Ombo (Kaleo) Hill

On p.393 under ‘Kaleo and surrounds’ you speak of a hill called Kaleo Hill. The hill is actually named Ombo mountain, after the village at the foot of the mountain. The Ombo village leaders (chief and tendana) are caretakers of this hill. Permission to climb the hill is to be asked for at Ombo, not Kaleo. The village also
offers information and, on request, can supply a guide to the best paths. Around 1905, Ombo Mountain was one of the places where local people succesfully held off the men of feared slave raider Babatu Zato, only weeks before the latter’s final defeat.  Please be so kind as to correct the insertion in the next edition – the people of Ombo will be grateful to you. Nick van Wouwen

One thought on “Ombo (Kaleo) Hill

  1. Simon Amy Gornah says:

    Thanks to Nick van Wouwen for rightfully updating the article on Ombo Hill. Am a citizen of Ombo and have always been ill at ease when people wrongly call the hill Kaaha hill or as I just saw now Kaleo Hill..It’s true that permission should be taken from the people of Ombo to visit the hill but I emplore that the people of Ombo should not use this as an advantage to extort money from tourists. In this regards a modus vivendi is needed between the local people and the local council to set up structures and guidelines in conformity with the international tourist board to upgrade the conditions of the hill to mete tourists demands and avoid the abuse on the ownership of the hill.

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