Namibia. In search of the Himba people. Bashny.Net

Sinbad said that Namibia can certainly safely claim to be the most beautiful countries in the African continent. There's absolutely extraordinary nature. The oldest desert in the world and the highest sand dunes. Silent Mountain flat as tabletops, peaks and canyons shallowed rivers, vast desert plains, the Atlantic Ocean at the Skeleton Coast.
And of course, unseen petrified forests, which are not subject to the advanced wood processing facilities.
In this African country, you can see the ghost towns, abandoned diamond mines, the rock carvings of ancient Bushmen, dinosaur footprints, pieces of meteorites and national parks with a huge number of wild animals.

All this Sinbad promised to tell in a short time, and now he remembered about the tribes that still live without using the benefits and achievements of civilization - just as lived for many years. First of all it was a most original people of Namibia - Himba people.

Sinbad the Sailor, TUT.BY





Independently find a place where is now the tribe is almost impossible. In this case, we must be sure to use the services of local guides and to have at its disposal all-terrain vehicle.
Himba tribes for centuries wandering the north of Namibia, live in the neighborhood with the people of dammar and Herero living in Damaraland desert plateau, and it is better if the conductor is one of them: these tribes get along.
Download to Land Rower goodies - a couple of sacks of corn flour and two dozen bottles of drinking water, Sinbad and his comrades went in search of the Himba.
In this area, the highest mountains in the country side by side with the vast plains that cross the dry river bed. Here in the eternal sands you can see the bizarre rock formations and gorges in stone - high coconut palms.

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In these places, somewhere deep underground river flows. She and gives rise to a small stream, which is making the way from the spring through the white as snow, stones, a few kilometers away is transformed into a small river.
Around - not a soul.

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Just sitting on a stone turtle silent.

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Lacquered orange fruit tree Shrovetide pitch black starlings.
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And somewhere one can see the silhouettes of grazing cows.

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These are signs that the Himba village near ...

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Himba people - herders. Many tribes in Namibia, engaged in this business, but perhaps the Himba - the only ones who still retains its historical traditions and beliefs. And none of the missionaries, despite their supposedly good intentions, can not change their way of life.
People live on the plateau of the Himba Kaokoland, close to the Holy Mountain, in the so-called Kraal - small villages, usually near a river.
The women of the tribe every day bring the mountain rock rocks soft brown, pound them into powder, mixed with ocher and butter and rub this mass of the whole family - because everyone Himba skin is brown-red color. This natural cosmetics and protects the body from the hot Namibian sun and insect bites. And besides, it is very beautiful. So, anyway, they say, and as I learned later, not without reason ...
SUV more than an hour winds through the gorges ...

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... Until you went to the stone plateau, which could not be seen any piece of fertile land, but made its way through the rocks, grass and trees grew.
Not far from them were round huts made of poles, fastened with leather straps on top and covered with clay and dung: so build their own homes, almost all African pastoralists. People could not see.
Sinbad recalled that the Himba people are not very favor whites and Asians from some unknown reason at all hiding in huts and do not go to as long as they do not leave.
But also in the huts was empty. He looked around: soft sunlight flooded all the plateau and blinding. And in that moment, when he thought that the tribe left the kraal - and this sometimes happens - Sinbad saw her ...
This woman appeared so suddenly that if he had been told that she came down from heaven, he would not be surprised at all.

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She walked slowly toward him, swaying slightly in the dense warm air, as if floating. Or, as if he had just crystallized from languid haze. Her face was calm and seemed unearthly - such individuals are extremely happy at the women. She smiled at him only with his eyes, smiling like good old friends, and he, at the moment lost in time and space from the dropped out of sight, do not notice anything around her.

To say that she was beautiful, to say nothing: she was beautiful. In a moment it seemed to him that this mythical Roman Diana - the goddess of nature and hunting.

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All her clothing was a loincloth made of soft leather, very vaguely reminiscent of a skirt, but countless beads, bracelets, necklaces, and other jewelry from beads, shells, dried fruits and colored stones made her nakedness discreet, invisible.
She came closer. Sinbad has already felt the spicy smell of her skin, rubbed with oil of some aromatic plants. Behind her hung woven from long leather belts something resembling a backpack, which, instead of the expected quiver with bow and arrow protruded grubby head of a small child.

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Here mind finally returned to him. Of course, it was not Diana. Otherwise, Sinbad would have to share the fate of the unfortunate hunter Actaeon, who, according to legend, she turned into a deer just because he saw her. And then galloped Sinbad would be with him in the valleys and on the hills of Namibia.
Behind her in the kraal with the children and adolescents were other women of the tribe.

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On their heads adorned with elaborate decoration of leather and dozens of braids, densely covered with paint, as well as the entire body.

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Not paying attention to the guests, they have become accustomed to deal with these things: someone started to feed the babies ...

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Someone sat stone scraper scraping the skin of an animal, someone - whisking oil in a large pot, made from dried gourds. Someone - lay for sale bracelets, necklaces and charms ...

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The men were not in the kraal. Sinbad Asked about where they are, the conductor said that all men graze cattle - goats and cows - the main wealth of the tribe.

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Men Himba have more than one wife, and as much as they can feed. Generally, there are four or five.

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Accordingly, about twenty children, grandchildren and here they say, do not believe, and often do not know at all.
Despite the fact that the Himba have large herds, they eat meat very rarely. Their diet mainly includes milk, edible roots, fruits and berries. And they look at it very well.

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Some people believe that because of the shortage of water Himba people never wash, but it is very wrong statement. But the fact that all people Himba missing lower front four teeth, though. They say it's too nice.
In ten or twelve years old at the time of initiation of rather cruel way knock, accustoming teenagers endure the pain. This is the beginning adulthood.

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Next to the Himba tribe, almost next door, he lives the Herero tribe. These tribes have some evolutionary roots: a few thousand years ago, they came to the land of modern Namibia from East Africa. About half a century ago, their historical paths diverged: Herero became Protestants and dressed from head to toe in clothes made of thick fabric in the style of the Victorian era.
Dress-they were dressed, but live close to the Himba exactly the same life as those.
At the head of the woman is wrapped a scarf, and in such a way as to obtain something resembling a cow horn. And the longer the horn, the more refined it looks like headdress. All this is good, but, in my opinion, in the heat sorokapyatigradusnuyu Himba people in his delightful negligee feel more comfortable. Although, who knows ...

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One of the friends of Sinbad was allowed to take the hands of a small Himba - boy of three. The kid did not resist, however, first a little tense, but then apparently calmed down, confidently embraced the stranger's neck and even smiled.

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All the other children of the tribe with interest looked at the big man in a hat, and he at the time was later told Sinbad, felt and Angelina Jolie wanted to adopt them all. But, he thought, it is unlikely he will be able to give them as much freedom as they are now. Because he is less free than they are.
He is, however, and the other comrades of Sinbad, has long been part of the changed his freedom for a comfortable metropolis and constitutional duties, he had long been living beyond its natural laws, and the laws invented by people. A man, no matter how clever, will still not be perfect nature. And the man who presents himself civilized, also lives according to the laws of his tribe, which in turn someone incomprehensible and unacceptable.
Sinbad and his comrades left the kraal. They were escorted out of nowhere appeared the Himba teenagers riding on a gray donkey.
They reached the river, and waited until the guests had crossed to the other side, came back. They are not waving their hands in farewell and did not even smile.
They just made sure that everything went on their territory no longer strangers. We make sure that no one will disturb them live as they want.
According to the laws of his tribe.

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