Herero women wearing traditional dress in procession for the Ma Herero Day Parade August Okahandja Namibia The Herero are a pastoral cattle breeding people It is thought they migrated from the east African lakes area arriving in Namibia in the 17th century Their initial home was in Kaokoland near the Kunene River but c 1850 a large portion of the Herero population moved southwards leaving the Himba and Tjimba tribal groups The Herero are proud cattle farmers who measure wealth and status in cattle the importance of cattle to these people is even evident in the Herero womans costume The traditional dress is derived from a Victorian woman s dress and consists of an enormous crinoline worn over several petticoats and a horn shaped hat said to represent the horns of a cow made from rolled cloth The main Herero festival is held in Okahandja on Maherero day which falls on the last weekend in August each year Various paramilitary style groups parade before their chiefs and Herero women line the streets and process in their beautiful dresses Namibia Photo by Jamie Marshall
