MAKAPAN’S CAVES

The Makapan Valley in Limpopo is the only cultural heritage site of its kind. It has a history of the Ndebele people and resistance wars dating back 151 years. People in this area will be conscientised of the universal value of the site as they celebrate the history and prepare for the preservation challenges as communities. Visitors to Mokopan Valley, Waterberg should not miss the opportunity to visit Makapan’s Caves where extensive cultural and palaeontological deposits have played a crucial role in furthering our understanding of later human evolution and the appearance of modern man. The Cave of Hearths is one of only two Stone Age sites in the world that contain an unbroken sequence of artefacts from the Earlier Stone Age to the Later Stone Age. Mid-17th century makapan’s valley started their friendship with human being. The Cave of Gwasa one of historic caves in Limpopo was a site of repeated refuge from conflicts, is the caves that has being known later In 1854,  as Makapan’s Cave, named after the great chief Makapan and several thousand members of the Kekana chiefdom by the Voortrekkers following an attack on a party of trekboers at Moorddrift. Visits to the fascinating Makapan’s Valley must be arranged in advance by contacting the Mogalakwena Bushveld Community Tourism Association. Visitors must not miss also the opportunity to vist this museum, that give extra compliment in the area; The Arend Dieperink Museum  that contains a valuable cultural historical collection of Sotho and Voortrekker artefacts and is housed in a graceful stone building originally built as a school. The museum portrays the history of the town and surroundings from the time of the ape-men at Makapan’s Cave, right through to the Anglo Boer War and recent times. Mampoer and fresh bread are available on request. Limpopo, my next stop in my next trip to South Africa.