The Herero Women of Namibia
I thought I was quite familiar with most of the styles that came out of Africa, imagine my surprise to find out about the Herero women and their National fashion statement- The Herero Dress. I had never heard of them and their story is indeed very special and quite inspirational.
Who are the Herero Women & How do they inspire style? They come from a native of people that survived the German invasion and genocide between the year 1904 to the year 1907.
70% of people of this tribe in Namibia were killed by the Germans during the invasion, and the entire tribe was almost annihilated & wiped out! The women were raped and the children tortured. The pains and torture were extreme for the remaining few, and but they soldiered on to re-invent themselves and to build up their community again.
One might wonder why the national native dress for the women of this tribe is the same one that bears so much similarity to that of their oppressors? This only goes to show the strength of this dynamic tribe, they reinvented the dress once worn by their oppressors and turned it into a national symbol of peace, strength, and beauty. This dress is worn for special occasions, and it's also worn as a right of passage for the beautiful young girls of this Nubian tribe. The Herero Dress has also been showcased during the Windhoek Fashion week.
Click the link below to watch the video. It shows a walk through the Herero tribe, their life, culture, heritage and most importantly their style.