Heritage Day Description
Celebrates the rich, multi-layered cultural heritage of South Africa — from the indigenous Khoisan and Nguni traditions, to Afrikaner voortrekker history, to Zulu, Xhosa, Sotho, Venda, Indian, Coloured, and all the communities that constitute the nation. Originally commemorating King Shaka Zulu, Heritage Day has been reimagined as a celebration of all cultural traditions. Communities across the country host cultural festivals featuring traditional dress, music, dance (from Zulu indlamu to Cape Malay ghoema to Afrikaans volkspele), storytelling, and foods. Government offices, banks, and most businesses close. The day has been embraced with the affectionate moniker 'National Braai Day' — a campaign initiated by Nobel laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who declared the braai (barbecue) as South Africa's great unifier, transcending race, class, and religion. On Heritage Day, the aroma of boerewors, steak, and mielie pap wafts from gardens, townships, and farms across the land, as South Africans celebrate their diversity through the simple, shared ritual of cooking over an open fire.
