The Origin of Braai Day

 

Heritage Day (or Erfenisdag as it is known in Afrikaans) is a public holiday celebrated on 24 September every year. All South Africans are encouraged on this day to celebrate their culture and the diversity of our country’s beliefs and traditions, in the wider context of the nation belonging to all of its people. But where did it all start?

Heritage Day was known as Shaka Day in KwaZulu Natal to commemorate the Zulu King Shaka – the legendary Zulu King who played an important role in uniting disparate Zulu clans into a cohesive nation.

24 September was not initially included on the Public Holiday Bill’s list of proposed public holidays and as a result, the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) objected to this bill. The Parliament of South Africa and the IFP reached a compromise and from then on the day was known as Heritage Day and is celebrated as a public holiday. It is described as “when South Africans celebrate the diverse cultural heritage that makes up a "rainbow nation". It is the day to celebrate the contribution of all South Africans to the building of South Africa”.

 

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, some over the past few years that include:

• Former Western Cape Provincial Premier Ebrahim Rasool addressed the public at a Heritage Day celebration at the Gugulethu Heritage trail in 2007 in Gugulethu.

• In Hout Bay, there is an army procession and a recreation of the battle fought there.

• In 2005, a media campaign sought to "re-brand" the holiday as National Braai Day, in recognition of the South African culinary tradition of holding informal backyard barbecues, or braais.

• On 5 September 2007, Archbishop Desmond Tutu celebrated his appointment as patron of South Africa's Barbecue (Braai) Day, affirming it to be a unifying force in a divided country. 

• At the end of 2007 National Braai Day changed its name to Braai4Heritage and the initiative received the endorsement of South Africa's National Heritage Council (NHC)

Organiser Jan Scannell announced that the aim is not to have a mass braai, but littler ones with friends and family. Therefore the aim for National Heritage Day is to spend time with loved ones to reflect on South Africa’s diversity and the roots embedded within it.