At one with the desert

The Himba are the last nomads left in the ancient Namib desert, the oldest desert in the world. Like the reddish dunes of their surroundings the Himbas’ skin glows red. They cover their body and hair by grinding red earth with butterfat into an ochre paste known as otjize; which symbolizes the earth's rich red color and blood - the essence of life. Due to the lack of water; these desert inhabitants clean their hair with ashes and disinfect themselves with aromatic smoke from wood and herbs. They lived in perfect harmony with their surroundings for centuries, but severe droughts have affected their livelihood in the last years.