A woman from the Himba tribe, based in Kaokoland, in southern Angola. he Himba women’s elaborate hairstyles take hours to create and include bits of woven hay, goat hair and even hair extensions. Himba women are fiercely proud of their traditional hairstyles and clothes
Photos were taken by London-based photographer Tariq Zaidi as he toured Angola in search of ‘lost tribes’
- A prominent feature in the photographs is the incredible headgear worn by tribeswomen
- Angola’s rapid development has raised concerns that its isolated tribal communities are in danger of eroding
These remarkable photographs show the fascinating hairstyles worn by tribeswomen in rural Angola.
The images were taken by London-based photographer Tariq Zaidi as he toured the southern African country in search of its ‘lost tribes’.
In his quest he captured insightful snapshots into the lifestyles and customs of the people living in these isolated rural communities.
A prominent feature in the photographs is the tribeswomen’s incredible headgear and how it represents their status within their groups.
The women are fiercely proud of their traditional hairstyles and clothes and are more keen than the men of the tribes to cling on to their ancient customs.
The elaborate styles take hours to create and include bits of woven hay, goat hair and extensions.
Oil-rich Angola’s rapid development has raised concerns that its isolated tribal communities are in danger of eroding.
The various tribes and ethnic groups tend to cluster in certain areas of the country each with their own customs, language and history.
There are more than 90 different ethnic groups in Angola, which borders Namibia and Botswana to the south, Zambia to the east and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the North.
Among the communities featured in the photographs are the Himba, Mwila, Mucuroca and Mucuis tribes.
Popular, particularly among married women, are heavy necklaces made from copper or iron wire. Both men and women wear large numbers of necklaces and arm bracelets made from ostrich eggshell beads, cloth and copper
Mwila women, pictured left, are famous for their ornate hairstyles. To create them, they prepare a paste made from a red stone called Oncula. They then mix the paste with oil, butter, tree bark and herbs – some even use cow dung – before applying the concoction to their dreadlocks. Pictured right is a Handa tribeswoman with her hair decorated in the traditional style and wear a white beaded decorated necklace
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4953190/Incredible-hairstyles-Angolan-Tribeswomen-photographed.html#ixzz4vmMprMQ3
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