About

Ben Aloe is set at the foot of the Steenkampsberg Mountains between Dullstroom and Belfast. This property of +- 90ha has pristine waters including three manicured dams near the house, a waterfall and two streams which are tributaries to the Elands River. The dog friendly accommodation is situated 250km from Johannesburg -12km from Belfast, 25km from Dullstroom in Mpumalanga Province.

There is only one house on the property so you will enjoy a private retreat. The large farm house is a well-constructed timber frame built on brick foundations. It can accommodate up to 14 people in 5 spacious bedrooms, 3 bathrooms and open plan living areas. There is Eskom electricity on the property.

More impressive is the location, the house is surrounded by lovely views of the mountain, dams and farmlands and you can hear the waterfall from the house which is approximately 100m’s away.

Some aspects of Historical interest on Ben Aloe

Boer War ruins 

The Second Anglo-Boer War had an impact on the Steenkampsberg district in 1900 and 1901. The most significant encounter, as far as Ben Aloe is concerned, took place in December 1901 at Elandspruit (better known locally as Ouhoutbossie) when there were 37 British and 25 Boer casualties

(Lombard, BV. 1984. ‘Sketches of the Steenkampsberg’ in: Fauna & Flora 41).

These conflicts are probably the reason for the stone/rock structures on the mountain top at Ben Aloe. The most extensive ‘settlement/compound’ consists of one two roomed, square shaped building and in excess of ten stone circles that were presumably used as bases for tents. In addition there are several walls or battlements that have been built up at strategic places surrounding this encampment. The situation on the kloof-side of the krantz, access to water in the stream below and the design of the encampment itself would all seem to point to a wartime compound.

San/Bushman paintings 

The paintings found at Ben Aloe are probably attributable to the //Xegwi clan of Bushmen. The paintings themselves are very difficult to age, but simple political history of the interior of South Africa would seem to indicate that the //Xegwi frequented the area prior to the 1800's and that the paintings are likely to have been completed before then. The paintings are found at two sites and have in the last twenty years already become notably faded. Some of this can be attributed to their placement in relatively exposed positions where wind, rain and sun have taken their toll.

Exfoliation of the rock face for example has visibly affected the sites. The use of water, splashed onto the paintings to enliven the colours, and perhaps people touching the paintings are also negative factors that has taken their toll in past years. For more information and detailed interpretation see: Lewis-Williams, D & Dowson, T. 2000. Images of power- understanding San Rock Art, Struik, Cape Town. Site 1: Description: “Strange geometrical pattern with faded humanoid figures in the background.” (although now faded away there were numerous hand prints here before) Interpretation: The geometric pattern is highly unusual and perhaps of some significance for further study by experts: It is shaped almost like a scarecrow with a central vertical line crossed by horizontal ‘arms’ and then lower down by angled ‘legs’.

Various humanoid figures are interspersed amidst the design. These geometric patterns apparently relate to the trance and the various stages of hallucinogenic progress encountered by the San shaman. Handprints – in this case faded away – have been attributed to Khoikhoi herders rather than the Bushmen or San, but this has been disputed and hands are thought by some authors to be attributable to San shamans: “it seems probable that making handprints in a rock shelter was, at least in some ways, akin to painting an Eland. Both practices fixed potency on the walls.”

Both the geometric pattern and the now faded handprints would seem to indicate that this was a spiritual site of importance to San shamans. Site 2: Description: “One male figure armed with bow and arrow aimed at physically much larger monochrome Eland.” Interpretation: The Eland is by far the most frequently depicted animal in San rock art across the whole of South Africa. Its significance is due in part to this species being an important source of meat and fat, but it is also closely associated with /Kaggen (the mantis or the San ‘deity’) and thought to be the creator’s first and favourite animal.

The use of Eland fat was of crucial importance in both male and female coming of age ceremonies. As such it and its representation play important roles in the trance and trance metaphor and its presence in rock art can often be interpreted as being representative of the trance. Whatever the exact interpretation this painting at the very least indicates the presence of Eland here in the past and their importance in the diet and culture of the San. Site 3: Description: “Headless monochrome Eland with protruding spear. One male figure also present. Numerous fingerprints are daubed in several lines adjoining this representation.” Interpretation: Whereas the above painting may perhaps simply be interpreted as being part of a hunting scene this representation of the Eland is far more symbolic and is likely to refer to the otherworldly qualities of the species in San culture.

The headless nature of the animal is apparently significant and may bear some similarity to what are termed therianthropes, or those creatures that have human bodies and animal heads or vice versa. This indicates a direct relationship to the trance dance and shamanic involvement and indicates that this site – which is not ideally suited to being a habitable shelter – was probably of significance as a spiritual site. The numerous daubed fingerprints also support this suggestion. San shamans cured by laying on of hands and here the fingerprints may have been an indication of shamanic potency.