The town of Opuwo inhabits a small space in the northern reaches of Namibia, an exceptional Southern African safari destination, not far from the gorgeous Epupa Falls and surrounded by the rugged beauty of Kunene, the domain of the elusive desert elephant.
Opuwo means "up to here and no further" and is found on the very edge of Kaokoland – the last bastion of Namibia's one remaining nomadic tribe, the OvaHimba, who once roamed just as freely as the pockets of wildlife found in this area.
The Himba are exceptional in their ability to survive the testing conditions of the Koakoland and have adapted once again to their environment, with many of them settled in villages on the outskirts of Opuwa Town where they welcome the curious traveller for a peek at their unique way of living.
Escorted by Himba guides, these tours allow you to delve in to the traditional ways of these fascinating people and find out about their way of life, both past and present, and you will learn about their keen bargaining skills at the pop-up market after your visit.
Here you will view their unusual beauty regimes - hair braided and wrapped in a special paste called ‘otjize’ according to their status. Traditionally, prepubescent girls may wear only two braids, and women wear many; boys are allowed only one braid while the men adorn themselves with turban like arrangements.
The OvaHimba lather their bodies with a tawny paste of natural oils, ochre and aromatic plants which serves as sunblock as well as giving the skin a beautiful reddish lustre. Smouldering oils infused with herbs are used as a pefume, and the dress code is minimal. Both men and women wear only animal skin skirts or loincloths and the women adorn themselves with anklets and bracelets crafted from leather, copper, horn and shells.
While western dress is becoming more prevalent, you may still be fortunate enough to find yourself rubbing shoulders with someone in traditional garb while shopping at the market or exploring the town – even though they may be chatting on their mobile phone at the same time or be sporting a pair of headphones plugged into an mp3 player.
As the administrative capital of the Kunene region, Opuwa strikes a delicate balance between the progress of modern times and the ancient customs of its people – an interesting contrast which visitors from all over the world flock to admire, in between their Namibian safari and adventure experiences.
