The San, direct descendants of Stone Age inhabitants, have a legacy spanning many centuries across large parts of southern and eastern Africa. Rock art dating back thousands of years in some cases stand testament to the very enduring power of the San people. Not only is their presence of immense historical importance to Namibia's ancient cultural heritage, but to its present heritage, too. Namibia's Khoisan population is the largest in Africa and largely concentrated around the northern The Kalahari.

Despite being pastoralists, the Nama tribe's fascinating history by no means sees them being put out to pasture. Lauded as fearsome fighters in precolonial times, they routinely fought wars with the neighbouring Herero over fertile grazing grounds dotted across parts of central Namibia. Some of these skirmishes dragged on for a large part of the 1800s. With this feisty trait in mind, it's unsurprising that the Nama rose not once, but twice, in armed rebellion against German colonial rule. A dark stain on the country's history marks the Nama's second uprising which resulted in a mass genocide executed by German forces and a devastating loss of land for the pastoralists in the early 20th century. 

The Damara and Nama people share the same language, but little else. Their origins are clouded in mystery, although some believe that the Damara are descended from south-western Africa hunter-gatherers. Nonetheless, their modern-day history has seen them not only as pastoralists but as agriculturalists and skilled copper-smiths, too. The first prime minister of Namibia and his immediate successor were both Damara.

Centuries ago, several Ovambo kingdoms spanned the floodplains north of Etosha, which is where a majority of Ovambo people still live today. The Ovambo people established a number of kingdoms on the floodplains north of Etosha where the majority still live. They form the largest ethnic group in the country and are said to have migrated from the shores of the upper Zambezi in the 13th century. The Ovambo were at the forefront of the struggle for independence from South Africa and Namibia's founding president was born and raised in an Ovambo village.

The Herero are arguably the most culturally recognisable in Namibia with its women known for their bright and colourful ankle-length dresses, high necklines, tight bodices, and long puffed sleeves. Adapted from European fashion in the Victorian period, the style of the dress is now regarded as a cultural tradition and worn with a cloth headdress, pointed on either side, meant to symbolise cattle horns. Like the Masai in East Africa, the Herero are historically nomadic herders with cattle forming an important part of their culture. The Herero also rose in rebellion against the colonialists in 1904. In modern times Herero activists like Chief Hosea Kutako (after whom the international airport in Windhoek is named) figured prominently in the quest for Namibian independence.

Tall and slender, the proud yet friendly Himba are noted for their unusual sculptural beauty, enhanced by intricate hairstyles and decorations. Their skins rubbed with red ochre, they seem to be forgotten by the rest of the world, but this is only as a result of their extreme isolation and conservative way of life.

This ethnic group is also a Bantu group, and they live along the northeastern region of Namibia. They practice fishing, livestock raising, and agricultural harvesting for subsistence. Namibian law protects their right to practice their traditional government which divides the group into five kingdoms each ruled by a separate king. Their customs place a lot of respect towards elders.

White Namibians consist of individuals of German, British, Portuguese, and Afrikaner descent. They are estimated to make up 7% of the population although accuracy is limited because the Namibian government no longer collects racial data on the census. The majority of these people live in the urban centers. During the apartheid regime, which racially segregated the area and gave political power to the white minority, this group gained a privileged status that continues to benefit them today. They own 50% of all farmable land despite a land reform that has tried to return control of the property to its original owners.

Living along the might Zambezi River, these still live a life in harmony with the soil, the animals they hunt and the fish they catch. Caprivi borders Botswana, Angola and Zambia making the region fairly important geographically and politically. The Caprivi people are surrounded by four perennial rivers; this density of water offers beautiful riverine forests, wetlands that boast over 600 species of bird and an incredible array of plants, trees and flowers that will keep botanists and nature lovers happy for days.

As fitting with Namibian government policies the inhabitants of Caprivi manage and benefit from the eco-tourism to their area, running community conservancies for tourists.  A particular draw card of Caprivi is that this is home to the nearly endangered African Wild Dog. They like dancing while they play drums and have reed skirts that plays a very ‘talkatve’ part in the dance routines.

The Tswana are the smallest cultural group in Namibia and located mainly in the Gobabis district near the Botswana border (Hereroland). Totemism is a major feature of the Tswana belief system and each member associates themselves with a specific animal, plant or object adopted in accordance with ancient myths and legends.  This carries with it responsibilities and rituals which must be obeyed.  Anyone contravening these rules has to undergo ritual purification to prevent bad luck.  Although tribal alliances have almost disappeared, the Tswana people do acknowledge the ancestral relationship they share with others of the same totem.