Blog - Page 3

On the 5th of April, my grandfather, Peter Millin, would have celebrated his 100th birthday. He played an important role in our journey here at Malealea. In the 1950s, he spent time in Lesotho working for the Ministry of Agriculture. His work often took him deep into the mountains for weeks at a time, leading a caravan of mules and donkeys loaded with materials to build sheep dipping stations—part of an effort to improve the quality of wool for export. It was during that chapter of his life that my mother, Di Jones, was born in Mafeteng in 1955 and that’s one of the stories of how our family came to be rooted in Lesotho.

As we sat on the verandah at Malealea Lodge, we found ourselves reminiscing—sharing stories, remembering his laughter, and reflecting on the quiet wisdom he carried through life.

As we celebrated him in spirit, one particular memory came rushing back to me. It still makes me smile every time I think of it.

But let me take you back…

The following is but a meagre account of the many superstitions, beliefs, customs and practices still common in the different parts of Basutoland. To enumerate them all would be impossible for this would require the help of many of the now unavailable grey heads to call them back to memory; since through the coming of the white man, the belief in Christianity, neglect and disuse, they are almost forgotten or even abused, while to the present generation many of the superstitions are entirely unknown.

However the in born spirit, traditions, influences and keen interest aroused by listening attentively to folk tales, fables, ghost and witchcraft stories told by grand mothers to their grandchildren at bed time in the hut; and also other peculiar talks among the men at home or in the "khotla" in the evenings about these beliefs and customs; all these I say must naturally have implanted in the minds of young listeners, deep and not to be shaken impressions about these customs and beliefs.In those days to have doubted the integrity of charms, the binding necessity of certain incisions, the magical powers of the "baloi" evil doers, witches and those of ghosts etc. would have deemed worse than insanity itself.

Poetical and rhymed amusing songs were sung, nursery tales repeated about these beliefs at the hearth by night, and fables were told at bed time by old grannies to their grandchildren, who in every case slept at their houses, in order to shun the abusive slander "ho hloba khoale" to pluck the partridge recklessly or in ordinary. "Do not pamper your children". Superstitions, fables and nursery tales were then and there related to the little ones. However it must be remembered that fables were not too be narrated during the day time, but only at night, these being a strong belief that a mysterious horn would happen too grow on the head of the person who encounted fables during the day time.

This past December, Malealea Lodge was sprinkled with a little extra fairy magic when a visiting family brought along tiny, whimsical decorations and transformed 17 trees into enchanted fairy homes! 🏡🌿 These tiny fairy friends now live throughout the lodge grounds, waiting to be discovered by those with a keen eye for wonder.

👣 This enchanting adventure is perfect for families, nature lovers, and anyone looking to experience a bit of fairy-tale charm at Malealea Lodge. So, lace up your shoes, let your imagination soar, and see how many fairy homes you can find! 🧚‍♀️🌈💖

Caroline James shared this incredible story about a pioneering pony trek in Lesotho back in 1991. Sadly, in April 1998, she had a tragic skiing accident in the French Alps and passed away. She is deeply missed by all who knew her—her cheerful presence and wonderful sense of humor remain in our hearts.

More than three decades later, the incredible Malealea Pony Trekking experience is still available! The legacy of Simon Mokala, the legendary guide who led our pioneering trek in 1991, is now carried forward by his son, Nkhabane Mokala. With the same deep knowledge, skill, and love for the mountains, Nkhabane is the Pony Trek Association co-ordinater who organises the Malealea Pony Trek Guides to take visitor on unforgettable pony treks through Lesotho’s breathtaking landscapes.

Here at Malealea Lodge, we’ve recently taken on an exciting new project—starting our very own beehives! Bees play a vital role in maintaining healthy ecosystems through pollination, and we’re thrilled to support these incredible little workers right here at the lodge. Not only will they help our surrounding gardens thrive, but we’re also hoping to produce our own fresh, locally-made honey. While our buzzing friends are usually peaceful, as you’ll see in the story below, sometimes they remind us who’s really in charge!

This is a picture of Socks and his best friend, Mick. (the beloved late owner of Malealea Lodge). Socks had a scary start to life, almost losing it when he was just a puppy. Despite this, he grew to be an incredibly strong (and quite large) dog. Sock’s exact breed was never really known to anyone who met him, but it was apparent that he had a lot of Irish wolfhound traits, and looked quite like one too. This leads us to the question of: ‘How did Socks, or rather how did Socks’ ancestors come to be in Lesotho?’