The Republic of Namibia is a country in Southern Africa, made up of so many different ethnic groups, with their own culture and customs. The Coloreds and Basters, like most white and black Namibians, retain distinct communal identities while sharing identical origins and cultural traits. Although Namibia is thought to have 11 distinct ethnic groups, these are really just combinations of smaller ethnic groups with similar languages and traditions.
Namibia is a diverse country where clothing spans cultures, eras and locations. Whatever they wear matters, whether it’s contemporary or Victorian. Namibian clothing tells a lot about their culture from the things they wear.
seam
Damara wore clothes made of animal skins. For clothes and blankets, the main animal skins used were those of the buck, the goat, and the jackal. In the same way that it distinguishes between boys, unmarried and married men, and men of a certain age, traditional Damaran dress distinguishes between a girl, an unmarried or married woman, and an old woman. Unlike ordinary clothing, some costumes were reserved for special rituals.
In the Damara culture, where clothing is usually worn in cultural ceremonies and special occasions, animal skins have been replaced by cloth. Damaran created Damarokoes as an ideal substitute for animal skin (Damara dress). In the mid-19th century, Damarokoes were adopted by missionary brides. The dress was used to cover the “naked” Damara ladies and with its ankle length, long sleeves and khoont (shawl), it was ensured to provide the most coverage possible.
Nama
The early Nama was clothed entirely in animal skins. To stay warm, they wore skin-covered clothes in the winter and wore clothes inside out in the summer. The Nama people, however, lost many components of their culture as a result of colonialism, and one of the first things that changed was the way they dressed. Most Nama people wear clothing in the Victorian style, which has been heavily influenced by the settlers. Long formal dresses resembling Victorian era clothing make up the traditional dress of Nama women. Long, flowing robes originated in missionary fashion in the 1800s, and they still play an important role in Nama culture today.
San People
San people wear basic clothing. They wear hides and skins of animals as they are primarily hunters and gatherers. The ladies also wear animal skin skirts and trousers, leather jackets and a double leather apron covering the front and back with hair, arm and leg decorations made of rings and necklaces. Men dress in antelope skirts, leather coats and shoulder bags that hold everything they need.
Kavango
Animal skins are used in the traditional clothing of the Kavango people. Ladies wore long braids made from plant fibers, spiral bracelets and copper hoops, and numerous necklace circles made from ostrich shell beads. A hairstyle can be worn for a year or a few months before it needs to be replaced. Men regularly remove their hair.
The clothing of Kavango people used to be really traditional. The only clothing men could wear was a belt and a short front apron to cover the genitals, however, women had access to more clothing and their apron-like garments were more like skirts. Men’s rears and women’s breasts were visible.
Himba
Although modern fabrics are increasingly being used, traditional Himba men’s clothing consists of a straight calfskin skirt paired with non-traditional clothing such as shirts or coats. Their sandals often contain discarded car tires as the sole material. According to old traditions, the Himba still adorn themselves with traditional jewelry today. Many bracelets and arm necklaces made from ostrich eggshell beads, grass, cloth and copper are worn by both men and women. The giant white shell that Himba women wear around their chest is known as an ohumba, and grown women wear beads to protect their feet from dangerous animal bites.
Herero
Herero women’s clothing choices serve as a constant reminder of the tribe’s troubling past and recent history, during which the Germans came perilously close to wiping out the entire population. The once prosperous Namibian population was virtually wiped out by the genocide. Their traditional clothing subverts the style of their previous masters as a continued protest against the Germans who massacred them. The traditional Herero dress, known as the “Ohorokova”, is an A-line dress with brilliant, colorful patterns and multiple cloaks. The result is a structured and wide skirt. A cap in the shape of a cow’s horn completes the outfit. The Herero people, who have traditionally been pastoralists and who measure their wealth by livestock, are honoring that aspect of their identity by wearing this traditional clothing.
originals
Odelela is the name of the fabric used to make the traditional clothing of the Ovambo people. Ovambo men wear shirts made of odelela, while Ovambo women dress in long dresses, skirts and short puffy sleeves. Ovambo women also accessorize with waist beads, shells, hides and skins. Depending on the age, class or marital status of women, different jewelry is worn. The Ovambo can be identified by their clothing and the traditional clothing of other tribes, such as that of the Ovaherero and Namas, often including Ovambo cloth. The odelela skirt is decorated with waist beads, shells and animal skin belts all of which are worn differently depending on the age and marital status of the woman; these clothes are for weddings and traditional rituals like olufuko.
