As I said in my previous post (Raising my Hat to the OvaKuvale Tribe), Kunene (Cunene) and Namibe provinces in Southern Angola are home to many ethnic groups. One of the most prominent groups in the area, the OvaHimbas (or Himbas), is also found further South in Namibia. I had spent a fair amount of time with Himbas in Namibia almost ten years ago (Seeing Red in Namibia), so visiting with the beautiful “red women” while in Angola was not an entirely new experience, but what was surprising was how little has changed for them. They retain the same beautiful red skin, the result of applying “otjize” (a mixture of butter fat, ground red ochre, and fragrant local resin) all over their body, the same hairdo for young girls (two braids on their foreheads) and unmarried men (one braid behind their head) and the same hard life for everyone.
I also had a chance to spend a little time in an OvaTwa (Tua) village and learn a bit about them. The OvaTwa are believed to be related to the San people (The Gods must still be Crazy) and have been in the area for much longer than other groups. However, I was surprised to see that the women have adopted the sartorial style of the Himbas, the dominant tribe in the area. And one can quickly see that their life is even more of a struggle than other ethnic groups as they do not own cattle, the equivalent of currency in the area. The OvaTwa survive primarily as hunter-gatherers, though some men are great blacksmiths and earn money making arrowheads, farming tools, and bracelets for other tribes. OvaTwa women also make dolls for playing and exchanging with other tribes or selling to visitors if they are lucky.
Another ethnic group that bears some similarities with the Himbas is the OvaHakaona tribe, often called Black Himbas. The women also cover their bodies in a mixture of ash, ochre, and fat, giving their skin a unique black-copper color. OvaHakaona women style their hair quite differently from the Himbas, using cow dung, fat and herb to shape it. While young girls wear long dreadlocks, married women often wear “Kapapo,” a headdress made of leather that looks like a toupee. The Kapapo is decorated with colored beads and small metal pieces, often from waste material like soda cans (the red Coca-Cola can is popular). Women and girls like to ornate themselves with ankle bracelets which they skillfully decorate with geometric patterns or animal shapes. Traditionally these bracelets were made of cow horns, but these days, white or blue plastic pipes are often used instead. OvaHakaona women also produce dolls. The Hakaona women and girls enjoy singing and dancing, which is a joy to watch. They encourage the younger ones to perform and are proud of them for doing so.
Further north in Huila province, near Lubango, is where the colorful OvaMwila (Mwila, Muila) tribe resides. The OvaMwila is one of the few ethnic groups that did not disperse outside Angola due to wars, drought, or invasions. There is no doubt that the style of the Mwila women is striking. Their hair is coated with a red paste made of crushed red stone called “oncula” and a mix of oil, tree bark, cow dung, and herbs. Styled with braids, not unlike the Himbas, their hair is also decorated with beads and shells. Unlike the Himbas, however, the number of braids, called “nontombi” -usually between four and six – denotes whether they have reached maturity, whereas three braids indicate death in their family. The women are also famous for their necklaces, which are central and meaningful as each period of their life corresponds to a specific type of necklace. And as we visited a Mwila village early morning, I can attest that women do not take their necklaces off when they sleep.
And finally, during a random visit to a local market, we met with two OvaHanda women, who can be distinguished from their Mwila neighbors because of their white beaded collars. It is harder to see Handa women in traditional style these days as many have adopted a more modern style of dressing.
Meeting these colorful women sure made me realize how boring I look. Maybe I should look for some otjize and beads!
France
20 Responses
France – Wonderful work! You have shown the women in all their beauty. Thanks for sharing their stories!
Hello Mary Catherine, Thanks for taking the time. These women are pretty beautiful indeed. And the way they dress and decorate themselves is such a big part of their identities. We live in a colorful world. France
Beautiful work as always
Thank you very much, Brian. Much appreciated. France
My favorite post and images ever!
Favorite ever!!! Great to hear, Piper. So glad you like it. You made it possible.
France thank you for showing the world these beautiful people.
Stefan, it is a pleasure to do so. They are beautiful people indeed. Thanks for sharing this beauty with the rest of us. All the best, France
Interesting to learn about the significance of the braids and beads .
Some of the dress ornaments have shells too, a stark contrast to the dry environment of the inland . Can’t imagine wearing those beads to bed , how one gets use to that is mind boggling.
Beautiful pictures of the people and their dwellings .
The video was lovely ,hearing the rhythmic singing to the repetitive movement.
Hope you are well ..what’s next 😊
Greetings Emilie,
I am sure there is much more to learn about the significance of the various ways these women decorate themselves. Sadly, some of this knowledge is lost as often the traditions are passed along with no justifications for them. And the fact the younger generation is not interested in maintaining these traditions does not help either, obviously. The tribes in Angola had been quite isolated until recently but now… this is probably going to change quickly.
To sleep and not damage their hair and beads, the women often use a wooden “pillow”, a little stool to rest their head on (yes hard to imagine as well).
I am glad you enjoyed the video. I have a few of them, and every time I listen to them, I hum the “song” all day.
What is next? Not sure yet, I’ll figure it out. Any ideas?
Be well, France
Hello France, is there any place you have always deeply hoped to return to explore ?
As for what’s next…PNG , Borneo , Sri Lanka ..😊
Emilie, In most cases, when I leave a place, I tell myself that I did not have enough time and hope I can return soon. There are very few places where I don’t hope to return. The places where I really yearn to go now are places that are sadly unsafe for foreigners like Mali and Burkina Faso. I have been to PNG and would love to return, but again I am told that safety has been an issue lately. Sri Lanka should happen soon for me, Bornéo, maybe. Oh, such a big world!
Yes safety is certainly a real concern .
I wonder if PNG is any worse than when you visited last time as safety issues seem fairly constant there .
The recent election brought violence …and sorcery is unfortunately still prevalent.
The Indo-Pacific is a stark contrast in landscape , I wonder if you are more drawn to African countries , to a non photographer like me but a painter , the light captures an essence that is breathing full of life even in the harshest settings.
I heard this short interview this week on ABC Pacific ..it might be interest 🌺
https://twitter.com/abcpacific/status/1575021663791497217?s=21&t=VIu_mzpzLodi-gXYYN2-aw
France, once again you share the wonders of this beautiful world. I am in awe. And, yes, your clothing is boring compared to these women, so if you want to hand them to me, I will take them off your hands. xxxKaren
Thank you, dear Karen. 🤣🤣🤣 Sure I will hand my boring clothes to you, as soon as I find the right combinations of beads and hairstyle. Any advice? France
I admire your adventurous spirit! Fabulous photos!!! Remarkable. They twisted me into another dimension.
So many questions I have. With what lenses are you shooting the Angola people? What camera are you currently using? Are you traveling with a group of fellow photographers? It would be interesting to see how you have grown since Papua New Guinea–perhaps post those ? Glad you are still abundantly intrepid! Elise R.
Hello Elise, Glad you like the Angola tribes. These days, I mostly use a 24-70 lens on a Sony Alpha a7 3, but sometimes a 70-200 for portraits (which I don’t do very often). I went with a group of photographers in Angola though I travel more and more on my own, depending on the destination. I don’t dare look at my Papua New Guinea images; I am guessing none of them would pass the bar. Time to go back, maybe 😊!
Really marvelous!!!
Warm thanks. I am glad you like it.
Very good pictures of the tribesmen, the text is very insightful (learned some new things that I didn’t know before)