The Damara make up a component of 8.5% of the Namibian nation. The majority live in the northwestern regions of the country but others are found widely across Namibia, where they live and work in towns, on commercial farms, on mines, as well as at the coast.
They have no cultural relationship with any of the other tribes anywhere else in Africa. It is
Damara Child
believed that the Damara left their original abode in northwestern Africa long before other tribes started their migrations to western and southern Africa. They no longer possess their traditions of origin, nor former linguistic and cultural affiliations.
In earlier times in Namibia, the Damara people are believed to have been hunter-gatherers, thereafter dominated by and working for the Nama and the Herero. According to Dr. Vedder’s book, “South West Africa in Early Times,” the Bergdamara were regarded by the Nama and Herero as their rightful servants and would mercilessly pursue them when the Damara stole their cattle. The Damara people would then flee in the less hospitable mountainous area around Otavi and further to the West. This gave rise to them being called the “Bergdamara”
The Rheinisch Missionarey Society was aware of the plight of the Damara people and petitioned Zeraua, a chief of the Herero, who gave them the area known as Okombahe. Further land allocation took place during 1964 to 1973 during which time 223 farms were bought from white farmers and an area stretching from Sesfontein to the Spitzkoppe became “Damaraland”. Many of the Damara are stock farmers and a large number are employed at Rössing Uranium Mine near Swakopmund. Early missionaries taught the Damara people to grow crops and vegetables and their successful efforts can be seen wherever water availability permits. The development of tourism since 1990 has drawn many Damaras into related activities such as tour guiding and nature conservation.
The Damaraland region is well known for its minerals and semi-precious stones and many Damara have turned to small-scale mining, selling their stones along the roads leading into and out of their settlements.
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