The Magalies & Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site “locals” involved in tourism, are a selection of people I would describe as largely sophisticated, highly educated, some very artistic but mostly friendly, country dwellers who will go out of their way to ensure that you feel welcome when visiting & exploring what the region has to offer. They are a culture of a unique & vibrant multicultural society. Some of the locals have been quite slow at embracing 21st century technology & prefer to be “out of touch”. They struggle, with ease I might add, to stay in touch with technology & the outside world. Sounding a bit like heaven? This may be why you may never have heard of some of the venues in the region. They also have a background of quiet but rugged individualism, self-reliance, and a genius for “country hospitality culture” – a unique quality that comes naturally to anyone who lives in the “country” for long enough. I lived in Magalies region, for over 16 years, yes, I was a local too. I actually owned 5 farms & still own the local online info office, so you could call me an “online” local. However, I needed more “action” & much more retail therapy than the ONE local basic- supply-only-what-you-need store, so we eventually sold & moved back to town. I struggled with a 2 hour quick trip back to town just because I forgot the “wasabi” for a dinner party, which was quite inconvenient at times. There are bits & pieces of me, that remain passionate about country living & the vibrant characters & places I have grown to love. They will remain in my heart forever! “Skinnerstories” & “Skinnering” (Gossip/ Gossiping), a natural pastime for many in the country. Looking back, without a doubt it was this pastime that eventually empowered people, kept them going & ensured that all standards, across the board, were kept high!! It was good for competition & I suppose the beginning of a form of country social networking. Hysterically enough, the contents of the stories were unbeknown to the subjects of the stories, & even more unbeknownst to the subjects, they were secretly converted into local élite celebrities. According to Wikipedia; ‘in the last decade, gossip has been researched in terms of its evolutionary psychology origins. This has found gossip to be an important means by which people can monitor cooperative reputations and so maintain widespread indirect reciprocity. Indirect reciprocity is defined here as "I help you and somebody else helps me." Gossip has also been identified by Robin Dunbar, an evolutionary biologist, as aiding social bonding in large groups.’ This tourism community has a diverse population with uniting features that make it unique as a destination for visitors to explore. Most establishments in the area, have stunning locations with rugged landscapes & features, that make many them quiet and independent, yet resourceful and self-reliant, with a famous ‘country living ingenuity’. The breathtaking view of the Magaliesberg Mountain range so close-by, gives you a dreamy feel of adventure & a sense of long lost inner peace, somewhere deep inside you, waiting to be explored. This is what “Mrs Ples” & our early pioneers must have felt when they first laid eyes on the magnificent mountain range, with a sincere longing to one day, conquer its peaks. They had to be brave, rugged and independent, before establishing farms and settlements here. They had to first clear the land — a painstaking and sometimes dangerous activity especially with Wildlife, especially Elephants & Leopards, roaming as freely as they used to. It has been rumoured that the isolation and exposure to the elements forced these early residents to become hardy and multi-skilled. This resourcefulness and ingenuity has greatly contributed to the character of these country folk. The same qualities can now be seen today in the newer city pioneers who are moving to the country to make new lives for themselves. Country living is very hard; it is definitely not for the faint-hearted! I always used to use the phrase “it’s like a Goldmine – you take all your Gold & throw it down the mine”. A strong passion for what they can offer their guests & to share with you what farm life has to offer is what these locals are all about. This passion is what makes the local people so unique & proud of who & where they are. County life is hard but the locals love it that way! With a low population density and spectacular scenery, many locals have a love of their landscape and the outdoors. With a love for outdoor living, conservation issues & hospitality many locals have made a decision to embrace the global tourist economy, in any way possible, to share & show what they have offer. Despite some changes over the years, with UNESCO appointing a large area as a World Heritage Site, there is still a sizeable section of the community who solely rely on tourism for their income. Many locals frantically scrambled to establish & further enhance their tourism businesses with the hope of countless international tourists, who unfortunately failed to flood to Magalies during the 2010 World Cup Soccer event. A blessing in disguise is that we are now left with a fabulous tourist destination just waiting to be explored right on Joburg’s & Tshwane’s doorstep. This destination that falls between Gauteng & North West, of which neither Province takes actual responsibility for, when it comes to tourism promotion, marketing & assistance. We are stuck between a mountain & a hard place. The locals are left to just “get on with it” on their own. It is the individual endeavours of the more established venues & of private businesses that actually use their own initiative, spend money on marketing & developing, this special, scenic region as an ideal tourist destination. A large majority of the locals do not often travel themselves & struggle to keep up with new international culinary tastes, fashions & lifestyles. A dear friend of mine who ran a 4 star lodge once joked, that he could not afford to stay in his own venue for a weekend, even though his life was committed to ensuring the high standard of his business & reputation were kept on track. Still, a few entities are nowhere near international trends, so when visiting the area, keep this in mind & just enjoy this “good old fashioned traditional country hospitality”!! In the meantime they are just bubbling over with enthusiasm to enthral their guests with their own individual trends & most of all their honesty & eagerness to please.... 'My stories are generally based on the human interest perspective & as an “online local”, having lived in the Magaliesberg & having owned the “Info Office” for over 16 years, I have now decided to put my own “tourism experiences” (the good & the bad), down on paper & share them with you, the world!!' - Wanita Sparrow (Travel writer & partner in Tourism Maps & www.magaliesinfo.co.za, www.magaliesbergmap.co.za & www.conferencemaps.co.za )
