THERE’S a place in Australia called Hayman Island on the Great Barrier Reef, which prides itself on being the most eco-friendly lodge in the world.  It’s about to get stiff competition from our very own Limpopo Province.

The recently built Mashovela Lodge in the Soutpansberg Mountains has disconnected entirely from Eskom’s power grid and the lodge runs on alternative, renewable and sustainable energy. “Our water is heated by solar energy,” says owner Dr Hans Hahn, a chemist and natural scientist by training, “supplemented by a wood-fired boiler fuelled by alien trees that are cleared from the nature reserve by lodge staff.  For electricity we rely on solar energy, supplemented by generators that are run on bio-diesel.” Dr Hahn bought his farm 40 years ago and from the start he saw the need for nature conservation on his land and the need to explore alternative energy.  He has tried many and various things, and he now promotes the use of renewable energy in the tourism industry. “There are so many things one can do,” he says.  “Apart from the energy needs of the lodge, we are also busy with a wetland recovery programme.  We make our furniture from exotic wood and the local people are taking this alien wood for their arts and crafts.” This is hugely encouraging, because ‘eco’ is a word that has been substantially abused by some in the tourism industry.  There was a so-called ‘eco-lodge’ in the middle of an indigenous forest that used a diesel generator and burned its rubbish in a clearing behind the lodge and then buried the ash.  Not the slightest attempt to recycle or look for environmentally friendly management practices.  Huh. Mashovhela Lodge is hoping to change all that.  Set in a 4 000-ha stretch within the Morning Sun Nature Reserve (a natural heritage site with more than 600 species of trees and thousands of plant and animals species), it is dedicated to promoting all things Venda.  The Venda culture is an incredibly interesting one, as it is bound up with huge amounts of legend and mystery.  It is a pity that people do not know more about the Venda culture, but the owners of Mashovhela Lodge are hoping to change this.

“It has always been my family’s vision to share this natural heritage site with all, through our eco-friendly bush lodge, in order to protect the environment, uplift the community and educate them and visitors to the lodge in environmentally friendly living, whilst enjoying and relaxing in this amazing part of the Soutpansberg Mountains,” says Dr Hahn. The name means ‘the place where the drums beat’ and concerns the legend around a sacred pool on the property.  According to Venda folklore, the great chief Thohoiyandu left the royal kraal one night carrying a sacred drum that was endowed with mystical powers.  Neither were ever seen again.  It is possible that the chief was taken up into the spirit world, and sometimes drumbeats can be heard echoing off the cliffs that surround the sacred pool.  The Venda used the pool as a site for many ceremonies, and when the drumbeats are heard they say it is the spirit of Thohoiyandu calling from the great beyond.  Lovely stuff. The lodge also has a local community development element to it, through employment of lodge staff and dancers, education and supporting their skills and trade in traditional arts and crafts. “We hope that in the near future we will be introducing tours to the local village so that guests can witness the day-to-day lifestyle and culture of the Venda people,” says Hahn.  “The community is aware of the vision we have for the property and the community, making them aware of the environment and how to conserve it and ensure future generations can benefit from it.”   Dr Hans wants to share his experience and skill with other groups who want to look at ways of promoting tourism without impacting on the environment.  “Our knowledge and skills in eco-friendly living are being passed on through training to the local community, and we are readily available to assist communities and resorts elsewhere in southern Africa,” he says.  Oh, and just in case you think that Dr Hahn is just too good to be true, here is something that really puts the lid on it:  he has also established a factory that makes hot water solar panels, the only one in South Africa. The lodge is a good stop-over for people heading to or from Botswana and Zimbabwe or for those who want to explore Venda.  It is part of the envisaged Golden Horseshoe Peace Park, that includes Northern Kruger and Mapungubwe World Heritage Site.  And lots and lots of baobabs.  Something that Hayman Island certainly doesn’t have. If you would like to contact Dr Hahn or his daughter Ingrid, you can visit their website www.morningsunreserve.com, e-mail info@morningsunreserve.com or tel 012 991 6930