Damara people
Encyclopedia
The Damara are an ethnic group
who make up 8.5% of Namibia's
population. They speak the Khoekhoe language (like the Nama people) and the majority live in the northwestern regions of Namibia, however they are also found widely across the rest of the country. They have no known cultural relationship with any of the other tribes anywhere else in Africa, and very little is known of their origin. It has been proposed that the Damara are a remnant population of southwestern Africa hunter-gatherer
s, otherwise only represented by the Cimba, Kwisi
, and Kwadi, who adopted the Khoekhoe language of the immigrant Nama people.
Their name in their own language is the "Daman" (where the "-n" is just the Khoekhoe plural ending). The name "Damaqua" stems from the addition of the Khoekhoe suffix "-qua/khwa" meaning "people" (found in the names of other Southern African peoples like the Namaqua
and the Griqua).
Prior to 1870 the Damara occupied most of central Namibia, but large numbers were displaced when the Nama
and Herero began to occupy this area in search of better grazing. Thereafter dominated by and working for the Nama and the Herero.
In 1960, the South African government forced the Damara into the bantustan
of Damaraland
, an area of poor soil and irregular rainfall. About two quarter of their numbers still occupy Damaraland.
that rules over them. The names of the richest/most powerful chiefs were Prince ǀHai-hab, Chief Xamseb, ǁGuruseb just to name some. They practiced circumcision until to date. Their traditional colours are green, white and blue. The green and blue identifies the different sub groups, some women may wear white and blue some white and green, the white representing the peace and unity among all Damara-speaking people.
Some Damara women share a similar style of traditional dress to the OvaHerero, with the long, flowing dresses that look almost Victorian in style. However, the traditional hats that the Herero wear have longer 'horns' to resemble cattle.
The women do household chores like cooking, cleaning and gardening. Their Primary objective is milking the cows in the morning and nurturing the young. Men traditionally hunt and herd the cattle, leaving the village as early as the sunrise, patrolling their area to protect their cattle and grazing ground as tradition dictates. Men can be very aggressive towards intruders if not notified of any other male presence in his grazing area.
Though many Damara people own and live on rural farms, the majority live in the small towns scattered across the Erongo region or in Namibia's capital city of Windhoek. Those that still live on farms tend to stay with extended family so that as many as one hundred stay together, creating a small village of family members.
The Darama are very rich in cattle and sheep. Some chiefs possessing up to 8000 head of horned cattle.
Ethnic group
An ethnic group is a group of people whose members identify with each other, through a common heritage, often consisting of a common language, a common culture and/or an ideology that stresses common ancestry or endogamy...
who make up 8.5% of Namibia's
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
population. They speak the Khoekhoe language (like the Nama people) and the majority live in the northwestern regions of Namibia, however they are also found widely across the rest of the country. They have no known cultural relationship with any of the other tribes anywhere else in Africa, and very little is known of their origin. It has been proposed that the Damara are a remnant population of southwestern Africa hunter-gatherer
Hunter-gatherer
A hunter-gatherer or forage society is one in which most or all food is obtained from wild plants and animals, in contrast to agricultural societies which rely mainly on domesticated species. Hunting and gathering was the ancestral subsistence mode of Homo, and all modern humans were...
s, otherwise only represented by the Cimba, Kwisi
Kwisi people
The Kwisi are a seashore-fishing and hunter-gatherer people of southwest Angola that physically seem to be a remnant of an indigenous population—along with the Kwadi, the Cimba, and the Damara—that are unlike either the San or the Bantu. Culturally they have been strongly influenced by the Kuvale,...
, and Kwadi, who adopted the Khoekhoe language of the immigrant Nama people.
Their name in their own language is the "Daman" (where the "-n" is just the Khoekhoe plural ending). The name "Damaqua" stems from the addition of the Khoekhoe suffix "-qua/khwa" meaning "people" (found in the names of other Southern African peoples like the Namaqua
Namaqua
Nama are an African ethnic group of South Africa, Namibia and Botswana. They traditionally speak the Nama language of the Khoe-Kwadi language family, although many Nama now speak Afrikaans. The Nama are the largest group of the Khoikhoi people, most of whom have largely disappeared as a group,...
and the Griqua).
Prior to 1870 the Damara occupied most of central Namibia, but large numbers were displaced when the Nama
Nama
Nama may mean:* Nama band, a Greek music group* Nama , a genus of plants in the family Hydrophyllaceae* Holy Name in Indian religions* Nama , a hero in ? folklore who built an ark to save his family from a flood...
and Herero began to occupy this area in search of better grazing. Thereafter dominated by and working for the Nama and the Herero.
In 1960, the South African government forced the Damara into the bantustan
Bantustan
A bantustan was a territory set aside for black inhabitants of South Africa and South West Africa , as part of the policy of apartheid...
of Damaraland
Damaraland
Damaraland was a name given to the north-central part of what later became Namibia, inhabited by the Damaras. It was bounded roughly by Ovamboland in the north, the Namib Desert in the west, the Kalahari Desert in the east, and Windhoek in the south....
, an area of poor soil and irregular rainfall. About two quarter of their numbers still occupy Damaraland.
Clans
The Damara consist of 11 clans:- The ǂAo-daman used to live in the settlements of OutjoOutjoOutjo is a city of 6,000 inhabitants in the Kunene Region of Namibia. It is the district capital of Outjo Constituency...
, KamanjabKamanjabKamanjab is a village and a constituency in the Kunene region in Namibia. It has a population of 6,012.-References:...
, and KhorixasKhorixasKhorixas is a town of 6,000 inhabitants in southern Kunene Region, Namibia. It was previously the capital of the Damaraland bantustan prior to Namibia's independence. It is located in Khorixas Constituency. Most of the inhabitants are from the Damara ethnic group...
. - The Ao-guwun, their home settlement is SesfonteinSesfonteinSesfontein is a settlement in the Kunene Region of Namibia. It is the district capital of the Sesfontein electoral constituency, its population is 7,358. Sesfontein derives its name from the six fountains which have their source in the vicinity....
. - Dâure Daman (Brandberg Damara after Dâures, the Khoekhoe name for the Brandberg MountainBrandberg MountainThe Brandberg , is Namibia's highest mountain.-Location and Extent:Brandberg Mountain is located in Damaraland, in the northwestern Namib Desert, near the coast, and covers an area of approximately 650 km²...
) - The ǀGaio-daman (Paresis Damara) lived in the Paresis Mountains between OutjoOutjoOutjo is a city of 6,000 inhabitants in the Kunene Region of Namibia. It is the district capital of Outjo Constituency...
and OtjiwarongoOtjiwarongoOtjiwarongo is a city of 20,000 inhabitants in the Otjozondjupa Region of Namibia. It is the district capital of the Otjiwarongo electoral constituency and also the capital of Otjozondjupa.... - The ǀGobanin (dune people after ǀgobas, dune) used to live in the area between RehobothRehoboth, NamibiaRehoboth is a town of 21,000 inhabitants in central Namibia just north of the Tropic of Capricorn. Located on the B1 road, 90 kilometres south of the Namibian capital Windhoek, Rehoboth lies on a high elevation plateau with several natural hot-water springs. It receives sparse mean annual rainfall...
, SeeisSeeisSeeis [ˈseːaɪs] is a small settlement in the Khomas Region of central Namibia. It is situated on the B6 national road east of Hosea Kutako International Airport on the turnoff of the dirt road D1458. The Seeis Rivier, an ephemeral river, cuts the settlement...
, and HoachanasHoachanasHoachanas is a settlement of 3,000 inhabitants in the Hardap Region of southern central Namibia, located northeast of Kalkrand. It is situated at the junction of the main road C21 from Kalkrand, and C15 from Dordabis to Stampriet and belongs to the Mariental Rural electoral constituency.Inhabited...
. - The ǁHuruben lived nomadic in the Namib DesertNamib DesertThe Namib Desert is a desert in Namibia and southwest Angola that forms part of the Namib-Naukluft National Park, the largest game reserve in Africa. The name "Namib" is of Nama origin and means "vast place"...
between Uniab River and Huab River. - The ǀKhomanin (named after the Khomas Highland) in 1854 were more than 40,000 in number. Their tribal area is part of the City of WindhoekWindhoekWindhoek is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Namibia. It is located in central Namibia in the Khomas Highland plateau area, at around above sea level. The 2001 census determined Windhoek's population was 233,529...
, rendering the clan essentially landless. Their Chief is Josephat Gawaǃnab. - ǃKhuise-daman (named after the Kuiseb RiverKuiseb RiverThe Kuiseb River in Namibia flows from the Khomas highlands west of Windhoek to Walvis Bay. The Kuiseb is an ephemeral river with a mean run-off of roughly 20 million cubic metres per annum....
) - ǃOe-ǂAn (Erongo Damara after ǃOe-gas, the Khoekhoe name for the Erongo Mountains) Their home settlement is OkombaheOkombaheOkombahe is a settlement in Erongo Region, Namibia. It is regarded as the capital of the ǂNûkhoen tribe; the annual King's Festival is held at the town's Gaob Memorial Stadium. Dibasen Junior Secondary School is situated in the village....
, their current leadership is disputed. - Hago-Daman (named after the Hakos Mountains)
- Tsoaxudaman (Swakop Damara after Tsoaxaub, the Khoekhoe name for the Swakop RiverSwakop RiverThe Swakop River is a major river in the western part of Namibia, reaching the sea at the southern edge of the city of Swakopmund . The Swakop is an ephemeral river, its run-off is roughly 40 million cubic metres per annum. The main tributary is the Khan...
)
Culture
The Damara are divided into tribes each governed by a chief but the tribe has only one King, King Justus GaroebJustus Garoëb
Justus Garoëb is a Namibian traditional leader and politician. He became Chief of Damara in 1982 and founded the United Democratic Front in 1989. He was a staunch opponent of South African rule and led the oppositional Namibia National Front in the late 1970s.Garoëb was born in Omaruru, Erongo...
that rules over them. The names of the richest/most powerful chiefs were Prince ǀHai-hab, Chief Xamseb, ǁGuruseb just to name some. They practiced circumcision until to date. Their traditional colours are green, white and blue. The green and blue identifies the different sub groups, some women may wear white and blue some white and green, the white representing the peace and unity among all Damara-speaking people.
Some Damara women share a similar style of traditional dress to the OvaHerero, with the long, flowing dresses that look almost Victorian in style. However, the traditional hats that the Herero wear have longer 'horns' to resemble cattle.
The women do household chores like cooking, cleaning and gardening. Their Primary objective is milking the cows in the morning and nurturing the young. Men traditionally hunt and herd the cattle, leaving the village as early as the sunrise, patrolling their area to protect their cattle and grazing ground as tradition dictates. Men can be very aggressive towards intruders if not notified of any other male presence in his grazing area.
Though many Damara people own and live on rural farms, the majority live in the small towns scattered across the Erongo region or in Namibia's capital city of Windhoek. Those that still live on farms tend to stay with extended family so that as many as one hundred stay together, creating a small village of family members.
The Darama are very rich in cattle and sheep. Some chiefs possessing up to 8000 head of horned cattle.