Daming the Kenene River a Look at the proposed Epupa dam on the Kunene River and a society threatened by the destruction of their ancestral land.
The Himba people live on the banks of the Kunene River, which forms the natural border between Angola and Namibia.
For centuries the Himba has managed to live self- sufficient and semi nomadic lives, preserving their way of life, through wars and severe droughts. But that is slowly starting to change with the accelerating influx of tourists, missionaries and a money economy.
The Namibian government has plans to dam the Kunene River. This will mean flooding of the grazing areas for their goats and cattle. It will also mean flooding of their ancestral graves. Thus the Himba vehemently oppose the proposed dam project and fear loosing control of their own destiny.
On assignment for Scientific American - published June 2001
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