An encounter with Badimo
The Goo- Moremi excursion lived to the expectation
The Gods must have been crazy when they breathed life into the mystic that is Goo- Moremi Gorge. Spectacular, breathtaking with rolling hills, and a vegetation that is so green that it steals your breath, one is almost tempted to think that, with this particular paradise, indeed the Gods wanted to show off, simple.
Goo- Moremi is not just any ordinary place. Most of us, have heard tales and stories about yester years, when the Ancestors would flex their muscle and pull up all sorts of stunts particularly when it comes to those who were crazy enough to attempt any foolish acts.
We have all heard of stories of how some villages in the Tswapong area had a curfew, and those who dared disobey this curfew would be dealt with by the Ancestors. In fact, Goo- Moremi is very spiritual.
On Tuesday this week, I was giddy with excitement as I finally had an opportunity to tick off this must- see paradise from my bucket list. I was mostly nervous, after all, it cannot be business as usual when you are dealing or coming close to the mystic powers of ancestors. I have in one or two occasions, toured and heard about the history of Lecheng, and the gorges there.
But I must say that nothing comes close to what Goo- Moremi is all about. Forget the distance of travelling from Gaborone to GooMoremi, you need to experience and be in the moment as soon as you turn off into Goo Moremi property. From a distance, the mighty hills that hold so many secrets, are something else. What we normally see on the pictures does very little justice to this place. It is simply beautiful.
Driving up the restaurants, and listening to the chirping chorus of crickets, one is almost tempted to wonder whether it is crickets or Badimo communicating in their special way. We arrived at about 1200hrs, for a Wimpy National Barrister Competition.
Let me illustrate or attempt to paint a picture of what will happen when you are not familiar with the rules of the place. Prior to the arrival, as the event was pencilled to start at 1000Hrs, we had assumed that we would find the program half way. Lord and behold, that was not the case. Participants and the organisers were ready to start, but there was no power. And this is where, I started to feel and see that Badimo were possibly at play, and unhappy with something.
Adding to the complications of the day, there was an unplanned power cut, which meant that organisers had to rely on the use of a backup generator. The DJ played some music, loud music, bad move. Everything went quiet. They checked the generator; it had diesel but nothing seemed to be working. And so, we waited, until it was announced that there would be no music.
Turns out that Badimo do not take kindly to music. Eventually, the situation was rescued, and the competition progressed.
We would learn during the day that when they are irked by something, the taps will run dry. Besides music, one of the things that you can not do when you are in Goo- Moremi is whistle. As soon as I heard about this revelation, I swear, it felt as if my tongue was stuck. I am not someone who just whistles, not that I am good at whistling, but as soon as I heard this, I had to literally bite my tongue lest I did the unthinkable. I learnt that whistling is seen as a practice that summons the ancestors, and I had no plans of doing that on this particular day.
Now let’s talk about Badimo, and this special place. I am a firm believer in Badimo, I am an African child. While we did not have a chance to hike to the gorge, I still experienced a sense of peace at the Restaurant venue. I could sense peace surrounding me. I could almost feel my departed loved ones hugging me, and assuring me that everything will be alright.
Hiking to the gorge also has a few rules and regulations, you can not go there while drinking.
Flashlights are not allowed, and most importantly, whatever you see on the trail, leave it. In the event that you might possibly come across a snake, mind your business. And most importantly, I hear that swimming is not allowed in the gorge.
Interestingly, because of the location of the gorge, the last hiker normally has to be back from the trail before 1600HRS. Resort General Manager, Pilot Sentsho explains that it gets dark very fast in the gorge. He also says that it is believed that this also happens to be the time when Badimo would be prepping for the next day, and that Basadibagolo ( Elderly women) would also take this time to cook for their husbands.
Kgomotso Motimedi, Administration and House- keeping Manager also explains that their guides are very well versed when it comes to the place and taboos around the place. She explains that some of them can decipher the message from Badimo.
“Sometimes what you might think is a coincidence, is not really a coincidence,” she said noting that a car might suddenly stop or that taps might run dry. She also points out that Badimo
do not want loud music, and that in some of the gorges, hikers are not allowed to talk. Generally, the higher you go, the more rules you get.
I am planning my next trip here, an odyssey of some sort.
I am looking forward to spending a few nights here, and experiencing this place on a different level. I also wish to reconnect with my Badimo,
and just enjoy being in the moment where you can forget about the daily challenges of life, and let Badimo guide me about what is really going on in my life.