Sheila Peake, The Himba Boys of the Namib Desert (PEOPLE 2025)

Visiting a Himba village in the Namib Desert region of Namibia, I was lucky enough to capture these candid photos of three young boys at play. The village chief, gave permission to visit his village of cone-shaped huts made from mud, grass, and cattle dung, set in a white, dusty landscape. Traditionally the ladies, have distinctive red skin and elaborate hairstyles, braided with cow dung, and otjize. The older boys braid their hair in a similar but more simplistic style. Body decorations include iron bracelets on their ankles, iron and plastic bands on their wrists, and ornate headpieces. I felt these three photos depict the changing cultural landscape of the young male, from toddler, playing innocently in the dirt, through young child to an older traditionally ornate child.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.