Travelling through Lesotho offers a profound journey, revealing a country where history, culture, and a majestic landscape exist in constant dialogue. From its bustling border towns to the historic stronghold of Thaba Bosiu, the nation's evolution is clearly traceable, shaped by both conflict and cooperation. Beyond the luscious hills, meticulously kept fields of vegetables, and Lesotho's breathtaking scenery lies the compelling narrative of a little-known 19th-century founder king who masterfully forged alliances to maintain peace while consistently humbling his attackers.

A vibrant part of Lesotho's cultural tapestry is the insistent sound of Famo music, a genre based on the accordion. This music emanates from yellow-striped taxis and shops scattered throughout Maputsoe's CBD in Lesotho's Leribe district. Old apostles of the Famo genre, like Tau ea Mats'ekha, have blessed music lovers with timeless gems such as 'Ha Peete', often heard playing from nearby cars. Despite its profound local impact and the captivating nature of Tau's compositions, such music paradoxically received negligible airplay in neighboring South Africa. Southern African voices have lamented this as cultural imperialism, noting how local music stations often prioritize sounds from abroad over regional talent, contributing to a sense of oblivion regarding local culture.

In stark contrast to the often 'iffy and miserable' weather of Johannesburg, Lesotho offers generous servings of Vitamin D, with abundant sunshine even in mid-summer. The author's journey through this 'Mountain Kingdom' was shared with two friends – a South Asian farmer from scorching Namibia and an artist from wintry North Europe, both first-time visitors who expressed awe. They gushed at the road weaving through a mix of picture-perfect vistas, vast plains, rugged topography, and awe-inspiring sights. Jerry Ngobese of Zula Zula Adventure, equally enchanted, likened his experience to 'being one with nature' and witnessing 'mountains touching the clouds,' though he warned that Lesotho is 'not a place to visit in a hurry.'

Geographically, Lesotho holds a unique distinction: it has the highest lowest point on Earth, sitting entirely above 1,000 meters in elevation. Its highest peak, the snow-capped Thabana Ntlenyana, reaches nearly 3,500 meters to the east. Even Thaba Bosiu, the cradle of Lesotho and a short drive from Maseru, sits at a considerable 1,800 meters, yet is considered part of the Lowlands. Ngobese eloquently described the highlights of the journey as 'the destinations and the drive there,' praising the 'spectacular and uplifting' views that verge on the spiritual. He cherishes the authenticity of the people, the endless streams and rivers, the dramatic cliffs, and the overall countryside feel, noting that driving on roads cut through mountains is a 'great feeling.'

The terrain along the A1, one of the country's main arteries, is claimed by neat fields of vegetables. This road traces the Mohokare River, which hems Lesotho's north on its journey to the Atlantic-bound Senqu, also known by its many names including !Gariep, iGqili, Oranje, and Orange, reflecting its colonial renaming by the Dutch and later the British. While luscious hills, cattle, horses, ponies, and vehicles punctuate these scenes, the author draws a poignant contrast with the 'forlorn' swathes of land in neighboring South Africa, which often show little sign of life, highlighting broader economic disparities and historical legacies.

Maputsoe, located in the Leribe district, an area known for jean-making, faces significant economic deflation. While the textile sector creates jobs and generates foreign exchange, its environmental impact is adverse, guzzling water and polluting rivers, compromising the health of both animals and humans. Joblessness has escalated by seven percentage points in five years, reaching a critical 30%, which is now officially a national disaster. The United States remains the nation's top export destination for garments, but the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) is noted for prolonging colonial-era economic stunting.

Delving into history and heritage, the journey begins in Leribe, a place immortalized in Bhudaza's timeless jazz ode, 'Bo-Mapefane'. Here, the delectable landscape features green ridges, intricate networks of water bodies, and indigenous sandstone houses, coexisting with fields and traffic. Menkhoaneng, within this district, marks the birthplace of the future monarch Moshoeshoe, the eldest son of Princess Kholu and Chief Mokhachane oa Peete of Bakoena ba Mokoteli. Today, Menkhoaneng is the starting point of the annual Moshoeshoe Walk, a three-day pilgrimage culminating at Thaba Bosiu, across the Phuthiatsana River. This walk retraces the footsteps of the founder king's exodus in July 1824. Since its inception in 2007, this pilgrimage has grown to become the biggest hike in Africa, attracting thousands of participants, including expats, and is lauded for its unique blend of hiking, history, and the natural beauty of Lesotho.

Reflecting on the historical tensions, the author recalls the build-up to the conflicts between the Anglo forces and the Basotho, and the exasperated King Moshoeshoe's warning to colonists: 'Do not tell me about war'. While Basotho folklore abounds with tales of triumph, Britain often treats the 1850s conflicts with historical silence. Prince Letsie I, who would later ascend the throne, and generals like Makoanyane oa Ntseke, served with distinction, repeatedly crushing marauding gangs and the arrogant 'dogs of war'. Prince Molapo, among other sons of the monarch, fought valiantly.

Upon arrival at Thaba Bosiu, visitors are greeted by 'magical sights', often enhanced by fog, mist, and drizzle, with the iconic conical Mt Qiloane towering in the distance. Moiloa Rantauleng, a curator at the Thaba Bosiu museum, explains that the image of Mt Qiloane is reflected in the 'mokorotlo', Lesotho's national hat, which adorns its national flag. Rantauleng, a passionate heritage forager, meticulously tracks the nation's centuries-long journey. He recounts that under the tutelage of Chief Mohlomi, Moshoeshoe learned to embrace and defend peace. The strategic hegira to Thaba Bosiu – chosen for its size, inherent safety, and reliable wells ensuring water security – was a deliberate pursuit of peace, as his previous fortress near Menkhoaneng had become vulnerable to raids.

Moshoeshoe's 4,000-strong Bakoena ba Mokoteli arrived at Thaba Bosiu one night in July, after an arduous nine-day walk during which they braved treacherous cliffs, encounters with cannibals, challenging rivers, and snow. Despite their exhaustion and the burden of their livestock, they ascended to the plateau's summit. Rantauleng emphasizes: 'So, see, you haven't been to Lesotho until you come to Thaba Bosiu. This is the foundation.' As part of this foundation, Moshoeshoe, amidst ongoing attacks, consistently fostered peace. His enduring legacy is embedded in Lesotho's national motto: 'Khotso, Pula, Nala' (Sesotho for Peace, Rain, Prosperity), and the widely popular greeting, 'Khotso', championed by his mentor, Chief Mohlomi.

Lesotho historically served as a sanctuary for activists fleeing persecution in apartheid South Africa. However, in the 1980s, Pretoria, under the false pretext of searching for political opponents and freedom fighters in exile, committed cross-border massacres in Maseru. Pretoria is also implicated in facilitating regime change during that period, replacing an elected politician with a soldier. Moshoeshoe's contemporaries included significant figures like Queen MmaNthatisi and King Hintsa, who was tragically killed by the British in 1835 after supposed peace talks. Another was King Sebetoane oa Mongoane, who led the Bafokeng on a northbound migration to the Zambezi to evade being 'eaten' or murdered, ultimately giving the wondrous Victoria Falls its Sesotho name, 'Mosi-oa-Tunya' ('smoke that thunders').

While colonial violence on the subcontinent began in the 1600s, the 19th century witnessed its most brutal manifestations, with the reigns of King William IV and Queen Victoria marked by ruthless pillaging. The region endured the destruction of polities, widespread land dispossession, human trafficking, and the systematic theft of cultural objects. The British, in a show of disdain, often reduced kings to 'chiefs', co-opted wrongful heirs, exiled and deposed monarchs, and even killed others, like King Hintsa. Despite being a relatively young nation, the Basotho consistently defeated the 'old redcoats', triumphing in both major battles they fought, as explained by the sexagenarian curator, Rantauleng.

The second and final significant conflict, the Battle of Berea, was, according to Rantauleng, an ambush. Interestingly, a party led by Ntsu Mokhehle was formed on the 100th anniversary of Berea. However, a coup orchestrated by Pretoria's Nazi-leaning John Vorster forced Mokhehle, the clear winner of the 1970 polls, into exile. Chief Leabua Jonathan, a pliant ruler, then ushered in a two-decade tyranny that severely damaged the founder king's legacy. Moshoeshoe, a staunch pacifist and the 'Morena e Moholo' (Great Chief), despite being peaceful, consistently humbled invaders, often magnanimously placating his defeated foes. Rantauleng posits that the British shy away from remembering the 1851 or 1852 battles because 'They're embarrassed. They cook crises, promise to teach ‘insolent’ Basotho a lesson, then ambush them, kill women and children. The British pretended to talk peace while planning to attack.'

This story, largely unfamiliar outside Lesotho, brings to mind historical blunders like Italy's ill-fated gamble in Ethiopia. Rantauleng emphasizes that 'Morena Moshoeshoe was a diplomat. He was a man of peace. So it didn’t matter to him who won because wars brought death. Wars always bring death. He forged alliances to water peace. That’s why he led Bakoena ba Mokoteli to Thaba Bosiu. It was to avoid conflict and loss of lives. That’s why he built alliances with King Shaka, with Queen Victoria.' However, the path to alliances could be fraught with peril. Before Berea, Moshoeshoe had famously warned the redcoats: 'A dog when beaten [would] show its teeth.' Yet, bullying often defies logic. The pan-Africanist freedom fighter Robert Sobukwe, in a letter, lauded Moshoeshoe's razor-sharp intellect and resolve: 'He cut the English forces to ribbons... and while [George Cathcart, Victoria’s representative] was in a state of bewilderment and humiliation, sued for peace!' Sobukwe equated this to the magnanimous gesture of boxing champ Chartchai Chionoi, who knelt before a defeated opponent in 1967.

Summiting Thaba Bosiu, though physically demanding, is an emotionally fulfilling experience. The Famo star Thope tse Khang's invocation of Nkhono Mantsopa, a revered Moshoeshoe-era prophetess, acts as a solemn call to commune with the founder monarch. The ruins of Moshoeshoe's sandstone house stand as silent witnesses to the present, embodying a profound sense of peace. It is a moment where the founder would surely nod in approval, whispering 'Khotso'. The serene mood on the plateau powerfully evokes Sipho 'Hotstix' Mabuse’s beautiful and elegiac tribute to Thaba Bosiu, the enduring cradle of the Basotho nation. Here, the sweet birdsong never fails to color the moment of reflection from this sacred height.