Why Heritage counts

With National Heritage Day celebrated this weekend in South Africa, it’s maybe a good time to consider the importance of our heritage and why we

should teach this to our children.

Apart from enjoying the additional holiday, our heritage is something that should be cherished and celebrated. As proudly South African citizens we

have arguably the most colourful and diverse heritage in the world.

But what is heritage really and why should we celebrate this and teach our children about it?

Heritage is a term that includes everything that defines a culture and its people. It is as the name implies, everything that you inherit from the

past such as the way you dress, your traditions, your rituals, the food you eat, the stories told by your grandparents and your beliefs.

Heritage can also be found in objects, sacred sites, names of places and natural wonders.

South Africa has a number of World Heritage Sites, such as the Cradle of Humankind, the Vredefort Dome and Table Mountain – celebrated not only by

South Africans, but by people from all over the world.

All of these knitted together form not only your own cultural heritage, but also your heritage as a South African.

The answer is simple:

“History cannot give us a programme for the future, but it can give us a fuller understanding of ourselves, and of our common humanity, so that we

can better face the future.”

Robert Penn Warren

Or on a lighter note:
“Those who don’t study history, are doomed to repeat it. Yet, those who do study history, are doomed to stand by helplessly while everyone else repeats it.”
George Santayana

Use the time together this long weekend to celebrate the uniqueness of your heritage with your family.

Source: Test