Jim Naughten: Namibia

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Jim Naughten: Namibia

via Thisispaper Magazine by Thisispaper Magazine on 12/18/12

Namibia by Jim Naughten- Set against the searing intensity of the Namibian landscape, acclaimed photographer Jim Naughten's dramatic portraits capture the magnificent costume of the Herero tribe. As this fascinating book reveals, the men's paramilitary uniforms and the vibrant Victorian-style gowns worn by the women are a stark reminder of Namibia's tumultuous past. In the late nineteenth century, the influence of missionaries and traders in what became German South-West Africa led to the Herero women adopting the European dress of the day. Over time, this evolved to reflect their cultural identity, with the addition of horn-shaped headdresses representing the importance of cattle in Herero society. Rounded to resemble healthy cows, the dresses contain up to 10 metres of cloth, despite summer temperatures reaching 50ºC. The men's distinctive ceremonial uniforms also have origins in colonial times. Following the brutal German-Herero war of 1904-08 and the end of colonial rule in 1915, the Herero adapted the uniforms of the German colonial forces for their own Otruppe ('troops') movement. In so doing, they sought to appropriate the strength and diminish the power of those who had cost them so dearly. In his insightful introduction to Conflict and Costume, Dr Lutz Marten explores the cultural and historical context of the Herero's dress. Jim Naughten's stunning portraits of the Herero people, set against a landscape that he describes as being 'one of unforgiving intensity but also of silent witness', then allow the past to speak. Exhibition An exhibition of Jim Naughten's portraits of the Herero tribe will be held at the Margaret Street Gallery, London W1 from 5th March to 13th April 2013. - Words: Dr Lutz Marten Photos: Courtesy of Jim Naughten

 

 

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