A brightly dressed Herero woman rests in the shade of a tree near her home. The origins of her elaborate dress and unique hat style can be traced back to 19th century German missionaries who took exception to what they considered an immodest form of dress among the tribe. They insisted that Herero women adopt their own impractical style of Victorian-era dresses. Over the years, colourful Herero dresses have evolved as enormous crinolines worn over five petticoats.Many Herero families fled to Botswana in the late 19th century to escape a series of bloody clashes with the German Colonial army during which almost 75% of the Herero population was killed.