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=HERERO CULTURE=

BACKGROUND
The Herero are an ethnic group inhabiting parts of Southern Africa. The majority reside in Namibia, with the remainder found in Botswana and Angola. About 240,000 members are alive today. They speak the Herero language which belongs to the Bantu languages.

The holy fire
The physical focus of Herero culture worship is omuriro omurangere or the sacred fire. This is the symbolic link between the living and the dead. Omuriro omurangere is a gift from the lineage Mukuru, the original ancestor of the family line.

The Herero long dress
Many Herero women wear long dresses with many petticoats underneath and matching headdresses. These outfits are regarded as proper dress for traditional married women. By wearing the long dress, a newly married woman shows her in laws that she is willing to take up the responsibilities of a Herero home and will raise her children to respect their heritage and their father’s family.

The long dress is heavy, hard to keep clean and laborious and expensive to make. The outfit has changed over the years to reflect the style of new generations, and sewing it allows women to show their personal skill and creativity. The Herero women’s long dress has become a symbol of Herero tradition for Herero, tourists, scholars and other Namibians. Women are selling dolls wearing exact replicas of the long dress to tourists and crafts organizations. This suggests that they continue to find new ways to express their individual and traditional identities.

Herero Religion
Herero religious believes are combined with Christianity. The majority of Herero and Mbanderu belong to Christian inspired churches, particularly the Oruwanu Church among the Herero, and the Church of Africa among the Ovambanderu. Nevertheless, most Herero people still place great emphasis on the spiritual importance of ancestors, and the same is true of many Christian Africans elsewhere.

Herero traditionalists believe in a supreme being called Njambi Karunga. All life comes from him. He lives in the heavens and is all-knowing. Njambi Karunga is the giver of all blessings, revered for his kindness. Most Herero today would identify him as God in the Christian religion.

Ancestors are the focus of traditional Herero religion. The ovakuru watches over their living relatives if they are treated correctly but cause misfortune if they are displeased. Therefore, the Herero are careful to maintain close and proper relationships with ovakuru.

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