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The deserted Kunene area of northwest Namibia is inhabited by the strong tribe known as the Himba.
The Himba are mainly hunter and gatherers as well as nomadic pastoralists and they are descendants of the Herero of Angola who are migrating southward of the continent.
The lives of the Himba people rotate around the sacred fire known as Okuruwo.
Through the smoke Okuruwo, represents a connection with their ancestors who are perceived to have a direct channel of communication with Mukuru their god.
The Himba ensure that the fire never burns out and it sits in the center of the village. Each family selects a member who is referred to as the fire keeper who has to make sure to look after the holy fire.
The Himba people are an African tribe who are generally nomadic and usually move from one waterhole to another while looking after their cattle, goats and other livestock. Daily tasks are divided according to gender.
The women are assigned the difficult tasks such as carrying water, building homes, milking the cows as well as raising the children whereas men are assigned the less hectic tasks of taking care of the politics of the community and looking after livestock.
This splitting based on s*x expands to the use of water for bathing which is only for the men while women must maintain their personal hygiene using herb-smoke obtained from fire to clean themselves.
Surprisingly, the social structure of the Himba is bilateral which is rare among the different groups of people across the planet. Bilateral descent involves descent regardless of s*x and the side of the family.
This implies that each member of the clan belongs to two (2) clans, both the paternal and maternal clan. In this unique structure, the sons live with their father’s clan with their wives but inheritance is passed on from the uncle on the maternal side.
Since they live in a place with very harsh conditions, it is supposed that the bilateral descent increases the chances of survival of the Himba.
The one thing that clearly distinguishes the Himba people from other tribes is their distinct adornment.
Their unique red ochre paint which they smear all over their bodies as well as their detailed hairstyles have turned out to be associated with most safaris to Namibia’s Kunene region; and this tribe is visited by so many tourists annually who come to see the unique lifestyle of these fascinating people.
The different hairstyles signify the different social standings of the people.
The young children have clean shaven heads, then braids plus plaits which either face forward or backward, then lastly the Erembe- which is a leather ornament made of sheep-skin which is worn by adult females that have given birth to children.
The often red-ochre hairstyles are very unique and magnificent.
The red-ochre paint that the Himba put on their body which they refer to as otijze- is traditionally made from animal fat, butter plus a naturally existing earth pigment that contains iron oxide.
The Himba women smear this on their skin to act as sunscreen as well as insect repellant as well as keeping moisture and to maintain their beauty.
The Himba people have come to be known as the “Red People of Africa” as a result of the strong impression caused by the red-ochre paint on their body.
