Namibia
Information
In 1996 I approached the NGO Survival International about producing a couple of photographic documentaries focused on two of the indigenous communities they work with. I wanted to show two diverse communities living under different circumstances. One materially poor but culturally strong the other more westernised but culturally devastated. My first trip was to Namibia to stay with the Himba people. They lived in small communities on the boarder with Angola. Though without what we would consider basic amenities like electricity and running water they were a very strong culturally.
Their land was under threat from a proposed dam that would flood much of their land. Survival International was working with them to stop this or have it's location changed to respect the people living of the land.
Their land was under threat from a proposed dam that would flood much of their land. Survival International was working with them to stop this or have it's location changed to respect the people living of the land.
Young Himba boy who's had his hair prepared for a ceremony later that day.
Getting ready to take the goats out for the day at sunrise.
Morning scene getting the animals ready to go out a gaze for the day.
Birds at sunrise.
Three women at a ceremony to commemorate the death of the father of Hikuminue Kapika the community leader.
Morning scene getting the animals ready to go out a gaze for the day.
Castrating a young calve. No local anaesthetic was used. Just cut and pull them out.
Woman having her hair pleated by two other women.
Morning scene getting the animals ready to go out a gaze for the day.
Group of elders heading off for a private discussion.
A group of men chase down a huge bull to be killed and eaten at a ceremony to commemorate the death of the father of Hikuminue Kapika the community leader. The bull was pulled down by the men and then suffocated by one of them placing his knee over the bulls windpipe.
Group of elders having a private discussion.
Himba woman.
Woman's pleated hair.
Hikuminue Kapika the community leader.
Women dancing at a ceremony to commemorate the death of the father of Hikuminue Kapika the community leader.
Women dancing at a ceremony to commemorate the death of the father of Hikuminue Kapika the community leader.
Gathering the animals at the end of the day to lock into a pen for the night.
Men dancing at dusk during a ceremony to commemorate the death of the father of Hikuminue Kapika the community leader.
Sunset.
