Journey into the past

Adio AddieTee Dinika
It was a connection with the past, I felt as if I had travelled about 250 years back in time. Even the air I was breathing felt somewhat different, the cooing of doves in the trees nearby was from a world long gone. The faint noise from the merry-making people I had left at the braai stands now seemed like the clanging of iron and chatter of village folk, as the iron smelters of Domboshava went about their business. One of the pillars of our tourism industry as Zimbabwe is our culture.

I, like any proud Zimbabwean take pride in this rich culture.

It was on this backdrop that when we were planning a get together with my friends and the issue of venue was mentioned I put forward the Domboshawa Caves.

We loaded a couple of cooler boxes in the boot and set off for Domboshawa, the journey was very short, less than thirty minutes and we were there.

Entrance into the premises was US$5 per head but on production of our student IDs we paid US$2 per head and entered. The place has marvellous braai stands and that was the first thing that we noticed.

While others were busy setting up I set off towards the rock paintings, I did not want any guide, I prefer my exploration to be natural and by myself as I connect more that way.

I passed the mini museum without so much as a glance; I wanted to see the actual ancient handiwork before the biased opinions of whoever had compiled information for the museum. I followed the arrows that led up a hill hidden by a bushy thicket.

A bird I did not recognise was singing and I had goose bumps; more from anticipation than fear. The caves were not what I was expecting.

I was expecting the movie caves where one could actually sleep and live. I moved closer and felt my heart give a leap. There before me on a canvas of stone were the famous rock paintings. At that moment I felt myself descending into another world. It was a world of iron smiths and hunters. I connected with the artist who had painted this. Clad in loin cloths were successful hunters coming home with game. The skilful iron smith fashioning a spear.

I walked back to the museum and I began examining the artefacts displayed. The historian who had compiled the information had captured the ancient life of Domboshawa with pictures and stories; I examined the iron ore smelting model and smiled. The technology was brilliant. With rudimentary tools the skilled craftsmen would convert rock into iron and fashion tools and weapons from that, simply amazing.

Captured in detail was the lifestyle the people led and their diet which comprised mainly of small game and wild fruits. They lived a simple and carefree life, barter trade was the main form of trade with iron tools having a lot of value, hence the iron smiths were relatively rich men. I learnt that Domboshawa was an iron smelting settlement and its name which translates into red rock came from the colour of rust which coloured the stones.

Feeling that I had made a deep connection with culture and with the clanging of metal as the iron smith worked still in my ears, I rejoined my merry-making friends in the present world.

Combining a journey into our deep culture and heritage with present day facilities like wonderful braai stands and at a very affordable cost, Domboshawa Caves is the place to be on a cool weekend!