Heritage Day: Presenters reveal what they love most about being South African
ECR's presenters talk about their heritage and why it means so much to them.
The 24th of September marks Heritage Day in South Africa.
To celebrate, our presenters share what this day means to them and they also share inspiring messages to South Africans.
What is your heritage?
"I am South African born and bred, originally from Cape Town. I've lived in Johannesburg and Durban, so I have a pretty good sense of what the country is like" - Stacey Norman.
"I am not really sure what my heritage is. I think my dad's side is Irish/British and mom's side is British." - Keri Miller.
"My mom is mixed with Tsonga and Pedi (Northern Sotho). I am Pedi." - Carol Ofori.
"Apart from the fact that I'm 100% African, I'm born in South Africa, so I am South African. But where my parents come from is another story. My mom is from Port Smith, dad’s from Scotland, so you can say Scottish is the strongest heritage." - Darren Maule.
READ: Heritage Day: There is no South Africa without heritage
What makes you proud of your heritage?
"I consider myself South African, and I wouldn't choose to claim any other place. This place is my heaven." - Keri Miller.
"The braai, the way we dance, the way we celebrate, the way we mourn, the way we use our voices, the way we come together, the way we have a sense of community." - Stacey Norman.
"I'm just proud of who I am and the fact that I was always taught to be proud of being an African and not necessarily just being proud of being South African, but being proud of being African from the soil." - Carol Ofori.
"We have a wall that stopped the Roman Empire from getting to us. So, our heritage is protected. It wasn't changed by the Roman Empire. So, the Hadrian Wall stopped the entire Roman Empire from coming into Scotland. Those are my people. We did that. Very very proud of that." - Darren Maule.
READ: Celebrate World Heritage Day at these must see KZN sites
How will you be celebrating heritage day?
"I will be coming to Stacey and J Sbu's braai." - Keri Miller.
"Working and braaing this Heritage Day." - Stacey Norman.
"Heritage Day will be celebrated with us doing those DNA tests. I'm so excited to find out my full DNA breakdown, whether I've got blood from Asia or not. I think it would be so interesting to learn more about myself from those DNA tests." - Carol Ofori.
"I will be wearing a kilt. I get it to wear it twice in my life, once on Heritage Day and once when I get married - and I'm not going to be doing the second one very soon." - Darren Maule.
A message to South Africans this Heritage Day?
"South Africans, my hope is for our Heritage Day is that we don't say anything negative about our beautiful country. A whole day of only praise for our land, our people, and compassion for where we are. Let's lift this country up, she's our home, she's doing her best." - Keri Miller.
"My message for South Africans on this Heritage Day is the world could use a little bit of kindness and in a country as diverse as ours, although diversity needs to be celebrated and appreciated and our cultures need to be continually immortalised by our youth, it is also important to realise that despite all the differences, we actually all have a lot in common and we all get to be here together and we have this very rare opportunity to learn from each other. And I don't think we take that opportunity up enough. So maybe this Heritage Day step outside your comfort zone, talk to somebody you wouldn't ordinarily talk to, try something you haven't tried before and embrace the fact that you live in a multi-cultural country where you are literally privileged to have so much that other people around the world do not have. Plus, it’s pretty here, so shine." - Stacey Norman.
"Enjoy your Heritage Day. Don't be prejudice in celebrating who you are. Celebrate who you are, but also understand that others are entitled to celebrate who they are." - Carol Ofori.
"It's important to know where you came from so that you clearly know where you are going. Also, another important message is many people can come from many different places and still want to go to the same place. No matter how different we are, no matter how divergent our past is, we can still have the same future." - Darren Maule.
"The last two years have really been difficult. All of us as South Africans have gone through a lot. We have lived under lockdown. We have lived under ridiculous restrictions and measurements, but we have pulled through. Just enjoy the day, love each other, because we have all earned it." - Vic Naidoo.
READ: The designer bringing her kingdom’s heritage to global runways
Image courtesy of iStock/ @Betka82