Namibian culture (different Namibian tribes) Culture diversity
The Ovambo and Kavango The Ovambo people are closely related to the Kavango people. They lived and still live in northern Namibia, southern Angola and, in the case of Kavango, western Zambia. They were unlike the hunters gatherers, they had an economy based on farming, cattle and fishing, but they also produced metal goods. Both groups belonged to the Bantu nation. They rarely ventured south to the central, since the conditions they did not suit their farming way of life, but traded extensively their knives and agriculture implements. Bantu immigration: the Herero The Herero, a pastoral nomadic people keeping cattle entered Namibia in 17th century. When they entered Namibia, they first lived in Kaodoland but later in the 19th century they moved further south and also entered Damaraland. Those that remained in the Kaodoland were the Himbas, and they are still there today. Khoisan immigration: the Nama and Damara Until about 2,000 years ago the original hunters and gatherers of the san people were the only inhabitants in Namibia. At this time the Nama (also known as Namaqua, Khoikhoi or Hottentots) settled around the Orange River in the south on the border between Namibia and South Africa where they kept herds of sheep and goats. The Sama and the Nama where from the Khoisan group and they speak languages from the Khoisan language group. The Damaras entered Namibia in the 19th century. Where they came from is not clearly known, but today they are settled in the grasslands in central Namibia, known as Damarland. The land is cultivated under a system of individual right of occupation as allocated by the people’s authorities. When the Zabezi and Chobe Rivers come down in flood, more than half of Caprivi east of the Kwando may be under water. During this period the caprivians use their mekoro or canoes to transverse the routes normally used by cars and foot. The Caprivi tribe: The Caprivi culture people live in Caprivi region of Namibia. Caprivians are linguistically related to the lozis in Zambia. The largest caprivian tribal groups are the Masubia and Mafwe. Other tribes are the mayeyi, matotela and mashi. Each Caprivi village has a headman, generally the most senior male member in the village. He advises the senior headman who represents a number of villages. The kuta is the highest legislative, administrative and judicial body in the tribal area. The family unit is the most important socioeconomic unit in this culture. The masubias and patrilenearlly oriented while the mafwe reflect distinct matrilineal features in their rule of succession. Most caprivians are subsistence farmers who make their living on the banks of the Zambezi, Kwando, linyatnti and chobe rivers.