Herero Tradition and Genocide.

In 1883, the German land owner Adolf Luderitz arrived in what became German South-West Africa and swindled the local elders out of land. This led to conflict, which led to war, which led to genocide. By 1904, the German colonialists had wiped out 65,000 of the original 80,000 Herero people and similar numbers of Damara. Yet during this period, the ladies of the Herero and Damara had taken to wearing the long formal dresses of their German occupiers’ wives and this tradition continues even today. The headwear is made in the form of a cow’s horns – a symbol of great wealth to a people with a long tradition of pastoralism and herding.

The lady in the yellow dress was at the side of a very remote road with her daughter selling dolls and trinkets that showed their now traditional dress. The lady in blue was shopping with the help of her grandsons at a small market in Khorixas on our way to the Etosha game park. In very squalid circumstances these ladies are immaculately turned out and appear very proud of their dress and standing.

Pride is very important.

Here is a link to a book by the photographer Jim Naughten on the Herero people and their costumes – trendland.com/jim-naughten-herero-tribe-series-namibia/#