The more Heritage Day and concepts such as unity in diversity are merely talked about, the further South Africa’s people are drifting apart because no real effort is made to recognise and embrace diversity.
The ANC government’s effort to dress a social construct for South Africa in a cloak of inclusivity foils any attempt to truly accomplish unity in diversity, and fails to truly recognise heritage.
This was abundantly clear during the parliamentary debate on Heritage Day when the speakers of the respective parties – from the ANC and the EFF to the MK – left no room for doubt that over the last thirty years, the people of South Africa have drifted further apart rather than coming closer together.
The most eloquent words and clichés are all meaningless if reality does not reflect and recognise people’s differences and diversity.
Cultural heritage is a person or a group or a community’s unique sense of identity, values, traditions, culture and customs passed on from previous to future generations. Tomorrow’s heritage is created today.
Heritage is paramount, especially in South Africa with its widely diverse people. It should be all about nation building and social cohesion.
Factors such as sport demonstrate how easily people can be united and share each other’s joy. But things do not always go swimmingly in sport. Those achievements are fleeting and quickly forgotten.
In contrast, things such as culture and identity are fixed, heritable building blocks, and enormous energy lies locked up in the country’s diverse people and their cultures.
It could help move the country forward and should be embraced, unfortunately, it is not happening.
Inclusivity leaves no room for individual identity nor diversity.
It is time to start celebrating Heritage Day in the true sense of the word.
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