South Africa Holidays and Traditions - 739 Words

A lot of the holidays in South Africa came to be after Mandela and the ANC came into power. They decided to change them, making sure that they would mean something for everyone in the country, so that no one would feel left out and discriminated. Many of them were made to honor and remember the people who helped the country to where it is today, and who fought for a better future. Nelson Mandela did not want anyone to feel left out. One of those is Mandela day, obviously to celebrate the life and accomplishments of Nelson Mandela. Though it failed to actually become a national holiday, people still like to celebrate by doing something useful to their community for 67 minutes on the 18th of July, the day of Nelson’s birth. The number 67†¦show more content†¦They also celebrate by parades such as the world famous Cape Town Minstrel Carnival which can be compared to the New Year’s parades celebrated across the globe, for example, the parades in New York. Another thing which can be compared to New York is that the beaches in South Africa are packed with people on New Year’s eve, much like the streets, for example Times Square in New York. Christmas is also a big tradition in South Africa, and they celebrate just like other countries. They eat turkey, roast beef, pie and pudding (in particular the south african lekker pudding), exchange presents and go caroling. Though the food is a lot different than our meatballs, Jansson and ham, it is actually quite common food in, for example, USA. USA also eat this food on, besides christmas, Thanksgiving. The huge difference is that it is celebrated in the summer. They often eat out in the hot sun and instead of playing in the snow, they play games amongst the flowers. Then there are old traditions that has been around for ages. South Africa used to have nature religion until the colony period started and the dutch and the english brought in christianity. Even though most of the black people are christians, they still keep some of their old ways by making traditional dishes or killing and animal as a sacrifice when celebrating. People still respect and remember their ancestors and a lot of peopleShow MoreRelatedSouth Africa Essay1004 Words   |  5 PagesSouth Africa is a nation with a wonderful and varied culture. This country has been called â€Å"The Rainbow Nation†, a name that reflects the diversity of such amazing place. The different ethnic and cultural groups of the South Africa do, however, appreciate their own beliefs and customs. Many of these traditions, besides African culture, are influenced by European and Western heritage. The complex and diverse population of the country has made a strong impact to the various cultures . There areRead More What is Henna? Essay1002 Words   |  5 Pages Henna is a very old art, from over 5000 years ago. It is used in many traditions cultures and countries. 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