Namibians
We visited the Ombili Project, where we learnt of the integration of the Bushmen / San people into a modern lifestyle. They originate from the Kalahari.
Namibia Safari Photos:
There were difficulties bringing resources to the nomadic peoples. For instance when the village was first formed, a standpipe was put in with a tap. The people were pleased that water was so easily available – but could not be taught to turn it off. This was eventually replaced with a manual pump instead, which suited everyone and avoided wasting water.
Their lifestyle seems to have changed from Hunter / Gatherers to producing Tourist knickknacks.
The children loved their photos taken – joys of digital cameras!
Cute
The Himba
We had a fascinating time learning about the Himba culture by visiting a farm outside Kamanjab. The Himba organise their social structures according to the principle of dual descent. Practised in only a handful of other cultures worldwide, every individual in the community is linked to two completely distinct groups of relatives. One line of descent is traced through the female descendants of the mother (the matriclan) and the other through the male descendants of the father (the patriclan).
Churning milk. There were only women and children when we visited. We were told that all the men were hundreds of miles away herding cattle. However I don’t think that it was a typical Himba village, rather it was set up as a sort of orphanage to care for unwanted Himba kids.
Jaco a white Namibian is the elected chief of this group who looks after their welfare & tries to retain their traditional way of life as much as possible. There is more information on Jaco’s work here. The photo below is Jaco’s ozongwinyu, (pillow) or wooden neck-rest that I have in the dining room. I would find it very uncomfortable to use as a pillow; however if you have an elaborate headdress, then it is essential.
Jaco explaining the clothing to us. The dress – though very sparse to our eyes – is important for defining status among the villagers.
One of Jaco’s many adopted daughters demonstrated their daily cleansing routines. Because water is such a scarce resource, it is not wasted on cleansing. Instead the women cleanse all the pores on their bodies by squatting above smouldering embers. All their skin is covered in ochre for protection against the sun.
The Herero people are closely related to the Himba, and are more Westernised.
