Otjize is a mixture of butter

Butter

Butter is a dairy product made by churning fresh or fermented cream or milk. It is generally used as a spread and a condiment, as well as in cooking applications, such as baking, sauce making, and pan frying...

, ash

Ash

- Products of fire, incineration or combustion :The solid remains of fires, such as:* Ash , the compounds that remain after a scientific sample is burned; commonly reported as a percentage on pet food labels...

 and ochre

Ochre

Ochre is the term for both a golden-yellow or light yellow brown color and for a form of earth pigment which produces the color. The pigment can also be used to create a reddish tint known as "red ochre". The more rarely used terms "purple ochre" and "brown ochre" also exist for variant hues...

, by people in the Himba tribe in Namibia

Namibia

Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...

, to protect themselves from the harsh desert

Desert

A desert is a landscape or region that receives an extremely low amount of precipitation, less than enough to support growth of most plants. Most deserts have an average annual precipitation of less than...

 climate. The paste (Otjize) is often mixed with the aromatic resin of the Omuzumba shrub, a little like adding perfume to a suntan lotion. The mixture gives their skins a deep reddish tinge. This symbolizes earth's rich red color and the blood that symbolizes life, and is the Himba ideal of beauty. The Himba use the same paste (Otjize) in their hair which is long and plaited into intricate designs.

External links

• Northern Namibian handmade items - Otjize
• Himba Hair Styling