Last
week I celebrated Heritage Day with a difference. Originally
Heritage Day meant a day off from work for me to do chores, shopping
or relaxing. Usually there was a braai involved, as many South
Africans tend to naturally look for any excuse to make a fire and
braai in the outdoors. Heritage Day evolved into National Braai Day
for the nation as most city people of all colours, found themselves
doing the same. A fire, a braai and a beer in your hand pretty much
sums up most South Africans I think.
This
year was different. Living in rural Transkei and involved in
education, we were invited to Isolomzi SSS Heritage Day celebrations
and for the first time, I experienced the true meaning of Heritage
Day. The day was extra special because Rondebosch Boys High School
had spent the week on an outreach programme, where their top Grade 12
students, led by the head of the maths department, who had initiated
the programme, were giving maths tuition to Isolomzi Grade 12’s in
preparation for their final exams. Our Qolora Education Centre works
closely with Isolomzi SSS after identifying this poor, yet very
exceptional school in our rural area.
Theo
and I arrived at the school and we were ceremoniously waved in by a
group of women dressed in traditional Xhosa outfits, ululating,
singing and dancing. I felt special in my improvised version of a
traditional Xhosa outfit and wore as many beads as I had. Trying to
rustle up a kappie, a pair of veldskoen and a voorskoot to represent
my mixed English and Afrikaans heritage would have been difficult but
anyway, it was fun dressing in Xhosa culture instead. We brought
food to represent our heritage and Theo’s wasgoedbondeltjies and
sweetcorn fritters were placed in the centre of the group for
everyone to see, while he was asked to explain the recipes. Everyone
was intrigued by the fact that Theo had cooked it and not me, and
they loved the concept of “washing bundles”. Some Xhosa
traditional food was brought forward and explanations were done for
us before we moved to an area where music played for people to dance
and mingle. Later we were all seated and the festivities of
traditional dancing and praise singing were performed by Isolomzi SSS
students. Rondebosch Boys hauled out their guitars and a Jembe drum
and wowed the crowd with a few songs of their own. A Xhosa woman
took the floor and explained a little about their background and I
was please to hear her announce that these days, Xhosa people were
buying too much food as apposed to in the old days when they grew
their own food and had fewer sicknesses. Gifts and thank you
speeches were given and finally a group, lead by the headman showed
us their customary dance performed when young initiates return from
initiation rituals. The dance included singing, feet shuffling and a
sort of hissing sound which the headman directed. I was captivated
by the day’s entertainment and finally we all moved into a
beautifully decorated tent where the food was laid out with name tags
in English and isiXhosa. Everyone in the village had brought food to
share and seeing Ubuntu work and being involved in it, was a
fantastic experience. I had no idea that mielies could be cooked in
so many different ways, nor did I realize that home made ginger beer
is also a traditional Xhosa drink.
Spending
Heritage Day around a braai is great, but sharing the day with people
of different cultural backgrounds which make up our unique rainbow
nation, making South Africa a special place, is the way to bring the
country together. Embracing these different cultures and proudly
showing the world our wonderful heritage is a positive step which
each individual can do. By learning about your neighbours and having
some insight into their background can only result in better
relations I think.
