How Now Shall We Live?

On the winding mountain road to Cathedral Peak, there is a rural African community. In our time in the mountains we drove through this community several times on our way into town and to various sites in the area. Each time, we were glued to the windows, watching this completely foreign, completely other-world life that we were passing through.

The first thing that strikes the traveller is the people. The people are walking up and down the mountain road, to school, to work, to the river for water, to neighbours. This narrow, windy, dangerous road is covered with people regardless of what time you drive it. The women all have children tied to their backs by heavy blankets or cloths, they hold the hands of older children or sit with them at the side of the road. They carry tremendous loads of branches on their heads, bringing them home for their cooking fires. Huge containers of water are transported on the their heads for drinking. Groceries, laundry, boxes, all sorts of things are placed on their heads with their children on their backs as they walk slowly up the mountains to their huts.

For huts are what their homes are, round little huts with grass roofs. Their yards are dirt with laundry drying in the sun on the fences and rocks. Some huts have concrete block buildings with them and rocks keep the corrugated steel roofs from blowing away.
We passed women and girls washing their clothes by hand in the river, boys herding goats and cattle along the road way, and uniformed school children playing on their way home from school.

Our first encounter with this community was total shock. How could such poverty, such misery exist in our world? How can it be the neighbouring community to the four star luxury of Cathedral Peak Hotel? How do we look these people in the eye as we pass through them, or return their enthusiastic waves and thumbs up signs in our direction?

Each time we passed through the community, we saw a little more, a little deeper into their lives. First of all, they seemed happy. Tired perhaps from their long walks and hard work days, but smiling and joking, and even singing as they worked. We noticed that they were well clothed, women in dresses, men in pants and sweaters, all without rips or tears. We noticed the hydro wires connected to their grass roofed huts, and we even saw some satellite dishes.

These people live simply, without running water or flush toilets, but they have access to phones, a local hospital, and several schools. These people are poor, but they are ok.

The juxtaposition of the rural African community and the luxury hotel creates a stark, hash view of the reality of South Africa. Traditional, simple, poor living for many, and extreme luxury for a few. It is difficult to handle, and difficult to digest.

When my brother Paul was in South Africa last year, he asked his host, how they could live with such disparity in their country. Their host responded, "Well, how do you?".

That is a question with which we are struggling during this time in South Africa. I hope it will be one which we continue to struggle with the rest of our lives.

Drakensberg Boys Choir

While in the Drakensberg mountains, as a very special treat, we went to hear to Drakensberg Boys Choir. When they are not on tour, the boys choir holds concerts every Wednesday afternoon. Fortunately for us, they had just returned from Korea on the Tuesday and were holding their first concert back in South Africa.

As we drove from our mountain valley to the valley adjacent, we were excited about what we were about to hear. We’d heard a CD of the boys choir from a friend and knew of their reputation. We were, in fact, blown away by their performance.

The concert was amazing. The discipline, focus and energy of the boys is incredible. And the versatility of their musical gifts is astounding.

The concert began with a Sanctus that seemed to be a mix of classical and African folk. And the concert continued in similar ways. The first half of the concert the boys were dressed in their formal wear, grey pants, white shirt, blue vest and a frilly bib of sorts. They sang some beautiful pieces with crystal clear voices and had simple movements accompanying the pieces. They then moved into some more pop songs: Crazy Little Thing Called Love, Man in the Mirror and a few others. These were not our favourite; we tend to be a little purist.

During intermission some of the boys ‘busked” for our enjoyment while we had coffee, tea, and a muffin. Money from the busking goes towards new instruments. Since you can’t take pictures during the concerts, we took the opportunity during the intermission to snap a few.

The second half of the concert was a focus on African folk songs. This is when we were blown away. The boys were dressed in different African clothes, some in furs and leather, traditional tribal wear, some in mining clothes, and the rest in African style clothing. All except for the boys in tribal wear also wore white gum boots. The boys performed gumboot dancing, drummed all sorts of instruments, and even did a tribute to the Fifa World Cup using soccer balls as their percussion. Their energy was amazing, and all of it was carried by the boys. The conductor, I presume was sitting in the front row, but we saw no sign that he was leading the boys. They moved from song to song quickly and with such focus!

After the concert, souvenir CD in hand, we drove, in the dark, home to our valley. It was a stressful drive home, winding mountain roads without street lights, through a mountain village with people walking along it, and maybe a cow or two, and Jeremy, who had somehow managed to sleep through the entire concert, crying his little heart out most of the way home. Trying to sooth him, I sat in the backseat; it was my turn to sing, this time lullabyes for my little boy.

The People of the Eland

Everytime we drive anywhere in this area, we see baboons. A whole troop seems to reside just outside the hotel. I'm usually not quick enough with my camera. On our excursion yesterday, I managed to snap a few shots of them.

Yesterday we learned a little history about the Drakensberg area, specifically about the San people, or the people of the Eland. We went to the Didima Centre, a museum about the San.
The San were the first people to live in this area and were here thousands of years ago. They were called the bushmen. They did not build structures, but lived in caves or under trees. They ate plants and roots and hunted game for food. The Eland was a main source of food for them, but was also a big part of their lives in other ways. Clothing, spiritualism and tools all derived from the eland.

This sculpture of a San hunter is in the lobby of our hotel.

Sculpture of an eland outside the centre

In those flowers by the sculpture was the most beautiful little bird. No idea what it is called, but we got a few pictures.

Inside the Didima Centre a history of the San people was outlined using their rock paintings. There were also a few items like weapons and cooking utensils on display. Finally, there was an excellent multimedia presentation about the people of the Eland. It was very well done.

San hunters used poison tipped arrows. This set of weapons was found in cave by a farmer about 100 years ago.

The San people are no longer in South Africa. Their culture was wiped out by the introduction of other African peoples as well as white people. Some migrated north to other African countries, some intermixed with other Africans. However, they have left behind thousands of rock paintings in the Drakensberg mountains. We hiked to one rock painting site yesterday.

Our guide, Moses

The site of the paintings. It was a steep climb.

The paintings were very faint and difficult to see. Unfortunately our pictures are not too clear either. This one is of a pregnant San woman, however, she is partly cut off in the picture.

Looking at the paintings, and imagining a San person thousands of years being in this very spot, mixing ochre, blood and plant juices to make a paint, brings to mind the whole timelessness of this space. Imagining San families, men, women, children roaming these very same mountains, perhaps eating trout from the same river as we are makes one seem small. We're a part of the same long long story that started millions of years ago in a garden and is moving towards the great moment when this earth shall be made new again. We're just a speck in time compared to the timelessness of these mountains, and they are just a speck in the eternity of our God. It's a humbling experience.

View from the rock painting site.

The Drakensberg Mountains

The last few days we have been in the Drakensberg Mountains at Cathedral Peak Resort, and it has been a wonderful experience. We have taken this week to be a relaxing, peaceful time to bond with Jeremy. We have no obligations but to take care of him. Someone else prepares breakfast and supper and tea twice a day, leaving us with all the time in the world to get to know our little guy. This has been a special time, an absolute blessing.


Cathedral Peak Resort is almost an hour’s drive off of the nearest town, Winterton, and is situated on the Northern tip of the Drakensberg Mountains. The resort is located right in the mountains, with many hiking trails up and around them. Although it is getting close to winter, and so the mountains are more brown than green and the flowers are nearing the end of their blooming season, the view is nonetheless breathtaking.

Cathedral Peak.

Over this week we have hiked over six hours, walking across fields, climbing up mountains, wading through cold mountain fresh rivers, and inched along cliff edges. We have seen exotic wild plants, many different species of birds (not to mention the baboons and their babies that like to play on the road up to the resort).

Baboon Rock

Trout Farm (Trout served daily at the Hotel)

Feeding the Hungry Fish

Pokes

Lake Jarod

The Fern Forest

Waking up to Feed in the Fern Forest

The Hungry Dog River

(Hungry because it is winter and there is no rain.

In the summer, the rainy season, it is no longer hungry.)

African Eagle

African Goose and White Brested Cormorant

The resort itself is amazing. Located on a mountain side, its many levels and stairways make it a bit challenging for the stroller, but most of our destinations within the resort are a short distance, so carrying Jeremy either in hand, bundled in the wrap, or in the car seat has not been an issue. The hotel is mostly indoors, beautifully decorated with sculptures and local artwork, while the hallways from the main reception to the dining room to our suite are outdoors, but well covered, and draped with greenery. We have enjoyed trying new foods, having afternoon tea on the terrace, and siesta time with Jeremy in our room.

The Chapel

We have thoroughly enjoyed our stay here at Cathedral Peak. It has been relaxing, peaceful, awe-inspiring, and even physically exhausting, which also cn be a good thing. Our stay in the Drakensbergs will undoubtedly be one of the highlights of our trip.