Biological and Archaeological
Research
and Internships
Lajuma Research Centre
The Lajuma Research Centre provides research and volunteer
opportunities to students and volunteers from foreign countries and
from local disadvantaged communities. To date more than 250 students
and volunteers ranging from pre-university to Ph.D. degrees have participated
in the Lajuma programme or conducted their own projects. The Centre is
managed by Ian and Retha Gaigher, both with Ph.D. degrees and more than
30 years of research and teaching experience, and their son, Stephan,
who is a practicing archaeologist.
Our mission is to build up a data base of the environment,
bio-diversity, ecology and archaeology of this unique part of South
Africa with the assistance of local and international universities.
We presently have links with academics at the following institutions:
University of Wageningen (Netherlands), Durham University (UK),
University of Illinois (USA), Claremont Colleges (USA), Texas Tech
University (USA), American University (USA), Humboldt Institute
(Germany) and University of Venda (SA).
The Environment
Vegetation varies considerably from montane grassland to woodland,
thicket and mistbelt forest. The reserve contains a remarkable
diversity of plants, including a large number of endemics and rare and
endangered species. Large mammals include mountain reedbuck, red and
grey duiker, klipspringer, bushbuck, kudu, warthog, aardvark and bush
pig. All five South African primate species - lesser bushbaby, greater
bushbaby, vervet monkey, sykes monkey and chacma baboon - occur in
abundance. We have a variety of predator species such as mongoose,
honey badger, genet, serval, caracal, civet, brown hyaena and a high concentration of leopard.
Lajuma does not present the typical perceived African environment of
savannah, dust, heat, galloping herds of antelope and lions roaring at
night. It does however present a unique wilderness area with a
remarkable diversity of plants and animals, beautiful mountain scenery,
remote, unpolluted and tranquil yet within an hours’s drive of an urban
centre and access to, communication and shopping centres and good
medical facilities. You will not hear lions roaring at night but you
will experience tranquillity with more stars than you ever imagined
existed. You will hear fruit bats squeaking, bush babies calling, a
wood owl duet or a baboon giving a warning call from a cliff, possibly
for seeing a leopard in the moonlight.
Student Research Programme
Suitable for post graduate students (Masters or Ph.D.) or students who
have to write paper for their diploma or degree. These
students ideally have to obtain relevant literature and prepare a
project outline before their arrival at Lajuma. We will assist you with
the selection and structuring of a project based on your academic
background and field of interest and with the prior planning of the
project through email. After arrival you will receive an orientation
and be trained in the techniques that you will use. At this stage the
project proposal will also be finalised. Students will not be
constantly supervised and will work largely independently or in
groups or with a volunteer to assist them. Technical advice such as
plant identification or equipment use will be available whenever
required throughout the duration of the project.
Students can select a project of their own or participate in one of the
following main research fields (more information on the programmes will
be provided on request).
- Resource use, predator avoidance, social dynamics and range in
overlapping populations of Chacma Baboon, Sykes Monkey and Vervet
Monkey.
These populations are already well-habituated to human presence.
- The ecology and management of Leopard and other predators.
- The ecological dynamics of “islands of fertility” in a savannah woodland.
- Application of foraging theory (based on giving up density) to assess
habitat use, predator avoidance and community processes in rodents and
large mammals.
- The diversity, behaviour and population dynamics of reptiles and amphibians.
- Cross species information transfer in a vertebrate community.
- A long term study of the impact of climate change on plant and aminal diversity on a transect over the Soutpansberg Mountain.
Archaeological Programme
Man has been associated with the Soutpansberg Mountain Range for most
of human history. Two million year old hominid remains have been
excavated in the vicinity and archaeological evidence from the mountain
illustrates a succession of occupation extending from the early Stone
Age through the San, who left their rock paintings, and followed by the
Zhizo cultures and proto-Shona such as Mapungubwe and Khami and later
by Sotho-Tswana and Venda speaking groups.
The most prominent Lajuma sites are thought to date largely from the
later phase of Venda occupation and the evidence suggests that they are
refuge sites used in times of war and unrest. They are likely to be
associated with the Mfecane / Difaqane periods of the early 1800s when
Mzilikazi’s warriors were raiding the area and also to the later period
following the first white settlements at Soutpansbergdorp and
Schoemansdal and the subsequent period of raiding and skirmishes
between the Boer settlers and the native Venda people.
A general survey of the Lajuma area has yielded more than fifty sites
with signs of human occupation or activity. Some of these, such as the
Leopard Trail Site are of more considerable significance. The Leopard
Trail site is situated at the summit of a relatively inaccessible rocky
ridge cut by numerous deep, interconnected ravines leading down to a
grassy plateau in the north. To the south it is bounded by high
vertical cliffs and these features made it an easily defensible
hideaway for people and their livestock. A number of interesting finds
have been made so far including eggshell beads, glass trade beads, iron
implements, pottery and the remains of rifles and muskets dating from
the early 19th Century.
To complement its ongoing research and conservation initiatives in the
Soutpansberg, the Lajuma Research Centre is keen for students with an
archaeological or historical background or interest to become involved
in a research project with the aim of compiling a report on the
historical occupation of the area.
The project includes the mapping and documentation of occupational
sites and the recording of significant features, for example stone
walling or grinding holes, using standard surveying techniques. A more
detailed surface analysis of artefacts is undertaken and a photographic
database of in situ finds compiled. In addition to surveying and
documenting major sites, such as the Leopard Trail Site, surrounding
sites are documented and any relationship to the main site determined.
Research is undertaken to correlate any findings with the known history
of the region. This includes comparisons of pottery remains to
establish the culture and period as well as the identification and
dating of the various trade beads, buttons and weapons. Additional
information is gained through interviews with local people and
discussions with archaeologists and historians in the region.
Other Activities
Students and volunteers may have the opportunity to visit other interesting archaeological sites in the region. These include:
The Diepkloof Rock Art Shelter
Adjacent to Lajuma, this site was seemingly used for ritual purposes as
there is little evidence of habitation apart from a few stone age
tools. The site contains over 150 individual images and is of
significance for its hand prints.
Schoemansdal Museum
This open air
museum is situated on the site of the first European town in the region
and shows various aspects of the life of these early settlers.
Makgabeng Plateau
The Makgabeng
is one of the “undiscovered” archaeological sites in South Africa.
Approximately 360 rock art sites and many old settlements have recently
been recorded here.
Mapungubwe National Park and World Heritage Site
One of Southern Africa’s premier archaeological sites, 12th Century
Mapungubwe and the adjacent, older Schroda and K2 settlements clearly
illustrate the sequence of development of the regions first substantial
trading state.
Tuli Wilderness in Botswana
Across the Limpopo River from Mapungubwe, Tuli is today renowned for
its wilderness value and its elephant herds. However it contains
significant rock art and archaeological sites, the latter related to
the Schroda, K2 and Mapungubwe civilisations.
Costs
The accommodation fee is R3500 per month, payable monthly in advance. The first payment is
due on arrival. In the case of arrival or departure during a calendar
month, the fee will be based on the number of nights spent in the
programme during that month. The accommodation fee cannot be reduced
for absence due to field trips or private traveling. A minimum payment of R3500 applies.
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Accommodation
equipped with hot showers, flush toilets, a gas stove, fridge, tapped
water, washing machine, gas, firewood and electricity (220v). The
electricity is generated at a waterfall and is not suitable for high
wattage equipment such as kettles and hair driers.
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Assistance with projects (see description in previous section).
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The use of available scientific equipment.
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Transport from and to the bus terminus in Louis Trichardt (Makhado) during arrival and departure.
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Transport
will be provided to Louis Trichardt (Makhado) once a week for shopping,
visits to an internet café, landline phone calls, etc.
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Transport to Louis Trichardt (Makhado) for medical emergencies.
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Meals
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Medical costs
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The cost of consumables for research projects
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Fixed line telephone, fax or email costs
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Transport from and to an airport.
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We provide a pillow and a sheet but participants have to bring their own sleeping bag and towels.
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Transport to Louis Trichardt (Makhado) for private travelling.
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