56 Botswana Notes and Records, Volume 47 In Search of Identity and Ownership of the MmaMotshwane Gorge: Heritage Tourism and Management of Mogonye Cultural Landscape Tsholofelo Dichaba * and Phenyo Churchill Thebe § Abstract The paper discusses challenges associated with managing cultural landscapes at Mogonye, Southern District, Botswana. In this area, different stakeholders attach diverse values to the same locale. This has become challenging in the face of heritage tourism since some stakeholders are perceived as detrimental to the resources that are otherwise valuable to other stakeholders. These so-called ‘destroyers’ are therefore considered as ‘outsiders’ –the ‘other’. However, the perceived ‘other’ do not see themselves as being environmentally unfriendly but recognise themselves as having the right to the resources too. In discussing heritage tourism and values attached to the cultural landscape, the scientific, tourism, and spiritual values among others of the MmaMotshwane waterfalls are underscored. This paper further discusses gorges within theoretical frameworks developed by heritage practitioners and geographers in the field of recreation and tourism. To the local community of Mogonye, MmaMotshwane Gorge is a sacred site; a spiritual haven to traditional doctors and churches while to tourists and other stakeholders, the gorge remains a scientific, recreational and economic resource. Examples are drawn from various parts of the world including Jamaica, South Africa and Botswana. Introduction ‘Waterfalls may be regarded as curiosities of nature along with caves, geysers and glaciers. Thus they have scarcity value…While very few waterfalls may be regarded as tourist destinations, many are attractions’ (Shepard 1967:254). Mogonye is located in the Southern District of Botswana. The village is about 35 kilometres south of Gaborone. The landscape of Mogonye comprises of Mogonye wa Kgophu, Mogonye Boseja, Old Settlement near the MmaMotshwane Gorge, Marete Spring and many other small gorges in the three hills surrounding the village. MmaMotshwane Gorge near Mogonye village is among known gorges with significantly enhanced waterfalls (Figure 1). Geologically, the area is varied; a fact that is reflected in the local topography (Aldiss 1989; Lane 1996). For the most part, the area is undulating with many rocky hills, outcrops and waterfalls. Soils found in the area are generally sandy loam to sandy. Acacia thorn-scrub is the most common vegetation type in the area. A wide range of trees grow well in this common habitat. Trees found in the study area include Ziziphus mucronata (mokgalo), Acacia tortilis (mosunyana), Euclea undulata (motlhakolana), Garcinia livingstonei (moralana) and cactus (motoroko). Savanna grass land covers most of the area plot. The vegetation may be described as semi-sweet mixed bushveld (Setshogo and Venter 2003). Some of the wild animals found in the area include leopard, kudu, rock rabbit, baboon and many species of birds. There is evidence of Middle Stone Age occupation in the area (Figure 2). Most areas around the gorges were settled by Iron Age communities. These people were farming communities. The Bahurutshe (a Sotho-Tswana group) settled in the area in the 1850s. They have continuously *Tsholofelo Dichaba, Centre for Scientific Research, Ingenious Knowledge and Innovation, University of Botswana. Email: Tsholofelo.Dichaba@mopipi.ub.bw § Phenyo Churchill Thebe, History Department, University of Botswana. Email: thebep@mopipi.ub.bw and pcthebe@ yahoo.com