The heart and soul of Namibia - its people
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he San, the earliest known inhabitants of Namibia, are divided into five main groups, each with its own history, customs, culture and language. San people are short in stature with a light yellowish brown or black complexion. The language is characterised by numerous click sounds.
When African immigrants arrived from the south and the north, later followed by white settlers, the San were systematically displaced and dispossessed of their traditional territories. The Ju/’hoansi have retained some access to their ancient land, where they still pursue their original way of life by gathering veld food and hunting with traditional weapons. Bwabwata National Park forms part of the core territory of the Kxoe-speaking San. The country's largest population group, the Aawambo, who account for nearly half of the total population, mainly live in north-central Namibia. The Aawambo consist of eight closely related communities under the administration of traditional authorities. Four communities are headed by a leader with the traditional title of Omukwaniilwa or Ohamba (in the case of the Ovakwanyama) – a title loosely translated as king or queen, while the remaining four are headed by a chief. The Aawambo practice a mixed economy of subsistence agriculture and stock farming with cattle and goats. Omahangu (pearl millet), sorghum, and beans are the main dryland crops, while a variety of leafy green vegetables is also harvested. Large numbers of Aawambo are employed in the public and private sectors. They are renowned for their business acumen, and the informal sector plays an important role in supplementing family incomes. They are skilled potters and weavers, known for their basketry made from the fronds of makalani palm trees. The traditionally pink, red and black striped ondelela worn by women at special occasions are now available in a variety of colours. The etanga shirt for men features spots similar to those of a leopard or cheetah. The eight communities take turns in hosting the annual Omagongo Festival, held during the marula fruiting season.
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The people of the Kavango Region are often collectively referred to as the Kavango people, but in fact consist of five diverse communities. They originated from the Great Lakes of East Africa and settled along the Okavango River which forms the boundary between Namibia and Angola. Each community inhabits its own traditional area which is ruled by a traditional chieftainship assisted by a council of headmen. The people of the Kavango are agriculturalist and cultivate maize, sorghum and millet on the fertile floodplains of the Okavango River once the flood water has subsided. They are expert woodcarvers and produce a variety of household items such as spoons and bowls, decorative items such as masks and animals, and exquisitely carved furniture and wooden doors from teak wood. Namibia’s far northeastern extremity, the Zambezi Region, is home to four major communities, as well as several smaller ones, which have vastly different origins but are collectively referred to as Zambezians. They practice a mixed economy of crop production, pastoralism and fishing. Maize and millet are the main crops, while a variety of vegetables are also cultivated. The women are skillful basket weavers. Wooden domestic implements, animal carvings, reed mats, pottery and necklaces made from seed are among the handcrafted products. The Ovaherero and Ovambanderu inhabit the central and eastern parts of the country. They are primarily pastoralists and consist of several groups who migrated from the Great Lakes of East Africa in the 1700s. The Ovaherero women are known for their distinctive style of dress, adopted well over a hundred years ago. Up to seven cotton petticoats are worn under the flared skirt. The two lateral points of the elaborate headdress symbolises the horns of cattle – and the important role that cattle plays in this people’s economy, culture and religion. The Ovahimba of the Kunene Region in northwestern Namibia are the descendants of Ovaherero who remained behind when the others migrated further south. They are seminomadic pastoralists who move around with their cattle and goats in search of grazing and water. They are tall, slender and statuesque people. The women still wear traditional
