HIMBA AND THEIR CULTURE

The Himba (also called Ovahimba) are a semi-nomadic people who live mainly in northwestern Namibia, in the remote Kunene region (formerly Kaokoland) and in southern Angola. It is estimated that there are approximately 50,000 Himba people living there.

The Himba tribe is known for their unique traditions and lifestyle, which they have managed to preserve despite modern influences.

One of the most striking features of the Himba is their grooming and beauty ritual. Himba women cover their skin daily with a mixture of red ochre and fat, a cream called otjize. This gives the skin a reddish hue, which is seen as a symbol of beauty and fertility. It also protects against the sun and insect bites. Their braided hair is covered with the same mixture, which indicates their status in the community.

The Himba live in small villages with huts made of branches and mud. They are mainly engaged in animal husbandry, especially cattle and goat herding, which play a central role in their culture and economy. Their diet consists mainly of milk and maize meal, sometimes supplemented with meat on festive occasions.

Himba culture is based on a patriarchal system, but with matrilineal succession. This means that property and status are inherited through the mother’s line. However, men are usually the leaders in the family and community. Polygamy is common and marriage is seen as an important social bond.

The Himba believe in a supernatural force called Mukuru, which is seen as an ancestral spirit that influences daily life. Ancestors play an important role in their beliefs and spiritual practices. The Himba have sacred fire rituals, in which they communicate with their ancestors daily through a fire that is never allowed to go out.

Although the Himba’s traditional way of life has withstood many external influences, it is now increasingly under pressure from modernization, education and economic development. Tourism plays a growing role in their community, as their culture and lifestyle are often admired by outsiders. The Himba are a fascinating people who are strongly rooted in their traditions, with a deep respect for their ancestors and nature.

Do Himba wash themselves?

Himba women never wash themselves but take a smoke bath every day. They burn aromatic herbs and plants. Then they sit over the smoke to ‘steam’ their bodies. This smoke kills bacteria and prevents unwanted odours, keeping them clean without using precious water.

Where are the Himba originally from?

As part of a larger migration, the Himba and Herero people migrated to what is now Namibia and Botswana. These Bantu-speaking people arrived from East Africa centuries ago. In the 19th century the group began to split, with many moving further south and becoming known as the Herero. Those who remained became the ancestors of the Himba people we know today.

Why do Himba have no lower front teeth?

Around puberty, both boys and girls have their lower front teeth knocked out with a stick and stone. It is an important cultural moment that has not only physical but also symbolic value. It confirms their adulthood, status and social and cultural identity. Another reason that is sometimes given is that it helps with the pronunciation of certain sounds in their language, Otjiherero. The absence of front teeth is said to facilitate certain sounds.

What do the Himba eat?

The Himba are a nomadic people; they travel through the country with their cows and goats. They also grow corn, which they make into corn porridge. The Himba’s food consists mainly of milk with flour in it; if there are vegetables, they eat those too. Every now and then an animal is slaughtered; they eat every part of it.

What is an erembe?

Married women and those who have given birth wear an erembe. This is a graceful sheepskin headpiece with their colored braids woven through it.

How old are the Himba?

The OvaHimba are the original traditional Herero who crossed the Kunene and came to Namibia from Angola in the mid-16th century. They settled in the Kaokoveld, the northwestern part of Namibia, living a semi-nomadic, pastoral lifestyle. The early history of the Herero was fraught with severe droughts and other disasters. Large groups of Herero left the Kaokoveld and sought better grazing lands for their herds in the southeast. The remaining Herero in the Kaokoveld were attacked by the Swartbooi and Topnaar Nama in the 19th century. The Nama entered the Kaokoveld from the south, also in search of better grazing lands. In 1850, the Nama established a base at Sesfontein from which they organized raids against the Herero of the Kaokoveld. Because the Herero were widely dispersed and the Nama had much better weapons, large herds of Herero cattle were plundered over the next 20 years. As the situation deteriorated and the loss of their material and social wealth increased, the Herero fled from the Kaokoveld across the Kunene River into Angola and sought refuge with the Ngambwe, who supported the refugees. They called the Herero ‘Ovahimba’, which means ‘beggar’ in the language spoken by the Ngambwe. Over the years, the Herero adopted this name and continue to use it today. Most Ovahimba followed a popular warrior named Vito back to Namibia in 1920. Since then and until Namibia’s independence in 1990, the Himba were able to live their traditional lifestyle. In recent years, the Ovahimba have been more exposed to the influences of the modern world, although this mainly refers to the consumption of unhealthy foods, soft drinks and alcohol. The positive developments of modern society, such as a good health care system, modern schools, pension funds, etc., have not yet reached the majority of OvaHimba.