Young boy
Little boys adopt the same hairstyle as single men
Proud
Himba women are fiercely proud of their traditional hairstyles and clothes and are more keen than the men of the tribe to cling on to their ancient customs
Married women
After a year of marriage or following the birth of their first child, Himba women add an elaborate animal skin headdress to their hairstyle, called the "Erembe". They wear heavy iron or copper bracelets that can weigh several kilos.
After a year of marriage or following the birth of their first child, Himba women add an elaborate animal skin headdress to their hairstyle, called the "Erembe"
Young girl
Family: A young girl typically has two plaits of braided hair called ozondato, the form being determined by her oruzo or the paternal clan she belongs to
Unmarried man
Good look: This man's single plait indicates that he is unmarried. Once he is, he will cover his hair for the rest of his life apart from when he attends funerals
Married man
When Himba men marry, they start wearing turbans which they never take off unless someone in the village dies. After a death, their heads are shaved
This girl is going through puberty, a fact made plain by her hairstyle which has been designed to cover her face and help her avoid male attention
Haircare
Because the turbans are never removed, things can get a little itchy underneath, so men carry pointed arrow like instruments to scratch it with
