In Nnedi Okorafor’s novella trilogy “Binti,” the character “Binti” was inspired on the fascinating and distinctive Himba tribe.
The semi-nomadic Ovahimba and Ovazimba tribes live in Northern Namibia’s Kunene and Omusati areas.
For them, it is common for the women to carry out daily tasks like milking cows and caring for the kids while the men go hunting, occasionally disappearing for extended periods of time.
The Himba, a polygamous people with a population of over 50,000, marry off their girls to male partners chosen by their fathers once they reach puberty.
In spite of pressure from the west and impact, the most of their civilizations have survived.
The “Man comes first” custom is one of them. The woman’s input into decision-making is minimal to nonexistent. She first submits to her husband’s requests.
The Okujepisa Omukazendu treatment, in which the wife is offered to the visitor to spend the night while the husband sleeps in another room, is how a man greets and welcomes a visitor, according to the Guardian. Her husband will sleep if there isn’t a room available.
