The Himba tribe is a semi-nomadic tribe who live in Northern Namibia for centuries. They are popularly known for their distinctive red ochre body paint and intricate jewelry.
In the tribe, it is typical for the women to engage in daily activities of milking the cows and taking care of the children while the men engage in hunting activities that might take a longer period of time.
The Himba tribe is polygamous in nature. Once their girls attain puberty, they are married off to male partners selected by their fathers.
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Despite Western influences and agitations, most of their cultures have been upheld. Among these is the e ‘Man comes first’ tradition. They believe that the man stands for authority in everything and the woman comes second.
According to the Guardian, “When a visitor visits a man, the man offers his wife to the visitor as a sign of approval and pleasure. His treatment to the visitor is called the Okujepisa Omukazendu treatment. The man allows the wife to spend the night with the visitor and he sleeps in another room”.
This act reduces jealousy and fosters their relationship.
The next tradition that has stood the test of time is ‘bathing is the forbidden rule’. Instead of a woman taking her bath, she will bathe with smoke and apply resins all over her body. They are guided by the belief that the red colour on their skin signifies ‘earth and blood’ plus it also makes them unique.
The red colour is from Otjize paste and its function is to protect the skin from any harsh desert sun and insect bites.
In Literature, the Himba tribe has not been represented a lot. Nevertheless, Nnedi Okoroafor; an author of ‘Binti’ describe the Himba tribe as a tribe in Namibia that uses ‘sweet smelling otjize’ to protect their skin from the harsh desert sun. The otjize is a paste that is made up of butterfat, omuzumba scrub, and ochre.
The Untold Truth About The Himba Tribe of Namibia
