- Address: Main South 1 Rd Maseru, Morija, Lesotho;
- Official page: morija.co.ls.
Countries as people. Each state, kingdom has its own character, its history, its sights and its problems. And how people from countries have documents that can confirm or deny these or other events. Lesotho is no exception. She also has official documents, the Constitution, laws. And there is an archive - a repository of documents.
A bit of history
The Museum of Morija was founded in 1956 on the basis of ethnographic and historical finds of Dieterlen in combination with the geological collection of Ellenberger. And from the moment of the official creation of the museum its exposition has been constantly replenished. To date, the museum Morija even acquired add-ons to more fully present its exhibits to visitors.
Exposition of the museum
Since the archive is located in the same building as the museum, you kill two birds with one stone. You will be able to assess the cultural values of Lesotho, as well as see historical documents. It can not be said that this is the most expansive exhibition of exhibits, but here you will get acquainted with the artifacts of the indigenous population - the Basuto tribe, historical objects from the Anglo-Boer War, and some sculptures by Samuel Macaoian. And the earliest documents that are in the archive are dated in 1826 - it's only after 4 years, after receiving the statehood of the people of the basuto. Here you will be introduced to the records of the colonists, government reports, extensive missionary correspondence, as well as the first newspaper Lesotho - Leselinyana - from 1863 to the present. There is material here in French, and in German, and in different African languages. In any case, you will not regret visiting these attractions.
The importance of the Morija museum and archive
The importance of this museum and archive is difficult to overestimate. At least because the very fact of the existence of one state (Lesotho) within another (South Africa) is of interest. How and why did it happen? How did the present kingdom of Lesotho manage to visit both the protectorate of Basutoland (twice) and the Cape colony in such a short period of formation of its statehood (the leader Moshevshe I only in 1822 united the basuto people)? What was the significance of the Anglo-Boer War for the African people? Perhaps, after visiting the museum, you will be able to answer these questions. And maybe it exists so that the people of Lesotho do not forget how difficult it was for them to remain themselves, even in spite of the loss of all their historical lands.
In addition to the role of the curator of the past, the museum also influences the development of modern society. The museum helps to develop a wider range of tourist services, including excursions to the historical places of Morija, visits to places with dinosaur tracks, bird watching assistance, and pony trekking. Collections of the museum serve as a basis for school general education programs and for studies of ethnographers.
How to get there?
The archive is located in a small village Morija, located about 43 km from Maseru - the capital of Lesotho. Get better by the main southern road number 1, passing through the airport.
| | |
| | |
