NAMIBIAN TRIBES

Season 2 Episode 9

Namibia is blessed with an incredibly diverse culture having about 12 different major ethnic groups which can be branched into sub-groups.

Here are 5 Namibian tribes you should learn about.

Ovambo

This is the largest ethnic tribe in Namibia with the highest population comprising of more than about half the total population of Namibia inhabiting the Northern part of Namibia. Ovambo tribe comprises of 12 smaller tribal groups like Kwanyama (largest), Ndonga, Kwambi, Ngandyela, Mbalanhu, Nkolonkadhi and others.

The native language of Ovambo tribe of Namibia is Kwambi or Oshiwambo and they practice agriculture by being major farmers of millet and rearers of cattle with fishing.

Kavango

The Kavango people of Namibia can be found inhabiting borders between Namibia and Angola where the Kavango River is found in the North Eastern part of Namibia. The Kavango tribe is the second largest tribe in Namibia and can be broken into five groups, Mbukushu, Sambiyu, Kwangari, Mbunza and Geiriku.

The native language of the Kavango people is RuKwangali and they are majorly into the practice of fishing, livestock rearing.

Herero

The Herero tribe of Namibia make up about 7% of the total population of Namibia and are believed to have migrated from East African Lakes. The Herero can be divided into several sub-groups. 

The people of Herero speak Herero language and are proud pastoral cattle breeders having ample grazing fields for their cattle.

San (Bushmen)

This tribe are known as the Bushmen and are one of the most amazing and fascinating inhabitants of this world. They were majorly hunter-gatherers in past times although this has changed with time as most of them have diversified into other fields like growing crops, livestock rearing, and other domestic jobs.

The major native language of the San tribe is Khoisan.

Damara

The Damara tribe of Namibia can be found in the North Western part of Namibia and composed of about 7% of the total population. They are from the Bantu ethnic group origin who speak a Khoisan dialect as they are believed to have descended from one of the sub-groups of the San tribe.

The native language of the Damara tribe of Namibia is Khoekhoe and they are skilled in agriculture, mining, herding.

Written and edited by Ebenezer Oladokun