Crafts & Souvenirs

A good souvenir should remind you of where you have been.

A very good one should also have been made there.

Namibia has a strong tradition of basketry, carving, jewellery, textiles, leatherwork and visual art, alongside an increasingly interesting contemporary design scene.

Look for locally made work

Not everything sold in a Namibian craft market was necessarily made in Namibia.

There is nothing inherently wrong with regional African crafts, but if buying something locally made matters to you, ask where the item comes from and who made it.

Community craft centres, cooperatives, galleries and shops that work directly with makers are often good places to start.

Basketry

Basket-making is particularly associated with northern and north-eastern Namibia.

Baskets are made in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and patterns, often using locally available plant fibres and techniques passed through generations.

A small basket is also considerably easier to fit into hand luggage than the enormous one you will inevitably fall in love with.

Wood carving

Carved animals, bowls, utensils and decorative objects are common in craft markets.

Quality varies enormously, so take time to look at the workmanship rather than buying the first giraffe you see.

If the type of wood matters to you, ask what was used and whether it was legally and sustainably sourced.

Jewellery and beadwork

Namibian makers work with beads, metal, leather, natural materials and recycled objects to create both traditional and contemporary jewellery.

Styles vary considerably between communities and individual artists, which makes jewellery one of the easier ways to find something genuinely distinctive.

Textiles and leatherwork

Locally produced bags, accessories, homeware, printed fabrics and leather goods are increasingly easy to find in craft centres and design shops.

As with any handmade product, minor variations are often part of the appeal rather than defects.

Contemporary art

Namibia also has a strong contemporary art scene.

Galleries and studios in Windhoek, Swakopmund and other centres exhibit work by Namibian painters, printmakers, photographers, sculptors and mixed-media artists.

If you are looking for something more substantial than a conventional souvenir, local art is well worth exploring.

Buying directly from makers

Where possible, buying directly from the artist, craftsperson, cooperative or community enterprise means more of your spending stays close to the people who created the work.

That does not mean bargaining is forbidden. Markets are markets, and a little negotiation can be part of the interaction.

Just remember that there is a difference between negotiating a fair price and treating somebody’s work as though it has no value.

Wildlife products

Be especially careful with souvenirs made from wildlife products.

Items containing ivory, horn, skins, feathers, bones, shells or other animal parts may be controlled under Namibian law or international wildlife-trade rules.

A legal purchase does not automatically mean that you can legally take the item out of Namibia or import it into your home country.

When in doubt, ask whether permits are required before buying it.

CITES and export permits

Namibia regulates the trade and export of protected wildlife species and their parts, including species covered by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, better known as CITES.

Some wildlife products require an export permit, and your destination country may require a matching import permit or prohibit the item entirely.

The safest souvenir is one you are actually allowed to take home.

Plants and natural products

Plant material can also be regulated.

Do not collect plants, seeds, succulents or other natural specimens from the wild simply because they would look good on a shelf at home.

Permits may be required to collect or export protected plant material, and taking natural objects from protected areas may also be prohibited.

Stones, fossils and archaeological material

Leave fossils, archaeological artefacts and objects of cultural or scientific importance where they are unless you are buying something through a legitimate, properly documented source.

Removing an object from the landscape can be both illegal and surprisingly destructive to the history attached to it.

Food as a souvenir

Namibian food products can make excellent gifts, but remember that your home country may restrict the import of meat, plant products or other agricultural goods.

Biltong, for example, is a wonderful souvenir right up until border control decides otherwise.

Check your destination-country import rules before packing food into your suitcase.

Buy the story, not just the object

If you find something you love, ask who made it, where it came from and how it was produced.

A souvenir becomes much more interesting when you know the story behind it.

And somewhere between a handwoven basket, a piece of contemporary Namibian art and your fifteenth photograph of an oryx, you will probably find something worth taking home.