Heritage Day (South Africa)
- Heritage Day (South Africa)
Heritage Day, September 24, is a Public Holiday on which South Africans across the spectrum are encouraged to celebrate their cultural heritage and the diversity of their beliefs and traditions, in the wider context of a nation that belongs to all its people.
Background
In KwaZulu-Natal, the 24th of September was known as Shaka Day, in commemoration of the Zulu King, Shaka. Shaka was the legendary Zulu King that played an important role in uniting disparate zulu clans into a cohesive nation. Contrary to western discourse Shaka was not a 'chief'.
The Public Holidays Bill presented to the Parliament of South Africa at the time did not have the 24th of September included on the list of proposed public holidays. As a result of this exclusion, the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), a South African political party with a large Zulu membership, objected to the bill. Parliament and the IFP reached a compromise and the day was given its present title and seen as a day
Celebration of Heritage Day
South Africans celebrate Heritage Day by remembering the cultural heritage of the many cultures that make up the population of South Africa. Various events are staged throughout the country to commemorate this day.
Former Western Cape Provincial Premier Ebrahim Rasool addressed the public at a Heritage Day celebration at the Gugulethu Heritage trail in 2007 in Gugulethu.
In Hout Bay, there is an army procession and a recreation of the battle fought there.
Controversy
In 2005, a media campaign sought to "re-brand" the holiday as "National Braai Day", in recognition of the South African culinary tradition of holding informal backyard barbecues, or braais.
On September 5, 2007, Archbishop Desmond Tutu celebrated his appointment as patron of South Africa's Barbecue (Braai) Day, affirming it to be a unifying force in a divided country (by donning an apron and tucking into a boerewors sausage). Organiser Jan Scannell announced that the aim is not to have a mass braai, but smaller ones with friends and family. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6981326.stm BBC NEWS, Tutu praises 'unifying' barbecues] ]
See also
* Heritage Day in Canada
References
Wikimedia Foundation.
2010.
Look at other dictionaries:
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