Arriving in a Himba village in Northern Namibia before dawn on a cold winter morning, my two female companions and I were welcomed to photograph the women in their dark crowded huts. We were sharing with them the intimacies of the daily ritual of preparing themselves for the day.
Since water has to be carried from long distances, traditional western cleansing is never an option. They instead bathe with smoke from the fire, often burning aromatics for a nice smell. They then mix cow fat with red ocher powder derived from iron ore called Otjize and rub it all over their bodies. This is partially for beauty, but also for warmth and lubrication of their skin against intense sun and arid conditions. This mixture provides their skin with a beautiful red glow, making them unmistakably Himba.