Modderpoort (E 11)

Name: Modderpoort


The first Bishop of the Diocese, Edwin Twells, purchased the farms Modderpoort & Modderpoort Spruit in 1865 as a base for missionary work in the Eastern Free State. The farms were first occupied in 1869 by Canon Henry Beckett, the Superior of the Society of St Augustine and four brothers who lived in the now famous cave which is currently a consecrated Anglican Church.





In 1902 the Society of the Sacred Mission took over the missionary work from the Society of St Augustine who had very few active members left. By 1928, the SSM had established a Training College for black teachers as well as a High School. Both the Training College and High School were closed in 1955 due to the restrictions introduced by the Bantu Education Act of 1953 and the Apartheid government. Past students include a former Premier of the Free State, Mme Winkie Direko, politicians, a doctor, Anglican and non Anglican clergy.







For many years since its closure, St Augustine’s has been operating as a Conference Centre with Bed & Breakfast facilities. Fr Charles Lange was appointed Warden by Bishop Patrick Glover in 1999 and following his vision the Diocese began to upgrade the now dilapidated facilities.





The legend of Mantsopa has resulted in the farm becoming a main tourist attraction for the Free State. Anna Makhetha Mantsopa was born in 1795 in the Eastern Free State area. In 1851, Mantsopa prophesized that the Basotho would win a battle against troops led by a major Warden. Mantsopa became instantly renowned as a prophetess and became a legend. Her memory is preserved and she is still revered by many today. She died on the 11th November 1906 and is buried in the cemetery alongside the Priory Chapel at Modderpoort.



The Priory and Chapel originally built by the Society of St Augustine are also tourist attractions.

http://saintaugustines.co.za/wp/?page_id=20

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HERITAGE SITES OF THE FREE STATE

Magical Modderpoort


Sven Ouzman

Rock Art Department, National Museum

e-mail: rockart@nasmus.co.za


Introduction


Also known as Lekhalong la Bo Tau or ‘The pass of the lions’, the unobtrusive town of Modderpoort is located in the picturesque eastern free state (Figure 1). Closer inspection reveals that behind modderpoort ‘s unobtrusive façade lies an exceptional and unique hierophany that goes beyond the rock art encountered there to encompass four sacred sites.



Sacred site 1: San rock paintings


Modderpoort is one of the few places in southern Africa where the name of the San Community who lived there and painted vibrant images of their spirit world on the Caves walls is known. They where the Makhomokholo or the people ‘great at cattle.’ Further evidence of which is provided by the painting of a cattle raid in the cave (figure2). The diversity and beauty of the modderport paintings indicate that the Makhomokholo were strongly attracted to Modderpoorrt at both earthly and spiritual levels. Unfortunately, since the paintings were declared as National Monuments in 1936, other, irresponsible people have been attracted to Modderpoort and have wet and vandalised the paintings (Figure2). This is lamentable, yet even in their vandalised state, the paintings hint at enormous Sophistication of technique and complexity of religious belief. For example, the main panel at the site contains no less than seven depictions of birds (figure 3). In the left –hand corner of figure 3 is an unusual winged creature with zigzag legs. This image almost certainly represents a shaman or priest who had assumed bird-lie form to undertake the journey to the spirit world which was spoken of as a flight or ascent –much the same as the Christian belief in ascent to heaven.



Sacred site 2: The Anglican Church and cemetery


Like the san, Christian missionaries were also attracted to modderpoort, starting in 1869 when Bishop Twells bought the modderpoort farm for &352 for the society of saint Augustine in 1871 the priory was built and the sandstone church - a good example of the minimalist mission church tradition – was completed in 1902 (figure 4) in the pale of the church are the graves of the Anglican brothers of the society of Saint Augustine and the Society of sacred mission who lived and worked in the area. Their graves are capped with beautifully carved sandstones quarried in the surrounding hills – the same place the sandstone for the union buildings in Pretoria was quarried. The upside-down bird/ sparrow carved on some of the graves refers to Matthew 10:29-30 in which it states “for only a penny you can buy two sparrows, yet not one sparrow falls to the ground without your Father’s consent. As for you, even the hairs on your head have all been counted. So do not be afraid; you are with much more than many sparrows. It is also within the cemetery that the third sacred site is encountered.



Sacred site 3: Mantsopa’s grave


Located in the ‘white’ part of the cemetery, between the Anglican Brother’s and white residents’ graves is the grave of the renowned Sotho prophetess Mantsopa Makheta (c.1793-1905; figure 5). Mantsopa’s life was long and her story complex. Born in the late 18th century, Mantsopa received a calling to divinity while quite young. Her powers grew steadily and in the late 1860s she was exiled to Modderpoort by king Moshoeshoe who feared that her influence was becoming too great. At Medderpoort Mantsopa nominally became a Christian, taking the name Anna, Mantsopa was baptised on the 13th of March 1870 – the same day king Moshoeshoe chose for his baptism; an event destined not to happen as the king died two days before his intended baptism. Though a Christian, Mantsopa continued to perform miracles and venerate her ancestors until her death in 1905; a combination of orthodox and traditional teachings that presaged the formation of the Zionist Christian church (see below). Mantsopa’s grave continued to be worshipped today and each weekend sees new offerings placed on her grave, in the cave church where she sometimes worked and at the spring where she bathed. It is considered good manners to place a stone on or near her grave. From Mantsopa’s it is shot walk to Modderpoort’s fourth sacred site.



Sacred site 4: The cave church


Also known as the rose chapel, the cave church (figure 6) has a long interconnected history. Originally occupied by the San hunter –gathers, the cave church provided the first missionaries with shelter and a place of worship between 1867-1870 with the building of the priory and sandstone church the cave fell into disuse until the 1970s when members of the Zionist Christian church (ZCC) began using it as an important pilgrimage site. The ZCC members combine mainstream church beliefs with traditional ancestor worship beliefs in a uniquely African amalgam. The cave church is considered a place at which the ancestors are particularly strongly presenced. Many offerings are placed here. For example, snuff is offered so that the ancestors may ‘breath’ better-a metaphor for being well. Betting tokens, crockery, food, money, scratch-and-win cards, written appeals and so forth are regularly offered and candles burn constantly during ceremonies which can involve several hundred people.



Conclusion


Modderpoort has an extra-ordinary and unique character that was first noticed by the San hunter-gatherers of the region. Since then modderpoort ‘s uniqueness has continued to be noted and commemorated by many people. Modderpoort is one of those rare locales at which a variety of people beliefs have come together to express their faiths but have also respected the integrity of the other faiths. Indeed, sometimes faiths overlap or make contact such as the ZCC offerings sometimes deposited in the nooks and cracks in the overhang with San paintings or in the resonances between Mantaopa and the ZCC. In visiting each of Modderpoort ‘s four sacred site , one embark on a form of pilgrimage that leads to an understanding and tolerance of diversity and difference. Modderpoort provides a model for an harmonious co existence- truly a piece of heaven on earth.

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