A Traditional Practice That Has Been Existing For Many Centuries

Africa is a continent with a population of an estimated 1.2 billion people, 2000 languages and an uncountable number of cultural practices many of which have not yet been discovered or extensively written about.

A few African cultures and traditional practices have been greatly frowned upon and stopped while others continue to stir up controversies. One such cultural practice is the “Okujepusa Omukazenda” among the Ovahimba and Ovazemba tribes in northern Namibia.

The Ovahimba and Ovazemba tribes are indigenous Africans who have remained true to their culture even after westernization and colonization of Africa. The Ovahimba migrated from Angola to Namibia around the 16th century and settled with the Ovazemba. Through socialization, their cultures have become the same and it is hard to determine which of the two introduced the Okujepusa Omukazenda, a wife-swapping traditional practice that has existed for many centuries, to the others.

The two tribes are very popular for their red skin which is achieved by using red clay mixed with special scents and herbs as a decoration. It is more popular among women and newlyweds. They are also noted for their distinctive and significant hairstyles and jewelry.