Himba Family Structure: Kinship and Leadership

Himba family structure is built around kinship, cattle, residence, and ancestral authority. Among the OvaHimba of north-western Namibia, family is not only about parents and children.

It also includes maternal clans, paternal clans, elders, wives, children, fostered children, and relatives spread across different homesteads.

The Himba are widely described as semi-nomadic pastoralists in Namibia’s Kunene Region, especially Kaokoland. The University of Sheffield Himba fieldsite explains that Himba life is closely tied to livestock, seasonal movement, and extended family households.

Quick Facts About Himba Family Structure

• Himba society uses double descent, meaning people belong to both a maternal and paternal clan.

• The maternal clan is called eanda.

• The paternal clan is called oruzo.

• Livestock wealth is usually inherited through the mother’s line.

• Ritual rights, residence, and many leadership roles are linked to the father’s line.

• Himba households are usually extended family households.