The Namibian women fashionably celebrating their heritage

When it comes to merging fashion and culture, there is no doubt which Namibian women are having the most fun with their traditional attire.

The Ovaherero and Damara women do not only share a painful history at the hands of colonial Germany – they have both taken the former coloniser’s Victorian-style dress and made it their own. Generations later, the women continue to wear their adaptations of the Victorian dress which they have transformed to their taste and style.

Different but the same

While the dresses from these two Namibian communities have the same origin, the groups have put their own signatures on them. With the Ovaherero, the headscarf stands out. Signifying the horns of the cow – a prized possession amongst the Ovaherero – it is intricately tied, and often styled with a beautiful brooch. Their dress is fuller and more voluminous, while the Nama/Damara dress is characterised by a slimmer silhouette. While people can play around with both the Ovaherero and Damara dresses, the colours are often a good way to establish which subtribe the woman wearing the dress is from. For example, Damara women north of the Swakop River wear blue and if the dresses are green, the women are likely from the southern parts of the river. Similarly, the headscarf is also tied differently depending on where the person is from.

Among the Ovaherero, the Ovambanderu traditional colours are predominantly green, while the Ovaherero wear a red traditional dress.

A dress for every occasion

For Ovaherero and Damara women, the traditional dress is worn at most occasions. The Ovaherero used to preserve the dress for married women only, but that rule has relaxed over the years. Ovaherero and Damara women mostly wear the dresses to weddings, funerals and cultural events, and opt for modern clothing on other occasions. Brides who go the traditional route for their weddings wear a conventional white dress which can be played around with in terms of design, but is less open to interpretation.

Pushing boundaries, setting trends

There can be no conversation about the evolution of the Ovaherero dress without the mention of Mc Bright Kavari. Growing up around women who inspired his love and appreciation for the dress, Mc Bright has been a huge force in challenging the traditional boundaries of how the dress should look.

Because he is not afraid to test the boundaries of “acceptability” when designing an Ovaherero dress, Mc Bright has faced his fair share of criticism. But he remains unapologetic. “Change is not easy to accept. Fashion is not static, it’s an ongoing thing so I don’t take it personally when my designs are criticised. In fact, many young people copy my designs and for me that’s a huge compliment,” he says.

Steff Skrywer recently faced her own share of criticism for pushing the boundaries on a “modernised” Damara dress she wore to a cultural event. “Although there was some criticism from some elders as I expected, I also got a lot of positive feedback. It wasn’t as bad because all the important features of the dress were incorporated, and most people remarked that ‘it’s the first of its kind, a glamourous Damara dress’.” Her unique Damara dress drew countless compliments from social media users from all corners of Namibia. A collaborative masterpiece that she brought to life with the help of talented designer Ruberto Scholtz, the dress is a fuller, more dramatic version of the often modest traditional attire.

Many elders from these communities continue to be opposed to the idea of modernising traditional dresses. The dresses worn by widows at funerals or by brides at weddings are especially guarded from the transformation that young people crave. Suzy Opperman, who specialises in Ovaherero dresses, also maintains that traditional dresses should not be tampered with. “If you come to me with a design that’s not suitable for the dress, for example an off-the-shoulder design, I won’t make the dress,” she says. Suzy has been making Ovaherero dresses for over 15 years and her clients usually listen to her advice.

Looking ahead

Mc Bright predicts that in years to come, the Ovaherero will revert back to the original style of their traditional dress. Once that happens, he says, a new cycle of change will follow as the dress is “ever evolving”. And while young people are excited to interpret these dresses in their own way, many still remain passionate about maintaining the original features that make them stand out. “I always incorporate the important features of the dress. The headpiece (!Khaib), the pleats and the elbow are a must. The L-shape buttoning and layers are optional but are still important as they help to retain the original look of the dress,” he says.

Young and old people from these communities will not always agree on whether to modernise or not, but it remains exciting to witness how both the Damara and Ovaherero continue to fashionably celebrate their cultural heritage.

Rukee Kaakunga is a Windhoek-based communications specialist, blogger and freelance fashion writer. Contact her via email: rukeekaakunga@gmail.com and follow her on Twitter @rukeeveni and Instagram @rukeekaakunga.

Photography: Kanyanga Photography