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WHAT
YOU NEVER KNEW ABOUT SOUTH AFRICAN HERITAGE! 1. FROM CHINESE TO
FRENCH
- EVERYONE IN THE WORLD IS
SOUTH AFRICAN: All the worlds people are “twice South African”
because it was here that mans descendants and modern man both evolved 2. THE FIRST EVIDENCE
OF LIFE ON EARTH — YES — FROM SA: In eastern South Africa, scientists
have found traces of blue-green algae dating back 3 500 million years. This is
some of the earliest evidence of life on Earth. 3. METEORS HIT
PRETORIA 220 000 YEARS AGO!: 220 000 years ago a meteorite struck
South Africa, forming the Tswaing Crater northwest of Pretoria. This is one of
the most accessible and best-preserved meteorite impact craters in the world. 4. IF ALIENS LANDED
THEY WOULD BE THE PROPERTY OF THE STATE! According to the National
Heritage Resources Act, all meteorites are considered protected property of the
nation and there are rules regarding what can be done with them. Interestingly,
because a meteorite is defined as “any naturally-occurring object of
extraterrestrial origin”, this means that if an alien landed in SA he/she/it
would become the property of the State. Should an alien arrive and find that SA
did not suit its disposition, it would not need a passport to leave but it
would have to acquire an export permit from the South African Heritage
Resources Agency (SAHRA). 5. SA HAS THE WORLD’S
OLDEST REMAINS: The oldest remains of modern humans were found in
Klasies River Cave in the Eastern Cape. They are well over 100 000 years old. 6. SOUTH AFRICA HAS OVER
2000 SHIPWRECKS: There are more than 2 000 shipwrecks, dating back
at least 500 years, off the SA coast and more than one, including the Waratah,
simply vanished without a trace. 7.
TRANCE WAS HERE
OVER 25 000 YEARS AGO: Trance is nothing new to South Africa. In fact, bushman cave paintings in the
Drakensburg are thought to be the work of Shamans operating in a ‘trance’
state. Some of these are up to 25 000 years old. 8. THE SAYING "WOMEN
AND CHILDREN FIRST" COMES FROM SA: The practice of “women and
children first” originated off the coast of Hermanus when the British ship, the
Birkenhead, sank in 1852. Of the approximately 600 people on board, all 200
women and children survived. Unfortunately, almost 400 men went down with the ship. 9. SOME THINGS NEVER
CHANGE: Detailed documentation from travelers and researchers in the
Cape in the 1600s shows that more than 350 years later the traditional
“maatjieshut” residence of Namaqualand is still being built in precisely the
same manner and proportions as those of the KhoeKhoe people of the past. 10. SOUTH AFRICA THINKS
AHEAD OF THE WORLD: South Africa is one of the first countries in
the world to formally protect places associated with “Living Heritage” that is
based on stories passed down from generation to generation by for e.g.
Grandmothers telling children stories about the places in which they live. One
of the first projects in South Africa that looked at how we can protect such
sites took place in Dukuza (formerly Stanger) in KwaZulu-Natal. The town was
the site of King Shaka’s royal residence and interviews with old people in the
community revealed an amazing store of information passed down over nearly 180
years concerning things like from which spring the royal water was drawn, where
the King swam, under which trees particular events and councils occurred. 11. THREE MILLION!: South
Africa’s history and pre-history goes back more than three million years. 12. KAROO BOASTS THE
BEST DINOSAUR FOSSILS: The Karoo region is home to some of the best
fossils of early dinosaurs. WHAT THE CELEBS SAY ABOUT SA HERITAGE... Felicia Mabuza-Suttle,
talk show presenter
“I’m proud to be African and that is
why I stick to my maiden name Mabuza, which comes from royalty and makes me
feel like an African Queen. Heritage Day on the African continent, which is the
richest continent is a time to make our children proud to celebrate our new
diversities in cross cultures by marrying an American. I’m proud of Africa and
I will die in Africa as I celebrate the diversities in cultures within my
family. So, let*s celebrate our diversity” De Wet Barry,
Springbok Rugby Player “All of us have a heritage. For me, it means my roots as a South African —
the place from where I come, my
ancestors and my country’s past history. For me, having grown up in the Koue
Bokkeveld, heritage reminds me of Voortrekkers, national monuments and museums.
I am proud of being a South African and I call on the nation to pull together
to look after the gift which we will leave behind for the future children of
South Africa: our nation’s rich historical legacy.” Chris Linford, Rex de Koning - Egoli “Half my life was spent in Germany
and the other half in South Africa. I learned to appreciate both European and
South African traditions and values” Dawn Matthews, Paige Boswell - Egoli d“I have been asked, time and again
what exactly the traditions of my culture is. For me it is the people I was
born from, not just my parents. The environment and the community I was raised
in, that is what I remember, carry with me and will pass on to the future
generations.” Chanelle de Jager, Des de Pont - Egoli “South Africa is a country with a
lot of space and divine nature reserves. We’re all blessed to be surrounded by
this kind of open beauty. I believe this country has a lot of potential and a
unique culture.” Grethe Fox -
Stage actress “Let’s all make an effort to forge a
common South African heritage.” WHAT THE POLITICIANS SAY ABOUT SA HERITAGE... President Thabo Mbeki (taken from inauguration speech) “We must work to rediscover and
claim the African heritage, for the benefit especially of our young
generations. From South Africa to Ethiopia lie strewn ancient fossils, which,
in their stillness, speak still of the African origins of all humanity.
Recorded history and the material things that time left behind also speak of
Africa*s historic contribution to the universe of philosophy, the natural
sciences, human settlement and organization and the creative arts. Being
certain that not always were we the children of the abyss, we will do what we
have to do to achieve our own Renaissance. We trust that what we will do will
not only better our own condition as a people, but will also make a
contribution, however small, to the success of Africa’s Renaissance, towards
the identification of the century ahead of us as the African Century.” Deputy President Jacob Zuma (taken from 1999 National Heritage Celebrations speech) “Today Africa is recognized as the
cradle of mankind. In our part of the continent, we have a rich and varied past
that is only now being appreciated for its complexity and diversity. Indeed our
heritage is the foundation from which we are working to rebuild our society. My message to you today is to
rejoice in the richness of our society. I urge you to think of the countless
opportunities that abound for each of us, for our communities, our country and
our continent. I would like you to think of your
heritage, of how different it is, in many respects, from that of your parents.
Think too of salient features that link you to the generations that came
before, of themes and traditions that have shaped your life.” Dr Ben Ngubane, Minister of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology (taken from the 2000 Heritage Day “Celebrating out multilingualism”
media release) “The country’s multilingualism
should be seen as a resource with the potential to empower all South Africans
to participate fully in the country*s social, political and economic life.” Dr Ben Ngubane, Minister of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology (taken from .1999 Heritage Day celebrations speech) “What Heritage Day truly represents
is an opportunity to pay respect to the many cultures, languages, traditions
and diversity of heritages that make up our national identity. “As Albert Einstein said,
“Imagination is more important than knowledge”, and our imagination, our
creativity and rich and varied cultures, will support us in continuing to
realise our dreams. Dr Ben Ngubane, Minister of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology (taken from 1998 Heritage Day celebrations) “Heritage Day is a celebration which
demonstrates the extraordinary richness of the South African social fabric “All of us have a heritage — a place
from where we come, ancestors and past history. But, here in our fledgling
democracy, we are creating a new heritage and re-contextualising the legacy of
the past. A heritage in which we can
all find meaning and expression and share together as South Africans”. ABOUT SAHRA On 1 April 2000, the South African
Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) replaced the National Monuments Council as
the official governing body overseeing the protection of South Africa’s
cultural heritage. SAHRA is a statutory organisation established under the
National Heritage Resources Act. Central to the SAHRA mission are mandates to
encourage public understanding and enjoyment of the national estate and to
promote public interest and involvement in the identification, assessment,
recording and management of heritage resources. |