History
Themba, the amiable housekeeper in the home of Patrick’s Parents in Natal was a Songoma (traditional African healer/diviner) who had said on more than one occasion to his Parents that “This one is always going to be surrounded by trees wherever he lives”.
When he first landed in Cape Town in the 70’s his 2 most indelible impressions were those of Table Mountain and ‘die Kaapse Klopse’ (the colourful troupes) that paraded through the main streets of Cape Town and Sea Point during the Cape Minstrel Carnival; a most joyful, lively and entertaining part of the city’s early history when all traffic came to a standstill. The event had always been held on the 2nd of January each year and known locally as ‘Tweede Nuwejaarsdag’ (2nd new year’s day).
It was originally a concession made by the owners of ‘slaves’ to allow them also to celebrate the New Year after they had attended to their ‘masters’ celebrations the day before. Both impressions had a bearing on the Peloha of today.
Cape Town of the 70’s
Die Kaapse Klopse
With regard to his love for trees and the ocean he naturally gravitated to Hout Bay, and when canvassing for a plot it was clear to him that to really feel at home on any small holding it would have to look onto Table Mountain. Although he enjoyed the tail end of Cape Town’s legacy of Carnivals, he regretted not being able to have experienced the wonderful pre-apartheid atmosphere of District Six… by all accounts so unbelievably human and without any awareness of race groups or politics. The closest he could get to this were 2 District Six lanterns that currently adorn PeLoHa in memory of the joy & freedom of a bygone era.
A view to the north-east from the grounds of Peloha…
looking out onto Table Mountain and the Orange Kloof Nature reserve.
Hout Bay was rural and ‘laid back’ in the 70’s. He enjoyed this way of life but the 10 acre small holding that attracted him was not for sale. When he approached the owner a second time he agreed to part with it and transfer went through in 1980. In spite of its extraordinary views and energy it was quite intimidating to try and walk on, being totally overgrown with alien vegetation and strewn with masses of rocks and rock outcrops. He referred to this ‘project’ as “Rotsenbos” (rocks and bush). Since then it has undergone 3 additional name changes, each associated with a different era … not only relating to this specific property but also in some way to Hout Bay as a whole.
“ROTSENBOS”
Fishing Village – rural area (1979-1985) before the advent of
Peterhof Road, when access was from the dirt road leading to the
farm ‘Davids Kraal’ (now the Meadows)
“ROADS-END”
Agricultural – smallholdings (1986 – 1996) after entrance pillars
to Roads-End were removed in order to give tarred access to the
development of Woodcutters Grove
“PILGRIMS REST”
Residential – Suburban (1986 -2017) during the transition from
private estate to a retreat centre
During this phase an alternative access route (Chrisiris Drive) was designed to
service not only the retreat centre but also the surrounding properties.
“PELOHA”
Hout Bay – epicentre of a Rainbow Nation (2018 – 2022) with the
growing awareness of the need to foster peace, love and harmony
between all aspects of the community in the vision of Madiba*
and the spirit of Sri Ramana Maharshi*
‘Peloha’ was the only name not to have been chosen by Patrick; it was given by a Guru in India that he has never met to this day.
COMING FULL CIRCLE
The last significant project was in many ways similar to the very first phase of ‘Rotsenbos’ except that it was no longer rocks and bush but rocks and trees.
During the first decade of meetings and retreats that were convened on Peloha it was noteworthy how many individuals were drawn during their tea or lunch breaks to what they felt to be a very unique and uplifting energy field which drew them inwardly in a ‘warm’ and silent way.
In 2014 when it was felt that a third hall was being called for there was no question as to where it was to be erected no matter how steep and rocky the site was. As this silent mediation hall was to be the heart of PeLoHa its centre was to correspond to the centre of this unique energy field, and once again the site needed to be prepared as during the very first phase.
The significant difference this time being that the site clearing was to be done in remembrance of the very earliest inhabitants of Hout Bay, namely the Khoi and the San people who were very close to nature. In order to honour the property’s earliest history, the preparations for the new hall were undertaken in their spirit (as best as could be imagined): Every tree to be felled and every rock that was to be re-located was treated as a special living entity of its own. All were adorned individually with flower-garlands & vibhuti (sacred ash) & blessed with Ganga water from Rishikesh. All had a small fire and incense placed at their base and individually informed when they would be required to be felled or moved.
This was done by 3 sensitive souls that were assisting, one of whom being a ‘tree-whisperer’ (for lack of a better word). In turn it was understood from the 3 giant Juniper trees that stood as sentinels to the site, that they were willing to be felled on the understanding that their wood would be dried and used exclusively on the site they had originated from (i.e. inside the Mountain hall).
