Running with Okeleni….

It started out about two months ago. I had finally began to start my nightly run (I took ALL of winter off) again at dusk, when all of town shuts down and everyone heads home, including the Himba.

Ovahimba (Himba for short) are one of the only two remaining traditional tribes left in Namibia. They are everything you see in National Geographic, mud in the hair, covered in dark reddish brown dirt mixed with a buttery substance, cloth around their bottom and nothing on top, two bottom front teeth missing and their millions of bracelets and necklaces laid out in front of them to purchase. They are largely found in Opuwo but have migrated down the Kunene to Kamanjab and Outjo. The 30-40 Himba women in Outjo travel to and from town daily to sit on the main strip and wait for all the tourist buses to come through for a photo opportunity or to get traditional Himba jewelry (both are their means of income). For the first six or so months in Outjo I thought the Himba hated me. I would always attempt to greet them and they always looked angry and turned away. I figured it was because I wanted to talk to them and yet never wanted to buy anything, but recently that has all changed.

One night as I passed the Himba women packing up their things one younger spunky women jumped up and started running with me. I laughed as we ran for about a minute until she stopped and turned to return to her friends. The next night she was ready for me and we ran for our minute while I was still amazed that she wanted to run with me, I mean she didn’t have a sports bra! It continued this way for weeks. One night I had started a little late but I passed them as they were walking home and bless her heart with a baby on her back and all her jewelry packed on her head she grabbed my hand as we ran together. So it’s continued my Himba friend and I run hand in hand for a minute of my workout. When she stops we say “buh-bye” to each other and laugh. Today I was merely walking by since I’ve switched my running to the mornings this week and all the women started yelling “Okeleni, Okeleni!”(spelling could be wrong I know nothing about Ovahmba or Otjiherero languages), I of course had no idea what was going on and then out of a group of 20 or so women my running partner emerges with a smile on her face. It’s gotta be the greatest photo I can ever get in Namibia, but the memories will do. Breaking barriers in Outjo, one run at a time. Hand in hand with Okeleni, the highlight of my days.