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healers are frequently found here. Many traditional healers, who live in the Holy
Mountains, believe that they have been sent by their ancestors to heal people. Many of these traditional healers leave their modern careers after being 'called' by the ancestors until they have fulfilled their healing duties. Traditional healers receive their 'calling' from ancestors through visions and dreams and are unable to deny the calling. A rejection of the calling could lead to sickness or even death. A sangoma once claimed to have healed a 17-year-old boy from the HIV/AIDS in these caves. The traditional healers use water from the waterfalls and herbs from the mountains. People and animals live together in harmony in these caves.
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strange figures. The trances were achieved through rhythmic dancing and clapping in the caves. The trance is described as a 'feeling of transformation into the spiritual realm' where the people have the ability to fight evil spirits with the protection of animal power. Ancient paintings are still visible, however they are continuously being eroded by natural elements and cattle. Newer symbols written in
English are also found in the caves. Many of these tell the stories of how HIV/AIDS has caused destruction in many of the local communities.
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entrance of
Motouleng called 'Sediba sa Bophelo', meaning 'The Fountain of Life' where people drop coins for good fortune. The cave is a 2 km hike from the nearest farm, which is located 15 km out of Clarens. Locals go as they please while visitors are required to attend guided tours to ensure respect for the ancestors. Women are required to wear long skirts and cover themselves up out of respect.
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mark the rite of passage for specific occasions including births, puberty, marriage, baptisms, and even funerals. The caves are also used to recognize harvesting times and commemorate unifying events as well as catastrophic events such as war and famine. These rituals are important as they help define the social makeup of the
Basotho communities as they turn 'boys to men' and 'girls to women'.
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multiple unsuccessful political appeals made for the return of the 'lost land'. There has been a rapid re-occupation of the sacred caves in recent years. Local white landowners have been unsuccessful in expelling new pilgrims. The state is not willing to place the laws of private property above those of access to religious and heritage sites.
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Nearby these caves is Mautse, a black township, and
Rosendal, a white farming and arts community. Mautse is a vulnerable community, as t is essentially a squatters camp. The weather conditions, specifically heavy rain, has caused destruction in the township, leaving people without homes. Within the
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Tour guides report an initial resistance from farmers to allow people to visit the caves as they are on private property. Some farmers charge an amount of eight South
African rands for entry. The Basotho monarchy lost its sacred land between 1843 and 1869 to the settlers of the land. There have been
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The areas are open for all people to see, however, some rituals are done in isolation and privacy as the
Basotho community believes they require respect. Some of these rituals are profound, therefore people who do not understand the rituals or who are unable to show respect are not permitted to view
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and traditional healers who all aim to treat disease and reduce misfortune. They also perform rituals to protect families, homesteads, cattle, and property. Rituals performed in these sacred locations are regarded as important for the holistic well being of an individual. The caves also function to
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Badimong caves, meaning 'place of ancestors', is a complex valley with caves and isolated areas. The area lies between
Ficksburg and Fouriesburg. These areas are believed to be possessed by powerful spirits. Close to these caves is a prominent sacred medicinal clay site called 'Nkokomoni', meaning
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rock paintings are found in the walls of the sacred caves. These paintings show that communities of hunter-gatherers lived inside these caves. The artwork in the caves is described as having a 'spiritual dimension' as the art displays trance experiences, unrealistic appearing animals, and other
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Mount Mautse in the
Eastern Free State has been regarded as the 'Holy Mountains' since the 1970s. It is believed that the power of healing rests in caves residing in these mountains. These caves are regarded as the 'universities for practicing traditional rituals' which is why many traditional
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The
Motouleng caves, meaning 'place of beating drums', are located in the mountains of the eastern Free State and Lesotho, between Clarens and Fouriesberg. The large cave was created in a limestone mountain by a rock fall. A small river and pools lie below the cave. There is a fountain at the
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last two years, Mautse community member Lerato Mosala and Rosendal business owner Frik de Jager created Project Nkgono to help rebuild homes in the township community. It has thus far been a positive effort to spark change n the township.
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The Basotho and other African traditions find water to be an element which is ancestrally significant therefore, the streams and pools in the caves play an important role in the ceremonies that occur in the sacred caves.
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people to a network of sacred caves to communicate with the spiritual world. The caves also contain dinosaur footprints and ancient rock paintings. The caves are located between the eastern parts of the
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Caves have been known throughout human existence, religion, and culture as isolated spaces perfect for meditation and reflection. The Basotho people traditionally regard caves as a dwelling place for
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as their actions or behaviours could anger the ancestors. A documentary on the essence of healing powers was consented to and produced in the fertility caves.
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cave sites are highly regarded as they contain many forms of symbolism for both the Basotho traditions as well as Christian individuals.
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The caves have no specific spiritual authority, therefore, a combination of two belief systems co-exist in the caves namely
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and African traditions. While many sacred caves exist, the most popular remain the Motouleng caves and the Badimong caves.
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Coplan, David B. (2003). "Land from the Ancestors: Popular Religious Pilgrimage along the South Africa-Lesotho Border".
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An Investigation of Maya Ritual Cave Use with special reference to Naj Tunich. Peten, Guatemala. PhD thesis
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A Study of Rituals Performed at two Sacred Sites in the Eastern Free State. Masters of Arts.
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29:. These sacred caves are often described as 'the key to religion' in Southern Africa.
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53:. The Fertility Caves lie outside Clarens in the Free State at the foot of the
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300:, Centre for Africa Studies-CAS, University of the Free State Bloemfontein
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245:"Caves of Lesotho hold thousands of years of southern Africa history"
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in Lesotho. The Matouleng Cave Heritage site is 18 km away from
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Trance dance and night of the spirits by holy people of the Sotho
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P. Kakaza (June 23, 2017). "Cavernous 'college of knowledge'".
458:"Housing project assists grandmothers in Free State township"
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For thousands of years, a pilgrimage has been made by the
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The African Way. The Power of Interactive Leadership
270:"Visit Sangomas in the Eastern Free State Highlands"
152:People who perform rituals in these caves include
41:Sandstone Caves near Clarens, Eastern Free State
71:The caves are used for a variety of purposes:
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363:, London: Heinemann Publishers (Pty) Limited
531:Archaeological history of Southern Africa
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243:Colin Hanock; Tom Page (June 7, 2016).
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81:an area to perform religious rituals,
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114:A village in the Maluti Mountains
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133:'the swelling place'.
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