Meet The Himba Tribe Of Namibia Known For Their Bizarre Sexual Practices

Himba is considered the last semi-nomadic tribe of Namibia. These are indigenous people who have an estimated population of about 50,000. They are called semi-nomadic because they have their own homes but have to relocate due to rainfall or lack of access to water. This tribe often garners headlines due to its strange traditions. According to reports, the women of this tribe get intimate with visitors. Permission for this is given by their husbands itself. The Himba tribe, living in the desert areas of Namibia, is completely different from the norms of Western countries or global traditions with their unique marital and moral rules. A recent documentary of African History TV reveals, “For the people of the Himba tribe, giving their wives to visitors for sex is considered the highest form of hospitality. It is considered a way to warmly welcome guests. Also, sexual jealousy can be avoided, which often prevails in conservative marriages.”

Reports suggest the women of the Himba tribes are very hardworking. They do more work than the men of the tribes, which includes taking care of animals and homes and household chores like cooking, cleaning, and taking care of children. The lifestyle of the Himba people is largely isolated from Namibian society.

According to an estimate, 50,000 Himba tribe people live here who have kept their traditional existence alive. Not only this, it is common for men in the Himba tribe to have more than one wife. A study done on the population has shown that more than 70 percent of Himba men raise at least one child, whose father is not someone else. Despite this, they live happily with their wives. It is said that it is very easy for Himba women to get a divorce. The documentary says that in this tribe, birth outside marriage or extramarital affairs is not considered a big deal, and every child has a social father to raise him.

The documentary further states that the Himba tribe also has a tradition of wife swapping, which has been going on for centuries. Under this, men here allow their wives to spend the night with unknown men. Not only this, when a guest or an unknown man is sleeping with someone else’s wife, the woman’s husband is expected to spend the night in another room. Now, the lifestyle of this tribe is slowly coming under threat. As the atmosphere of Western countries is spreading in Namibia, the children of Himba tribes are feeling ashamed of their ways.