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| STRONGHOLD OF THE BABOON By Mary Yates in Leisure, November 6, 1993 " The Baviaanskloof? Yes, I think I've heard of it - but where exactly is it? " Those could well have been the first questions you asked when inquiring about this wild and rugged wilderness area, not far from Port Elizabeth. Perhaps after that, because of its name, you wondered about the baboons ( bavianen ) Were there really that many for the area to have been given this name? There would have been, as still today it is a stronghold for these tough and adaptable creatures, whose range in South Africa covers practically everywhere but for the desert areas. The name baviaans ( baboons) was incorporated into the river along the floor of the kloof (Baviaansriver) as well the long mountain chain on the northern side of the valley (Baviaanskloofberge). The earliest observation of a baboon in this country was made by an Englishman, Sir James Lancaster, who went ashore at the Cape in August,1591, over 400 years ago, and wrote: ..." here also are a great store of overgrown monkies....." In brief references other travellers also indicated having seen them. An entree in the Van Riebeeck settlement journal in 1652 made a note of baboons as being big and horrible to look at". Two years later in the same journal was a further mention of one of these animals "found dead on the mountain". " It was as big as a small calf, having distinct hands and feet like a human being, with long arms and hands, very hairy and dark grey in colour. Our men ate it, so hungry were they, for the green do not permit nourishment." Early visitors to the country were uncertain what the animals was that they were seeing, first naming them monkeys, bush mannikins, ourangh-outanghs and apes, later being followed with different renditions of the word babooon - babions. baboones, babowns, babious, bawians and baviaans. The historian Nienaber believes that the colloquial name of "chacma " had a Khoikhoi ( "Hottentot" ) origin evolving from the word choachamma or choa kamma. Although, when equated with humans, these primates can sometimes be rather amusing in their actions and antics, they are not exactly popular when they constantly raid mealie and pumpkin farmlands and steal other tasty morsels meant for market and the family. It is understandable that farmers want to seek revenge when, time after time, their crops are damaged and raided or their stock killed and eaten by these marauding pests. Under normal conditions baboons would be found in mountainous rocky krantzes peacefully foraging in family parties, searching under stones and in cracks for insects, beetles and scorpions, also eating indigenous bulbs and fruit and not usually preying on domestic stock or being any real cause for annoyance. In the Baviaanskloof the Divisional Council at one time paid out five shillings bounty apiece for these oft-times troublesome animals, on production of a set of tail and skin from the top of the skull - which had the ears attached. Over the years the farming people in the Baviaanskloof have had a few other opportunities to make money out of the baboons and were probably very glad to do so. Here was the chance to get even! At the height of the research into the heart transplant operations at Groote Schuur baboons had a value of 6s ( or 60c) each. They were caught live in the area and taken to Cape Town by hospital staff to carry out experiments. Going back to much earliers days in the kloof, the value of a baboon was seen only as a provider of live's necessities when shoes, aprons, braces, rucksacks, and handbags were all made in the valley from the skins of these animals. From recent research it seems as though shoes were most prized of all these items and baboon was well known as being the softest of all different leathers which, furthermore, wore particularly well. In 1991 an elderly woman at Kleinpoort in the Baviaanskloof said she had worn such shoes as a child. This footwear was even "exported"from the valley and taken a few miles down the road to Willowmore, and was not sold only in the few kloof shops. It would be interesting to know whether any of these items are still around today. To treat the baboon pelts, the indigenous shrubby tree looibas ( Colpoon compressum) was used as the lye in their preparation. These special chemical property of Colpoon has long been recognised. Some of the oldest residence still living in the area recall collecting and chopping up stems of this small tree and putting them into sacks to be used for the tanning process. Today the exact ingredient and quantities of the solution are unknown by the locals. To a lesser degree the bark of the common soetdoring ( Acacia karoo) was also used for this purpose. This bark makes a good red dye, whereas, according to Eve Palmer in her book Trees of Southern Africa, a yellow colour is obtained from looibas. Baboons have a high level of internal fat, the potential of which was noticed and exploited long ago by people living in the valley. This fat formed the basis of their boereseep. Was this fat also used for candle-making perhaps? Mature male baboons weigh up to 40 kg, more than double the mass of the females, which average only 17 kg. There is quite a wide spectrum in hair coloration too. This relates to age, sex, and also to the area where the animals lives. Baboons have many years to hone their wile and cunning as they are reported to live for about 45 years. These animals are quite vocals as they roam around in search of food and a " Bokkum!" alarm barked from somewhere soon advertises their presence when they have seen you in the mountains. An early author once wrote: " They hooted us.....," which quite well describes their gruff call. The youngsters, too, are always squealing and squeaking when being admonished by the troop adults. Fortunately for the baboons which have made their home in the Baviaanskloof, they enjoy the safety protection today. Luck is now with them - they will not end their lives as shoes or soap or any other household commodity! |