The road to the North Heritage Trail

*ABEL ABEDNICO MABUSE | Friday December 2, 2011 00:00

This installment links several prominent heritage sites that remain largely unknown to many people who travel northwards using either the Molepolole-Shoshong Road or the A1 Highway that follows much of the railway line that forms part of Cecil John Rhodes ambitious efforts to build an empire between Cape Town and Cairo during the colonial era. Many people are in fact not aware that before the construction of this railway line, the road to the north followed a totally different course. During the 19th Century, this road linked the town of Mafikeng with major villages in the southern parts of Botswana. From Mafikeng, one travelled along a winding dirt road synonymous with ox drawn wagons passing through Ramotswa, Kanye and Molepolole before heading northwards to Shoshong trading town. This route remained functional until the 20th Century when Rhodes' railway line changed the course of the road to the present day A1 Highway road that links Lobatse, Gaborone, Mahalapye, Palapye, Serule and Francistown. But of paramount significance to us are heritage sites that are found along the course of the old and the new roads to the north.  If you choose to follow much of the course of the historic road to the north, your starting point is Molepolole. This road was used by famous 19th and 20th century travellers, missionaries, traders, hunters and explorers who had a passion for conquering the then unknown wilderness of this country. The legendary medical doctor, reverend and explorer David Livingstone, missionaries John Moffat, John Mackenzie, L R Tarr, the notorious lion hunter and many others used this road. Heritage sites in the areas surrounding Ramotswa, Kanye and Molepolole were discussed in previous editions. During historic times no traveller could afford to continue with the journey to the north without a brief stop at the then well-known fresh waters of the Lephephe Wells. These wells served an important stopover station where ox wagons were repaired while oxen and horses were allowed to rest before embarking on the long journey to yet another stopover site that was even considered to be a more reliable source of water.

From Lephephe Wells, a long journey along sandy and often difficult tracks took you to Masowe Pan. This was in fact a haven for most hunters. This pan provided water for many animals that inhabited this part of the country.

Early traveller accounts highlight that it was almost impossible to fail to get water at Masowe Pan even during the dry seasons. It is not surprising therefore to discover the engraved remains of 20th Century lion hunter and trader L R Tarr at this pan. Several other engravings of games such as mmele or mhele and the vanished engravings of an ox wagon associated with David Livingstone form part of the legendary tales of Masowe Pan. To reach Masowe, you turn 15km into the sandveld just before reaching Kodibeleng.

The Botswana National Museum signpost will take you to yet another important heritage sites called Marele Engravings. At this site, there are fascinating engravings of lion spoors and antelope tracks, which were artistically crafted onto sandstone boulders by hunter-gatherers over 2,000 years ago. Although this site is quite similar to Matsieng footprints in style, Marele offers the visitor an exceptionally enticing experience in the middle of nowhere. You will lose count of the numerous water holes found in the site as hundreds of birds, colourful butterfly and other insect species can be found here during the rainy season. The site is deeply shrouded in mystery associated with supernatural snakes, mermaids and creatures of the supernatural world believed to be dwelling in the many water holes found in the site.

To the north of Marele Engravings, just before arriving at Shoshong, there is a spectacular prehistoric site on top of Pitsane Hill. The site is located not very far from the Mosolotshane-Shoshong- Lephephe junction on the magnificent ironstone hill of the Shoshong Hills. This hill was occupied by Toutswe tradition people whose rulers stayed on hill tops while the majority of the common people stayed on the slopes of the hills and the plains growing sorghum, melons and rearing cattle and goats. It is also here that Kgosi Mathiba of Bangwato settled before his grandsons, Kgosi Sekgoma I and later on Kgosi Khama III went out to establish the historic trading town of Shoshong. Once you are on top of Pitsane, you are treated to a breathtaking view of a steep gorge surrounded on either side by an array of perfectly fractured sandstone boulders. On a clear day, it is possible to see as far as the present day village of Shoshong where the ruins of the trading town can be seen.  The remains of Shoshong trading town can be found just behind the Kgotla in Shoshong.

Once you reach the village, Botswana National Museum 'orange branded' signposts will take you right up to the Kgotla where a museum guide eagerly awaits to take you around the site. From the Kgotla up to the far ends of the gorge, an expanse of archaeological features such as pottery fragments, glass, porcelain, animal bones, trade beads, house foundations, metallic artefacts, daga and stone features tell a story of what was left behind by the over 30,000 people who lived here in the 1880s. The most prominent features of the site include an ironstone church bell, a symbol of the important role that Christianity played in the trading town during Khama III's reign. If you are adventurous and have been following this historic road, it is essential to drive towards Mahalapye and join the A1.  If you choose to follow the A1 Highway, you still stand a chance to appreciate the beauty offered by Botswana's pristine heritage sites along your journey to the north. Just before you reach Dinokwe or Palla Road, the Tropic of Capricorn criss-crosses the A1 Highway.

Although not taken quite seriously by the majority of the people travelling northwards, it is important to note that you are at the only geographically prescribed area that allows you to be in the same line with Ilhea Point near Sandwich Bay in Namibia and probably the famous Christ the Redeemer Statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Further north, just on the outskirts of Mahalapye, there is a magnificent Mahalapye Baobab, which is reputed to be the most southerly naturally occurring baobab in the country. And 50km north of Palapye, the magnificent flat-topped Toutswemogala Hill is visible on the western side of the A1 Highway at Maope.

I consider this heritage site to be the cradle of class stratification among Bantu speaking people living in Southern Africa during the 9th Century. Standing on top of this magnificent hill and facing westwards, it is possible to see a cone shaped hill named Taukome. Southwest of this hill, is the village of Mabeleapodi where the legendary folklore musician Ratsie Setlhako encountered Basarwa women who speak English living with their male counterparts who can only speak Sesarwa. Not far from this unique village, Phokgomme Hills offer a fascinating account of ancestral wells, legendary bees that have evaded bee masters for time immemorial and sacred caves that harbour some creatures of the unspoken world.