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himba women - earth day

Earth Day - 22nd April 2009! my contribution

 

The Himba are an ethnic group of about 20,000 to 50,000 people living in northern Namibia, in the Kunene region (formerly Kaokoland). They are a nomadic, pastoral people, closely related to the Herero, and speak the same language.

The Himba wear little clothing, but the women are famous for covering themselves with a mixture of butter fat, ochre, and herbs to protect themselves from the sun. The mixture gives their skins a reddish tinge. The mixture symbolizes earth's rich red color and the blood that symbolizes life, and is consistent with the Himba ideal of beauty. Women braid each other's hair and cover it in their ochre mixture (called otjize in their langauge).

 

texture thanks to: www.flickr.com/photos/borealnz/

 

 

 

submit your picture wherever you are today, go to: earthmosaic.org/

 

EXPLORE # 278

 

 

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Uploaded on April 22, 2009
Taken on April 22, 2009