Otjize - body make-up

Under the cap of this container you will find the luminous Himba body make-up that creates the women’s ‘red looks,’ both for their bodies and their hair.

The make-up itself bears the name otjize. It is a paste made of stone-grinded ochre mixed with cow fat and sometimes other components such as ash or herbs. Every morning, the women cover their bodies with this paste. This has several effects: the paste provides protection from outside influences such as the sun, the desert’s cold nights, and insects.[McKinley 2013, p 165] There is, however, another reason that is much more prominent for the women - the aesthetic effect. Otjize mainly serves as make-up for the women and creates the red look that has become an iconic image of Africa.(9)

In most cases, herbs are also added to the mixture to create specific smells. The smell is said to affect the wearers’ spirit and physical health, but different smells also stand for specific clan identities.[McKinley, Ibid] According to anthropologist Catherine McKinley who visited a Himba tribe in Namibia, the mixture has a very strong and “rancid smell” for visitors.[Ibid] I have, however, also read articles of people describing the smell as pleasant and earthly. The experience might thus really depend on the specific ingredients, as well as on personal preferences.

Apart from the body, otjize is also applied to a woman’s hair. It binds together the dread-like braids.[Ibid, p 164] It is a Himba tradition to add hair of a girl’s mother or grandmother to the braids to lengthen her hair. This is meant to ensure a bond to her maternal ancestors.[Ibid] Covered with the red mixture, it creates the special hairdo the Himba are very known for. Hairstyles play important roles for the Himba as they represent marital status, age, wealth and social rank. The thickness of the braids further indicates a woman’s fertility.[McGinty, accesses November 21, 2020] As we can see, otjize therefore plays a crucial role in the overall appearance of Himba women and their culture, but there is another component - the cow.