When is Heritage Day?
Heritage Day is a public holiday in South Africa that is always celebrated on September 24th.
If Heritage Day falls on a Sunday, the following Monday is observed as a public holiday.
Known as Erfenisdag in Afrikaans, the intention of Heritage Day is for all South Africans to celebrate their heritage, the diversity of their beliefs and traditions and remember their struggles against Apartheid.
Braai Day
In 2005, a media campaign was launched to rebrand Heritage Day as National Braai Day. Braai is the Afrikaans for a barbeque. The intention was to recognise the South African culinary tradition of holding informal backyard barbecues.
It's often said in such a diverse country that Braai is something that unites all South Africans.
While some felt this was an irreverent way to celebrate South Africa's rich heritage, the response has been to embrace the idea with South Africa's National Heritage Council endorsing the idea. In response, the National Braai Day campaign changed the name to Braai4Heritage.
Celebrating 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.
"The day is one of our newly created public holidays and its significance rests in recognising aspects of South African culture which are both tangible and difficult to pin down: creative expression, our historical inheritance, language, the food we eat as well as the land in which we live.
Within a broader social and political context, the day's events…are a powerful agent for promulgating a South African identity, fostering reconciliation and promoting the notion that variety is a national asset as opposed to igniting conflict.
Heritage has defined as "that which we inherit: the sum total of wild life and scenic parks, sites of scientific or historical importance, national monuments, historic buildings, works of art, literature and music, oral traditions and museum collections together with their documentation."
(Statement issued by the Department of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology, 17 September 1996)
Recipe
What better way to celebrate South Africa's rich heritage than with its most popular national snack - Biltong. This dried meat product is actually rather simple to make at home and you need minimal equipment if you are just starting. Make it now.
