Every September we have the chance, as a nation, to celebrate and embrace an important South African public holiday. South Africa’s Heritage is the full range of our inherited traditions, monuments, objects, and culture. It is the range of contemporary activities, meanings, and behaviours that we draw from them. Heritage includes, but is much more than preserving, excavating, displaying, or restoring a collection of old things.
The purpose of Heritage Day is to expose people to the differences, to enable us to understand, respect and appreciate other cultures. There are positive things in every culture. If we can adopt or even just accept what is good in other cultures, we will grow as individuals and contribute to a more unified South Africa.
Heritage Day is all about unity. As a nation, we come from a long history of using our differences as a basis for separation. Heritage Day is an attempt, not only to remind us to celebrate and preserve our cultural heritage but to encourage harmony and a sense of belonging for every South African.
South Africa has rich, vast cultural roots and traditions that welcome diversity in unity and freedom in equality. With eleven official languages and an abundance of cultures, on Heritage Day we acknowledge the beauty in our differences and complexity; and celebrate where we come from, who we are and where we are going. It is important for all South Africans to celebrate our culture and heritage against the background of our unique diversity. In so doing, we build pride in ourselves and our nation as we remember the difficulties of the past and share in the victories of the present and raise hope for the future.
Our heritage provides clues to our past and how our society has evolved. It helps us examine our history and traditions and enables us to develop an awareness about ourselves. It helps us understand and explain why we are the way we are. In helping shape our identity, our heritage becomes part of what we are. Our expression of this identity shows others what we value; it highlights our values and priorities.As a country, our heritage is what we have inherited from the past, to value and enjoy in the present, and to preserve and pass on to future generations.
The Evolution & Development of Heritage Day:
- In KwaZulu-Natal the 24th of September was known as Shaka Day, in commemoration of the Zulu King, Shaka.
- In 1995 it became known as Heritage Day to recognise the diverse cultural heritage that makes up our Rainbow Nation.
- In 2007, after a pointed media campaign by Jan Braai, the day got nicknamed “Braai Day.” Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu was made the national spokesperson for “Braai Day.”
In an address marking Heritage Day in 1995-1996, former President Nelson Mandela stated: “When our first democratically-elected government decided to make Heritage Day one of our national days, we did so because we knew that our rich and varied cultural heritage has a profound power to help build our new nation”
South Africa has been legendarily referred to as the rainbow nation because it is made up of so many diverse cultures and religions.
To name but a few in South Africa, we have:
- Zulu
- Xhosa
- Tswana
- Ndebele
- Khoisan
- Hindu
- Muslim
- Afrikaner
All of these people are united by calling South Africa their home and has their own unique culture and identity.
South Africa has eight sites declared as World Heritage Sites proclaimed by UNESCO, these are:
- The iSimangaliso Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park
- The uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park
- Robben Island
- The Fossil Hominid Sites of Sterkfontein, Swartkrans, Kromdraai and environs
- The Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape
- Vredefort Dome
- The Cape Floral Region
- The Richtersveld Cultural and Botanical Landscape
What makes our country unique and inspiring?
- We find faith together, no matter the religion.
- We strive to love, no matter the differences.
- We persevere in adversity, no matter the challenge.
- We work to serve, no matter the difficulty.
- We impart our generosity & forgiveness, no matter the limitations.
South Africans mark this special day by wearing traditional outfits, eating traditional foods, learning about different cultures and spending time with friends and family.
Heritage Day should not be seen as a mere holiday and a day off, it should be an opportunity to embrace your cultural values and traditions.
This Heritage Day be encouraged to celebrate and recognize our nations cultural diversity, beliefs, traditions, values and history!
South Africa has its ups and its downs but one thing is always certain. When needed our rainbow nation comes together as an unfathomable force to be reckoned with.
At the end of the day, we are ALL South Africans, and our ability to grow and learn from each other is not only endless, but a gift. This will further allow us to grow as individuals and contribute to a more unified South Africa.
Happy Heritage Day to the BTI family & South Africa!