Celebrating our differences that unite us this Heritage Month
We all belong to the Rainbow Nation, so let's celebrate that
What a beautiful country we live in!
Sure there’s crime and corruption and the odd racist comments rearing their ugly heads, but there is also passion, perseverance and an overwhelming sense of pride.
Heritage Month encourages us to celebrate our culture and the diversity of our beliefs and traditions, but apart from celebrating our differences, why not use the time to celebrate that which unifies us.
We live in a country that boasts the Big Five as well as many beautiful tourist destinations. We have arguably the most colourful and beautiful flag in the world, a testament to our unity and diversity.
We have 11 official languages, twelve if you count the slang words that we all know. Words like chommie, ekse, awe and lekker live on through the generations and are understood, no matter which part of the country you’re in. There’s also our unique swear words that are known around the country, but we won’t list them here. We also have a unique anthem, one that many trip over while attempting to sing, but sing it we do with passion and gusto.
The goosebumps you get when you hear the anthem sung at a live sporting event is a testament to that. Speaking of anthems, we also have two unofficial anthems which are synonymous with South Africa.
Mandoza’s hit song, Nkalakatha, and Mgarimbe’s, Sister Bettina, are loved by young and old, and all races. There’s no arguing that when either song comes on, we can’t help but dance.
Shosholoza is another song that is proudly South African and one that epitomizes the South African spirit. Anyone who recalls fans singing it at the 1995 Rugby World Cup will remember how it brought the country together and spurred the Springboks on to victory.
Celebrating Heritage Day means we get to indulge in another proudly South African thing, having a braai. Forget the Americans and their ‘barbecues’, throw a chop and wors on the fire and enjoy.
We may have different languages and different slang words, we may have different cultural backgrounds and beliefs, but we all belong to the Rainbow Nation and it’s our differences, and our ability to unite despite them, that makes us a proud and passionate nation.
