Meet the Himba of northern Namibia. A family from Britain asked if they could come and stay with them. The villagers said, "Sure! Bring whatever you need." Oh, shit. Oh! And they brought... This. Hey! SHE LAUGHS The... County Durham tribe? "County Durham". Now, British suburbia... Is it too early for a Prosecco? ..and rural Himba life... You OK? ..will exist side-by-side. Hello! ALL LAUGH There's a snake?! Two 21st-century ways of living... Beans, bacon... ..that couldn't be more different. How many cows do you think I'm worth? THEY LAUGH Making each other question the choices we make... I... This is... I... I'm going to be honest, it made me question myself. ..exploring together what it means to be human... All of the things that you want, I want to get rid of. THEY LAUGH ..and discovering what really matters... Sunderland? ALL: Boo! Newcastle? ALL: Hooray! ..in our short time on this Earth. Say cheese. HE LAUGHS VIGOROUSLY Captions were made with the support of NZ On Air. www.able.co.nz Able 2020 COCK CROWS That fucking cockerel. I'm sick of it. Are you awake? Are you going to come down and get some breakfast? Yeah? It's been a week since the Moffatts moved into their replica home in the Himba village of Otjeme. While some Himba have moved into towns and cities, this village is in the remote arid highlands of northern Namibia, where they seldom see the outside world. There's genuinely moments where I forget where I am. Like, I just think I'm at home, and then I'll catch outside the window, and I'm like... SHE GASPS Oh, no, we're in Namibia! And now that I've got my circle of friends here, I'm starting to feel at home. Hello! The women in the village start their day with a morning bath, and today, Scarlett's joining them. I haven't shaved me legs. Apologies. They're a bit hairy, sorry. SHE LAUGHS But the daily bath involves no water, just fire. Yeah, you do smell really good. You smell really good. Makes you feel more beautiful? First, they apply a home-made ointment. So I put this red stuff on and then get some of this? And then put it on? Oh, it feels nice. Cow fat?! SHE LAUGHS Oh, I've not rubbed fat on us before. Does it look good? I feel like I've been licked all over by a cow. THEY LAUGH Finally, they sit around the burning herbs. So are we all naked under here? Yeah, right! Party! OK! As the women enjoy their bath, the men tend the cattle. Head herdsman Mboki and the chief's son are calling on the new man in the village. Think there's someone at the door for you, Mark. They want to teach him how to look after the herd during his month here. See you later, Betty. See you later, bye. This place is definitely a man's culture. The men only hang about with the men, and the females only hang about with the females. I suppose it'll be like going back to me single days so, hmmm... Thank you. I won't like it, though, Betty, I won't! Mowi? Mo-WI. Oh, Muvii! Yeah. Oh, Muvii! Yeah. Cool name! As a village elder, Mboki owns almost 50 cows. As a young, single man, Muvii currently owns just one. Haven't got a clue. Oh, right. That's... My trainer! That's trainer! Adidas! HE LAUGHS Why is it so important to know the footprints? Oh, right. Wow. Oh, thank you! When I first met Mboki, I thought he was really intimidating, I'll be honest with you, like. He's a big man. He is really stonefaced, you know, but once you get to know him, he has really got a good sense of humour. MARK LAUGHS He could come from Newcastle. He has a really sarcastic sense of humour. Have you, the men, cooked this? So... Your wife only cooks porridge? The villagers are a polygamous community. Wow, you have two wives? Mmm. The idea sounds good, but no... Too much earache off more than one! MARK LAUGHS I don't think my wife would allow it. CROCKERY CLINKS One of Mboki's wives is Ueripanga, Betty's closest friend in the village. Hello! Come in! I do feel a connection, and I do think that Ueripanga likes me. I'll make you some toast. Have you tasted bread before? Watch... UERIPANGA LAUGHS Mmm! Do you like it? Is nice? It's just a slice of toast! Mmm! Mark does the cooking. I don't cook very much. Do you want a cup of tea? So, if you have a husband and he has more than one wife, what are the... What are the good points to that? I don't really know what to say to that. It doesn't sound very fair. I find that very hard to get my head around. Thank you. Thank you for coming. I don't know how, as a woman, they accept their husbands having somebody else. See you later! But I understand that this is how they live. They can have up to six wives. What?! Six wives. As I say, it works for them, I... If it works, then it works. It works ace for the man, because obviously... Er... The wife has... No... On their perspective... The wife has got to be trying to be the best wife possible for him to... I literally will stand up and walk out of this kitchen, Dad. I'm not even giving... No... Got to try and be the best... ALL TALK AT ONCE That is literally probably the most sexist thing I have ever heard. Why does she have to be the... Why does she have to try and... What sort of husband is he if he has to get another wife? No, I'm just thinking of their culture... Dad, honestly, I don't... I... You want to be shutting up! Else you'll be... No wife! THEY ALL LAUGH Just don't let it start in your head. OK. SCARLETT IN LOCAL LANGUAGE: Good morning. COCK CROWS Hello! Hello! Hi! This morning, Kaitaarua and her friends are heading out of the village. Are you OK? I feel like we're having, like, a girlie day out. They're looking for the rare plant they need for their daily smoke baths. How far away is it, roughly? The villagers don't own any cars, but they can arrange rides from nearby townspeople. The drive is a bumpy 80 kilometres. Oh, it's so hot! Where is it that we go now? I'm excited! Yeah. Yeah. I'm sweating already, and I haven't moved yet! All that way?! Oh, thank you so much! I think that's the kindest thing anyone's ever said. They love the cattle here, because that's the main topic of conversation about everything, about being a man. Everything's cattle. Cattle, cattle, cattle. So I'd imagine, if you don't have any cattle, you're a nobody. Muvii has decided to take Mark's education in cattlecraft to the next level. Ah, hello, Muvii. Are you OK? CATTLE LOWING I see! Wow! Erm... I don't have a pen to put them in! I'm always up for a challenge. I've never had one this big, though. It's the biggest present I've ever had. The biggest present I've never wanted, either! CHUCKLES: Yes! (TABLET KEYBOARD CLICKS) This for the car? No. (UPBEAT MUSIC) Yeah? (DOG GRUMBLES) Nooo. (FLOOR SQUEAKS) (HUMS SOFTLY) 'Zero rhythm?' (PHONE CHIMES) Yeah? Nah. (GRUNTS) (SCOFFS) (DOG BARKS) Take a right. No, you want to go left. * I think, for me, looking after these six cows is going to be a bit of a struggle. Mark has unexpectedly been given six cows to look after. They're now his sole responsibility. The biggest thing I've ever walked is a dog. This is on a different scale, this. Wow. You've never had to do that, have you? To go and get your cattle back? Is all these the cattle? I looked up, cows are gone. I looked at Muvii, Muvii looked at me. Everybody else looked at me. I looked at them... We had to go and try and catch them. Oh, here. Here, definitely. Is that the cattle? Yes, OK. Muvii decides to test Mark. I couldn't tell the difference, I'll be honest with you. CHUCKLING Too many. There's too many there, isn't there? Yeah, of course I'm a man! I will find the cattle. Trust me. The cows can survive on their own, but only for a matter of days. You've been gone for a while. I know I have. You've been gone ages. I've been given six cows to look after and I've lost them. You're joking? Looked up, the cows shot off. How long after he gave you the cows did you lose them? It was a good...five minutes. Scarlett is in the mountains, on a foraging mission. Is that right? Oh! Oh, no! I'm sorry! Oh, it's hard work, this herb malarkey, isn't it? This is the nicest view ever. Oh, so he's back home in England. Looking after my dog. No, he wouldn't do that. I mean... ..if he... He would never do that because he's a kind man, But if he did, it doesn't matter, I would just find someone else who wasn't... ..an arsehole. What? I don't understand, I really don't. I mean, each to their own and that, but it's just a little bit of a culture shock. Do you want to see a photo of my boyfriend? TAPPING ON WINDOW I think he wants you. What? I'll go and open the back, yeah? Mboki and Ueripanga want to invite the Moffatts to a special event. Do you want to sit up at the table? It's traditional for Himba women to sit on the ground. It's nice to see you. Trust me, you don't want to see my body in that. I spent my day in here, in the house. Yes. Yes, doing nothing, really. No, I'm not worried that anybody else will take him, no. I like his company. * Tonight's event is a village dance. See you later, Mark. Yes. Have fun. Go to yours, yeah? It's being held in the Moffatts' honour, and everyone tries to look their best. Look the part? Yeah, OK. You don't wear this all day? I am practically naked here. I can't take any more off! SCARLETT LAUGHS I like a night out. I like a party. And then it's a chance to bond with the lasses. Touching someone during the dance can be a sign of love, friendship, or attraction. I think it's like a way of flirting, like, you're on a night out, you go for someone, and you try and pull your sexy moves. I think it's just like that, but a bit more direct. I'll join in, yes. The one who just danced, yes. Yeah, I think I've pulled actually. The old dude with the hat on. Watch this space. I don't know how they keep this up for hours on end. I literally can't feel them. Absolutely throbbing. After three hours of partying, the Moffatts decide to call it a night. Ah! Ah! Mama, ah! Jesus! I tell you what, that's the best night out I've ever had without alcohol. I hope they stop soon, like, I want to go to bed. I think it'll go on until the morning. Really, on a night out, we have the same moves, like, Sexy dancing. I hope that's not your sexy dancing. Come on, Betty! I'm having a drink. I'm having a shower, and I'm having a really alcoholic drink. Are you? * Last night, the villagers threw a party. Ueripanga was also impressed by Mark's dancing at the party. Yes. Yeah, most men look good in a suit. Betty? Yep. Thank you, but no, you're all right. I don't want Mboki. You're not getting Mark. In our marriages, we show we love each other by staying faithful to just one person. And if Mark, or I, slept with somebody else, it would hurt our feelings. And I would kill him actually, but... In her eyes, she's not offending me. The motivation behind it, it's like a compliment, type of thing. It's mad. It's now been almost 24 hours since Mark lost the cows Mboki gave him. Well, let's think. No, we swung round this way, didn't we? I'm sure we did. Didn't we? Definitely feeling a big pressure now. I wasn't yesterday because I thought, "Oh, it's just... They'll go and find them." They're not. I have to find them because it was me that lost them. I've gone past that, I'm sure I did. Hello. I'm looking for the watering hole where the cattle go. Oh, right. Jesus. Shit. What did Einstein say? You should never judge a fish by how well it can climb a wall. People are good at different things, Dad. You're just not very good at looking after cattle. Yes. Aye, it was your first time. Do you know what I mean? They'll give you some sort of nickname, like Mark the... ..cow loser. Mm, something like that. I took a photo of them. Oh, did you? Let's have a look. Are they your cows? And that one's got a distinct mark there. Aye, it does, aye. Respect in the village is a massive thing, and if you've got cows, cattle, your status is right up there. I was given six, lost them straight away. You OK? I was right at the bottom, you know what I mean? Really, right at the bottom. Hopefully I'm going to find them today. Does the lad know what they look like? Right. What do I do when I find them? Oh, bring them here? Yeah, OK. I'll give it a go. Righto, I will find them. Definitely. How old are you? 10? 11? Eight. You're only eight?! Wow. What you want to do, you know, when you're...tall, grown up? Good answer. Aye, I'm following you. You're the boss here. I'm following you. The watering holes are shared with neighbouring villages. The nearest is 20 minutes away. The furthest, over a day's walk. Honestly, all cows look the same to me. There's lots to choose from. They're not your cattle, are they? To be fair, if they were stood in front of us, I wouldn't recognise them. I'm looking for three cows, three calves. Have you seen them? Once black and white, and the other one is brown. But that could be any cow here, so... No, I couldn't tell you, to be honest with you. And I don't want to take somebody else's either. I feel it too, I feel it. Right. Shall we go to the next watering hole? Jesus, what am I... What am I doing here? Me and little Katambo have been out for a good five hours now. I've been insulted, laughed at... Oh, right. It's been a bad few days. * The cows went missing three days ago, but Mboki finally has some good news for Mark. KNOCKING Mark? Ah! Shit! There was a black one. Yeah, that's one, them two. Yeah, them two. Definitely. Um... Them two there. Good man. Thank you. Good going, good going! Made me happy. You've made me very happy. Oh, yeah. Mm. After six minutes, he's picked them out straight away. What a gadgie! Hey-hey! I'm so pleased about that, like. I'm pleased Scarlett took that photo. I wouldn't have had a clue! But you never know, and I still know what them cows look like now. The villagers permitted this house to be built to see British life for themselves. Tonight, all the Moffatts are entertaining. Where would you rather be - with a husband or with two wives? A husband, honestly. Betty and Mark are having Mboki over for a dinner party. I hope he likes it. Hello! How are you? And Scarlett's getting Kandisiko round for a girls' night in. You can come over to my house, and I'll show you like how we have a pamper night. Yeah! Shall I show you the bathroom? Cos I haven't shown you the bathroom yet. You want to get clean. You have a shower, which is basically like a box full of rain. It's a little bit different to yours. And then I've got a spare toothbrush here. You can have this one. And then we brush them. Mm-mm. Do you like the taste of the toothpaste? Everyone will want to kiss you! Mboki married Uakokozora several years after marrying Ueripanga. A bit weird, inviting a man and both his wives. Doesn't it? Yes, it is! Yeah. DOORBELL RINGS That's our guests! Hello! Hello. Come in. Come in. Hello. You OK? Thanks for coming round. Want a drink? I'll get you a drink. Yeah, just sit down. You don't need to put the rug down. Have a drink of this. Should we go through to the other room? Who does all your cooking, then, Mboki? Do you go to both wives? Back home, that wouldn't be allowed! The police will come, and you will be arrested. No! If I did that, Betty would throw me out. No, she wasn't lying! ..And this week, I'm going to meet a couple who are exploiting a little-known planning law... Visit any stately home in Britain, and you'll be confronted by buildings like this. This helps the skin feels smooth. Yes. It stops you from getting wrinkles. Yes. How does it feel? I actually was really worried that I wasn't going to make any friends here. I honestly feel like I've known everyone for so long. Ah, thank you! I'm going to put some relaxing music on as well. I even forget sometimes that we're talking a different language. Yes. After hearing all of the stories from my friends and understanding why people have multiple partners... ..I don't think that anyone can judge them. Ah, that's nice. I love that you're enjoying it cos it's one of my favourite things to do. Is it OK? Betty? Mm-hm? That's right! It was an experience. I'll never forget it. See you tomorrow. The husband and his two wives. I'm glad he just had two cos we wouldn't have had no food any more, to be fair! I don't have any friends who have, like, two wives or two husbands, but they all seem to get on. I don't know how they manage to do that and there not be any repercussions, but there isn't. They just do. COCKEREL CROWS Mm-mm. I have really missed my nanny. Just so excited for her to get here. How many cows do you think I'm worth? Eight? Maybe 80! That is some tool! Here! What's that? Please be careful. Jesus, man! Back home, you wouldn't let your eight or nine-year-old make a cup of tea. DOGS BARK