Page 17 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 3

Himba Tribe of NAMIBIA

Msingi Afrika Magazine Team

t was quite a coincidence to Otjihimba language, and their the women, at least. The men
discover that the Afrikan tribe population numbers about 20,000 bath with water, but the women
we wanted to feature this time, to 50,000 people. Their culture partake in a daily smoke bath in
was actually one of those that centers strongly around the ‘man order to maintain their hygiene.
inspired the costume for the comes first’ tradition, with the During the smoke bathing process
Imovie The Black Panther. We woman having little or no opinion ‘they will put some smoldering
only realized this when we started in decision making; submission to charcoal into a little bowl of herbs
our hunt for photos and saw the her husband’s demands always (mostly leaves and little branches
distinct hairstyle of one of the comes first. of Commiphora trees) and wait for
women. Himba women tend to perform the smoke to ascend. Thereafter,
more labor-intensive work than they will bow over the smoking
The Himba (singular: Omuhimba, men do, such as carrying water bowl and due to the heat, they will
plural: Ovahimba) are an ancient to the village, building homes and start perspiring. For a full body
tribe from Namibia. They are said milking cows, while the men go wash, they cover themselves with
to be a friendly people, living a hunting, sometimes leaving for a blanket so that the smoke gets
semi-nomadic lifestyle and are long periods of time. Men also trapped underneath the fabric.
closely related to the Herero, but handle the political tasks and legal They also apply a red ochre –
became a distinct people when trials. butterfat mixture on their skin and
they moved west to discover new As one of their cultural practices, hair known as otjize. This protects
lands and room for themselves it is said that “When a visitor their skin from the harsh sun as
and their cattle. comes knocking, a man shows well as mosquitoes and gives
his approval and pleasure of them a beautiful appearance. It
Pastoral lifestyle seeing his guest by giving him the also complements their little to no
They live in the Kunene and Okujepisa Omukazendu treatment dressing, as both men and women
Omusati regions of Northern — the wife is given to his guest to wear limited clothing – a loin cloth
Namibia and breed cattle and spend the night while the husband or a goat-skin skirt. Himba jewelry
goats – and like most of the sleeps in another room. In a case is intricate in design and made
pastoral Afrikan tribes, their where there is no available room, from iron or shell.’
cattle are symbolic of their social her husband will sleep outside.”
status; the larger the numbers, the This, apparently, is aimed at Religion and beliefs
greater the status. Interestingly, reducing jealousy and fostering The Himba worship their
though, they may not be so eager relationships. ancestors and the god Mukuru.
to divulge the true sizes of their Often, because Mukuru is busy in
herds in order to discourage theft. “NO BATHING” Culture a distant realm, the ancestors act

They also grow maize and millet The Himba people live in arid as Mukuru’s representatives.
for consumption, with their diets and mountainous climes, with Their homes surround an okuruwo
complemented by eggs, wild herbs often harsh climatic conditions as (ancestral or sacred fire) and their
and honey. this is one of the most extreme livestock, both of which are closely
environments on earth. The harsh tied to their belief in ancestor
The social status of the desert climate and the unavailability worship. Each family has its own
of potable water prevent them ancestral fire, which is kept by the
Himba
The Himba people speak the from having a ‘normal’ water bath, fire-keeper, who attends to the

A typical Himba village, Namibia