Every year, we celebrate Heritage Day on 24 September. Dubbed Shaka Day by some and Braai Day by others, Heritage Day should be about more than dressing up in traditional attire or slapping meat on the fire for a braai with friends and family. It should be about reflecting on South Africa’s past and celebrating its diverse cultures, languages and food.
As a rainbow nation of people of all races, creeds and religions, it’s important to be proud of who we are and where we come from. This month, Skittles celebrates Heritage Day with its rainbow-nation-in-a-bag, and encourages South Africans to get in touch with their roots and celebrate their commonalities and their differences.
Here are a few ideas to help you celebrate:
South Africa is home to 11 official languages.
Take the time to learn a new word or phrase from one of our languages each day.
With 11 different languages comes deep-rooted tradition and culture.
Why not take the opportunity to eat something you have never tried before?
South Africa has an array of historical venues that tell us stories we might not have learnt before.
Visit a heritage site, such as the Apartheid Museum or Robben Island and find out more about how we became the rainbow nation that we are today.
Listen to other people’s stories.
Spend the day with someone who has a different culture and lifestyle to you.
Wear another culture’s attire on Heritage Day.
Show some love by dressing up in the traditional clothing of another culture. Everyone knows something about their own cultures, so why not learn something more about other cultures?
Ask questions, never assume.
If you hear a rumour about a particular culture and you are not sure about it, find out more from people who have the facts.
Read about other cultures.
Be it a book, an article online or a post on social media, if it teaches you something about another culture, then you are a little richer for the experience.
Celebrate Heritage Month by stepping out of your comfort zone. If you need an icebreaker, why not share a bag of Skittles and taste the rainbow?
‘The beauty of the world lies in the diversity of its people’ – so get sharing!
