The Himba tribe or the OvaHimba are indigenous people with an estimated population of about 50,000 living in northern Namibia, in the Kunene Region and on the other side of the Kunene River in southern Angola.
Most of their cultures have been upheld despite western influence and agitation. Among these is the offering of women by their husbands to male guests to spend the night with, while the husband sleeps outside in a case where there's no extra room. Trust me, you'll want to watch this video to the very end.
The OvaHimba are predominantly livestock farmers who breed fat-tailed sheep and goats, but count their wealth in the number of their cattle. They also grow and farm rain-fed crops such as maize and millet. Livestock are the major source of milk and meat for the OvaHimba.
Both the Himba men and women are accustomed to wearing traditional clothing that befits their living environment in the Kunene region and the hot semi-arid climate of their area. In most occasions, this clothing consists simply of skirt-like clothing made from calfskins and sheep skin or increasingly from more modern textiles, and occasionally sandals for footwear.
The OvaHimba are a polygamous people where several Himba girls are married off to male partners selected by their fathers once they attain puberty. Most of their cultures have been upheld despite western influence and agitation.
Among these is the "Man comes first" tradition. The woman has little or no opinion in the decision making. Submission to her husband’s demands come first. It is customary, for the women to engage in daily activities of milking cows, taking care of the children while the men go hunting, sometimes leaving for long periods of time.
In the Himba tradition, "When a visitor comes knocking, a man shows his approval and pleasure of seeing his guest by giving him the Okujepisa Omukazendu treatment, which is that the wife is given to his guest to spend the night with, while the husband sleeps in another room. In a case where there is no available room, her husband will sleep outside." This, apparently, reduces jealousy and fosters relationships.
Another tradition that has stood the test of time is the "bathing is forbidden" rule. Rather than take their baths, the women take a smoke bath and apply aromatic resins on their skin. They are also guided by the belief that the colour red signifies “Earth and blood”. Their red skin is one of the things that make them extremely unique. The red ochre cream that the Himba are famous for is made by pounding the ochre stone into small pieces. After that, the fragments are mixed with butter, slightly heated using smoke and applied on the skin, and its function is to protect their skin from the harsh desert sun and insect bites.
The Himba people are very interesting and welcoming. A moment with them will surely be one to remember.
