Culture and history

The cultural history of Namibia begins with the San and Damara peoples; their rock paintings and petroglyphs (e.g. Tweifelfontein) set an ancient layer of art.

Later, communities of ovambo, herero, nama, kavango and himba were formed - with their own languages, styles and crafts (himba has ocher and wicker hairstyles, herero has elegant Victorian dresses).

In the late XIX - early XX centuries, the territory was a German colony, then a South African mandate; in 1990, the country gained independence and the capital Windhoek.

The official language is English, oshiuambo, Afrikaans, German, khokkhoegovab and others are common in everyday life.

The architecture of Swakopmund and Luderitz preserves Germanic features, and the Namib desert with its velvichia has become part of national symbolism.

Living culture is shambo and "township" music, dancing, woodcarving, weaving, and in gastronomy, kapana (street fried meat), mahanga (millet), fish and game.

Tourist festivals and craft fairs in Windhoek and Etosha Park maintain traditions and unite a multilingual society.