Five bridal badges "omakipa" ·  Namibia · ID: 3038478

Description

ivory, natural grains, various forms, incised patterns at the rim, partly remains of red pigment on the backside, min. dam., cracks through age;
the number of “omakipa” badges a young man gave his fiancée depended on his wealth and the number of cows he owned. Even the incised patterns had a special meaning. These “marriage insignia” were fixed to a leather strip the bride wore around her hips.