskin skirt, but use a fragrant mixture of red ochre and fat rubbed all over their bodies, giving them their distinctive rich red appearance. Their lifestyle is similar to the nomadic pastoralists of East Africa, as they move with their herds to different waterholes from one season to the next.

This lifestyle, so different from many others’, is fascinating to visitors and it is important, when meeting the Himba’s, to maintain the delicate balance necessary to be able to share this insight without impacting negatively on the people and their customs.