Himba Tribes Of Namibia-- Ancient People Of Civilized Age

Recently, a news broke into international media that Hamba tribes of Namibia have appealed to the United Nations to get the construction of a dam stopped in their territory. It is noteworthy that Hamba tribes even today are living in the ancient age and live nomadic lives. The stance of the Hamba tribe is that the graves of their ancestors will be inundated and their souls will be angry and may bring troubles to them. The local human rights adventurers NamRights have issued a communique saying that they would not allow to block the passage their river permanently, their environment may be polluted and their lands be snatched from them.
Nearly 18000 Himba tribes are living in the thinly populated country of 2 million people. Majority of the population lives in the north western Nimibia. While, 9000 tribes live near the border of Angola.Their ancestors migrated from Great Lakes of Central Africa nearly 2 centuries ago. They are basically nomadic and shepherds, they keep and rear animals. Main jobs of the households are performed by women. They bring drinking water to the village from far off ponds or lakes, they milk cows. The women are hard working and they also take care of the children of other women. Men take care of the political and legal affairs of the tribe. The big families live in a vast yard in smaller huts constructed in a circle. The people of the tribe speak Otji Himba which has an ascent like Heroro. In the yard "Okuruwo" an ancestral fire is lit continuously. This fire ans animals both belong to their inherited faiths. They believe that their ancestors worshiped fire.
Himba people wear very short dress. Their women paste on their skin with "Otjize" to cover the body. Otjize is a compound of butter fat and light yellow color. It is possible that the women paste the compound on body to save the skin from heat of the sun.Due to using the compound the skin color looks reddish yellow. These both colors present the symbols of soil and blood. Which on one side present the life and on other the ideal of Himban beauty.
Himba women dress hair of each other and use yellow mixture on hair like our people do as hair color. There is scarcity of modern dress in the area. If they find any modern dress that is considered the right of men. Both Himba men and women keep their chests open, however, they put on some dress like skirts on the lower parts of the body that is prepared from the skins of the animals and is in different colors.