Photos of Roma Valley, Lesotho

Roma is a settlement in the Maseru District of Lesotho, around 34 kilometres southeast of Maseru. It was founded in 1862 by Roman Catholic missionaries: hence the name.

Roma now has three seminaries and various novitiates. On 1 January 1964, the Plus XII University College was replaced by the independent, non-denominational University of Basutoland Bechuanaland Protectorate and Swaziland. after independence, in 1966, U.B.B.S. became the University of Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland. On 20 October 1975, the Lesotho campus of U.B.L.S. became the National University of Lesotho.

The Roma valley is broad and fertile and is surrounded by sandstone cliffs topped to the east by basalt mountains which provide magnificent scenery. The valley has several villages like Ha Mafefoane, Mafikeng and Maphotong.

People are friendly everywhere, and sometimes you may come across spontaneous displays of traditional song and dance. For example, boys doing the “Liphotha” or “Gum Boot Dance”, an import from South Africa. It came about when mineworkers would dance in their gumboots, singing, clapping their hands and slapping the sides of their boots instead of using drums.