On the border between South Africa and Zimbabwe (Beitbridge), just south of the Limpopo one can find the picturesque town of Louis Trichart in the mountainous area of the Soutpansberg. On a recent trip back from Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe we visited this area as well as the Njelele valley (close to Toyandou town) in the neighbouring Venda. This geographical area is blessed with a rich historical background full of legends and myths and is one of a few remaining unspoilt areas of South Africa. Today, the history is still evident in the names of the two major towns in the area namely Louis Trichard that was named after a Voortrekker leader and Thoyandou after a historical chief of the VhaVenda nation.
On our arrival in Louis Trichard, we were welcomed by Marius Gilfillan from Carousel Lodge who accompanied us into the SAFCOR forestry area from where the famous Hanglip (previously called Hangklip) could be viewed. We visited the Hanglip Picnic site and Motane forest where all the trees are marked for the visitors information. Several hiking trails winds its way through this indigenous forest while Marius also runs several horse trails through this specific area. This whole area is very good for birdwatching and several interesting bird species can be spotted including the shy Narina Trogon (Apaloderma narina), the Purple Crested Lourie (Tauraco porphyreaolophus), the Knysna Lourie (Tauraco corythaix) and the Crested Guineafowl (Guttera pucherani). Although the Narina Trogan is a brightly coloured bird and is usually very difficult to spot because of its habit of sitting with its green back (disguised by the green surroundings) towards the observer. This bird has a combination of a crimson lower breast and belly and bright emerald green upper-breast and back. The Purple Crested Lourie differs from the Knysna lourie by having an obvious, very long and pointed crest and a slightly darker back. The Knysna lourie has an all-green head with a white eyering and white tips to the crest. It is also differs from the Livingstones and Shallow’s Lourie which has different length and shaped crests. The Crested Guineafowl is a ground bird and is one of my favourite birds. It has a grey body, flecked with white, a marked blue and red head with characteristically black head plumes. Another distinguishing factor is its bright red eye.
After we left the beautiful Motana Forests, Marius took us to show us Mpephu’s village. It was here that we started to experience the deep mysticism of this area which was carried forward into our next day’s excursions with Johan Kloppers (Eagle Adventures). It is therefore important to discuss the historical background to the area before we can discuss Mpephu’s village in more detail.
Legends, myths and religions play an important role in a society, it is a way of adapting human behaviour to the demands of an ecosystem or pressure of demography. It can also be used by the ruling class to maintain their class in terms of other people in the society. Myths are living social events, intelligible only in the context of real humans in real places involved in some or other social interaction. The VhaVenda nation has a rich history of myths and legends, some still influences their daily life even today. These myths and legends have developed with the VhaVenda nation, and have been adapted over the centuries with their changing social and physical environment.
Dabanyika was the first VhaVenda chief to have settled in this area, now known as the Njelele valley more than eight centuries ago. It seems that they have migrated from the region surrounding the big lakes of Central Africa making a home in what is now known as the Dzata 1 and Dzata 2 ruins. They obviously thought that they had found their “promised land” and Dzata literally means “a good place”. The story goes that Dabanyika went of with his dog into a cave in the surrounding Soutpansberg where he was caught in a rock cave-in. His trustworthy dog was still outside the cave and apparently went to fetch his son and heir Toyandou at their village. When Toyandou reached where his father was trapped, he was still alive. It was impossible for Toyandou to rescue his father and they had a discussion through the rocks. Dabanyika made Toyandou promise that he would unify the different clans in the area and build a great nation. Toyandou did this and was one of the greatest vhaVenda leaders of all times. Toyandou literally means “head of the elephant” and this is an important indication in the Venda tradition of his strength as a leader. Elephants have always been used in African mythology as a symbol of strength, leadership and greatness. Even today this symbolism is continued where important people are greeted with “nda ndou” which literally can be translated as “good day elephant”. It is further interesting to note that no future VhaVenda leader was ever called Thoyandou. The next chief in the VhaVenda nation was a Mpephu – a name still carried forward today.
The current Mpephu sacred village is situated in an area close to Hanglip and which Marius went to show us. We, as Westerners, or non-Venda people cannot enter this sacred village which are looked after by vhaVenda woman. This is the burial place of the vhaVenda chiefs and all the previous Mpephu’s and this is where another very interesting myth comes into play. The vhaVenda’s are historically known to re-bury their chiefs. Somewhere in history one of the vhaVenda chiefs swallowed a small white rock. This is interlinked with another Venda sacred place namely Lake Fundudzi, which will be discussed in more detail later. Apparently a white crocodile used to live in this Lake, and crocodiles are known for their strength and also for swallowing rocks to assist them with the digestion of their food. One of the vhaVenda chiefs obviously translated the white crocodile (possibly an albino crocodile that did exist) and the general habit of crocodiles swallowing small rocks into the swallowing of a small white rock by the VhaVenda chiefs – possibly to give them the same strength as a crocodile combined with the mysticism related to the white crocodile in the Fundudzi Lake. The re-burial of the Chiefs is linked to this custom, where a deceased chief is put on a wooden stack/elevation, until the body has totally decomposed. The white rock swallowed by the first chief then falls out of the body and is then swallowed by the new chief which in turn would give him strength and special features. That is also the reason why only women are allowed in this sacred village, because according to vhaVenda tradition they cannot become chiefs and therefore guard the body and the small white rock in order to ensure that the rightful chief swallows it and not another arbitrary male.
Outdoor Adventure Travel South Africa
