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Soviet: The Beauty of Diversity
There is a rainbow in my world today,
With every word your write my way.
Colors of emotions flow in harmony,
as they spread across the sky in unity.
Wrap me in your red, orange and blue,
fill me with the violet passion of you.
You make the sky shine after that rain,
softly your soul pushes away the pain.
In every luxurious line that you say,
you are the rainbow in my world today.
When it comes to heritage and culture, South Africa is the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Nowhere in the world is there a country with more culture and ethnic diversity, or a country that applauds its differences more.
On 24 September 2015 South Africans are encouraged to honour our country’s diversity in beliefs and traditions as we celebrate our 10th Heritage Day.
The Heritage of Heritage Day:
Heritage Day was originally known as Shaka Day, commemorating the Zulu King for his fundamental role in uniting Zulu clans into a cohesive nation. However, when the recommendation of the Public Holidays Bill was presented to the Parliament of South Africa, the date was not part of the proposal. As a result, the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) objected to the bill, wanting Shaka Day to be celebrated throughout the nation. A compromise was reached and the 24th of September was given the title of “Heritage Day” and became a national public holiday.
The Diversity we Celebrate:
South Africa boasts one of the most complex and diverse nations in the world. Of the 51.7 million South Africans, over 41 million are black, 4.5 million are white, 4.6 million are coloured and about 1.3 million Indian or Asian. The cultures are then further divided into four major black ethnic groups, including Nguni (Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele and Swazi), Sotho, Shangaan-Tsonga and Venda, Afrikaans and English (of British or European descent) white ethnic groups, mixed race coloured ethnicity, and indigenous Khoisan.
These different cultures lead to 11 different official languages spoken in South Africa, including English, Afrikaans, Ndebele, Sepedi, Xhosa, Venda, Tswana, Southern Sotho, Zulu, Zwazi and Tsonga. Of course, many other international languages are also spoken.
Each group has particular traditions, observations and heritage. There are a few celebrations that are shared by all, and new commemorations are made as time goes on. However, the one point that unites us all is that we are proudly South African.
“This is 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.”
Soviet loves South Africa, and all its diversity. That’s why we have a real denim for real South African’s needs and tastes. Our wide range of clothing and apparel celebrates being different, while making you look beautiful. Celebrate true South African heritage with us by visiting a Soviet store today.
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