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Heritage Day - things to do and why it's celebrated

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South Africa is known as a multicultural nation home to an abundance of diverse heritages, beliefs, languages and perspectives. As such, the relatively new holiday of Heritage Day marks the moment in which each individual celebrates not only their family background but also their cultural history.

To remind South Africans that each one of their individual stories is valued and important to what makes this country so great, we commemorate Heritage Day on the 24th of September every year.

Looking back

Originally, the 24th of September signified Shaka Day in the province of KwaZulu Natal to commemorate the history of the greatest Zulu King. However, after 1994, the newly elected parliament of South Africa believed that the holiday was not inclusive enough and proposed a bill to remove the day entirely.

Feeling a part of their culture being stripped away, the Inkatha Freedom Party (The IFP) quickly rose in objection to the motion. The IFP represented a large swath of ethnically Zulu people in the region and those days carried more parliamentary weight than they do today as the 2nd biggest opposition.

After reaching a well-rounded compromise it was decided that rather than striking the day from the list of official holidays, it would be reorganised into a day that reflects the burgeoning rainbow nation. Heritage Day, a day in which not just one but all cultures are celebrated, was incepted.

A single holiday pathing the way to a unified nation

"Our rich and varied cultural heritage has a profound power to help rebuild our nation." - Nelson Mandela.

As stated by our former president on Heritage Day in 1996 recognising just how diverse our nation is, South Africa is composed of many different cultural groups with over eleven official languages. As such, the term Rainbow Nation, coined by Archbishop Desmond Tutu signifies the longstanding sense of unity and strength that we realise through our various traditions.

Braai4Heritage

One such cultural pass time celebrated universally by South Africans is braaing. This is because there isn't any specific way in which we're meant to celebrate our Heritage. Because of this, braaing, which is a uniquely South African pastime, became an unofficial slogan for a shared South African trait.

Heritage Day went through an informal rebranding around 2005 with many people adopting the moniker of Braai Day. Since so many people enjoyed their day off in the afternoon sun with sizzling chops and boerewors, it quickly took hold.

However, not everyone took to the rebranding with the same level of enthusiasm and by the end of 2007, the informal name was rebranded to Braai4Heritage and was thus fully endorsed by South Africa's National Heritage Council.

Ways to celebrate Heritage Day

Although it's perfectly fine to enjoy a casual braai on heritage day, some people take to promoting the importance of cultural exchange more seriously. From immersing themselves in the heritage of other cultures to spending that time supporting local businesses and artisans, there are plenty of ways to celebrate the rich cultural offerings of our nation.

Thinking of learning a phrase from a new language? Or how about spending some time at one of our country's many cultural heritage sites and attractions? Why not take a look at the list of places below and plan out a fun family trip and learn something new in the process?