Namibia – off road for our next generation

We had been driving on dusty roads for most of the day when we passed a Himba village. In the sunset I could see the tribe preparing food on an open fire. Their villages, which consisted of simple huts formed of branches, mud and some made of cow dung with thatched roofs, were lifted up by the last sun rays of the day.

For those who don´t know, Himba people are nomads, whose obtain their livelihood from herding cattle and hunting. Due to this reason, they need to move seasonally to find grazing and hunting land – in a few words, follow the season and thus the rain.

And now to the point !
Our Namibian interpreter Matirepo, who speaks Herero, Zemba and Himbaka languages, suddenly said, ” Please stop, I know the chief in this village, he’s a friend of my family” Matirepo started smiling.

The rest of that day became a true highlight for me. I got invited into a little hut where the family was sitting and the kids were sleeping. The smoke from an open fireplace made it difficult to see much but I saw a woman sitting in the doorway. Her face was lifted up by the soft light and that moment became a photographic and historical glimpse, not only for me and us today, but also for our next – and next – generation to come. In a few years from now, we will not explore authentic local trips like the Himbas, since they, just like all of us, are moving to the big cities searching for work and a modern lifestyle.