Photo of the Day
A Himba woman anointing herself with the smoke of aromatic herbs
December 13, 2011
Himba Woman, Namibia
This Month in Photo of the Day: 2011 National Geographic Photo Contest Images
The Himba women of northern Namibia perform daily rituals in which they anoint themselves with a mixture of ochre, oil, and ash to protect themselves from the harsh desert climate. They never take a shower, but rather burn aromatic herbs in a pot each morning with which they smoke themselves as if applying perfume.
(This photo and caption were submitted to the 2011 National Geographic Photo Contest.)
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