Lesotho. Africa’s Kingdom in the Sky

Lesotho. Africa’s Kingdom in the Sky

Completely encircled by neighboring South Africa, Lesotho is a nation of eroded valleys and green mountains. Bisected by the Maloti Mountains that stretch southwest to northeast, more than 80% of the country’s 30,000 km2 is located above 1,800 meters. During Neolithic times the region was occupied by nomadic Khoisan hunter-gatherers. Beginning in the 18th century, the Caledon River Valley was settled by Basotho farmers who found fertile lands that could produce crops without irrigation. Modern Lesotho was founded by King Moshoeshoe I in the mid-1800s. From 1867 until the Kingdom’s independence in 1966, Lesotho was nominally governed as the British Crown Colony of Basutoland.

Today, Lesotho is one of three remaining African kingdoms (the others are Morocco and Eswatini). Although the king remains the figurehead leader, the country has operated as a democracy since 1993, with a prime minister serving as head of the government. Lesotho’s population of 2.2 million is somewhat unevenly distributed with most living in western lowlands near Maseru, the capital and largest city.

Several factors contribute to Lesotho’s ongoing economic struggles. Rugged terrain makes agriculture difficult. Grown in lowland areas, the most important crops are corn, wheat, beans, peas, and sorghum. Deforestation and hunting have contributed to the disappearance of large indigenous animals such as zebras and lions while an expanding population of domestic animals has led to overgrazing. Although manufacturing, diamond mining, and tourism are important sources of income and employment, a large percentage of adult males work in South Africa. Lesotho also suffers from a relatively high death rate with one in five adults infected with HIV.

We crossed into Lesotho near Maseru and drove another 90 minutes to reach the village of Malealea, located in the Makhomalong Valley. Malealea was founded by Englishman Mervyn Bosworth Smith. Born in 1878, Smith attended Oxford University before working in Rhodesia and fighting as a soldier in the Boer War (1899-1902). Smith built Malealea in 1905 as a trading post that was later expanded to include a visitor lodge. We stayed in a rondavel (a conical building with a thatched roof) that had a private bathroom. For breakfast and dinner, we dined in Smith’s lodge where we could enjoy unobstructed views of the splendid Maloti Mountains. My companion and I arranged a backcountry trek into nearby hills for the day after our arrival. After breakfast we met our guide who prepared our sturdy Basotho ponies. The horse trail took us over hilly terrain, across streams, and past several small villages.

Villages in Lesotho are formed by up to five extended families that reside in one-room circular or rectangular houses made from brick, stone, or turf with the largest often used as a communal living and dining room. There is a well-defined division of labor with men responsible for livestock (mostly sheep and cattle), and women for working in the fields and overseeing household chores such as cooking and childcare. It is common to see both men and women wearing a colorful blanket called a seaamarena that is worn as a cloak. The blankets are created using a weaving method handed down through generations. Some villagers wear a conically shaped hat woven from straw and leaves called a moseha that is depicted on the country’s national flag.

We continued on switchback trails, crossing a few ravines. Above Botsoela Waterfall is a rock ledge covered with ancient paintings drawn by bushmen. On our second evening in Malealea we were treated to famo (traditional Sesotho music) with performers playing instruments such as a drum made from a barrel, a lesiba (flattened quill attached to a piece of sinew string), and a guitar crafted from a gas can. Before departing, we visited a shop maintained by the Malealea Development Trust. With a focus of helping families infected with HIV, the trust has operated a clinic since 2004.