wizards and medicine-men

1998: In an article published in 1925, a German anthropologist, Kurt Falk discusses homosexuality in South West Africa (now Namibia).

He argues that homosexual practices were accepted but not spoken about among different ethnic groups in the colony.

He argues that among the Ovambos there were men who dressed in women's clothing and gave sexual favors for income. These men were "in great demand by the young unmarried men." Ovambo mineworkers were given younger boys by their wives "to keep the man faithful" while away at work in the mines. In case that might be presumed as the pattern of same-sex relationships, Falk draws our attention to what he calls "actual homosexuals" or "natural homosexuals", which he claims made up "2 percent" of the Ovambo population.

About Himba people he claims that there were "wizards and medicine-men" who confessed "same-sex inclination to the whole tribe and the neighbouring natives." These men enjoyed equal status in 'the tribe' (sic). He states that although he found nothing about lesbianism amongst Ovambo and Himba women but he heard that "the married Bushmen women were devoted to it."

The Hereros, according to Falk, had no punishment for homosexual behavior and at worst it was a subject of only "ridicule and laughter". He claims that if one caught men in a homosexual act "one looks away and sees nothing."

Adult Hereros saw nothing wrong with homosexuality as long as it didn't occur publicly. Herero language has many expressions that define different levels of sexual and non-sexual friendships. These words do not only highlight male to male same-sex relationships but also female-female relationships too. He argues that in case it might be misunderstood as lesbianism in the absence of men, even some "newly married, younger wives, who could not complain over the lack of heterosexual intercourse" had same-sex relationships.

About the "Hottentots" (sic) he reports that "homosexuality occurs widely". There were rituals whereby men would ask other men for sexual favors. This would usually develop into an intimate and "dear friendship." Falk met at least three known "Hottentot" homosexuals, one of whom was a policeman who shared a house with his "Hottentot" lover.

Falk, in his paper, denies that the native's (sic) morality is done harm by the white homosexuals and calls that a baseless accusation and argues that "it would be more correct to say that the harm is to the whites by their proximity to the natives." He argues that since "sexual intercourse between whites and coloreds is completely prohibited and untolerated" there is no evidence to suggest that it is a behavior learnt from the whites.

According to him: they view homosexual intercourse with unbiased eyes and find nothing monstrous there, they have known and practiced it the same way from time immemorial.

Source: Boy-Wives and Female Husbands edited by Stephen O. Murray and Will Roscoe (New York, St. Martin's Press, 1998)