Heritage Month a moment to spice up the Family fabric

SOUTH AFRIKA has celebrated Heritage Month in September of every year since the country attained a democratic breakthrough in 1994.

With 12 official languages, isiZulu; isiXhosa; Afrikaans; English; Sepedi; Sesotho; Setswana; siSwati; Tshivenda; Xitsonga; isiNdebele and the South Afrikan Sign Language (SASL), added in 2023, South Afrika has come a long way to be where it is today, with a constitution that protects the rights of every group, person or sector.

But, just when you thought Heritage Month of September is only celebrated by this most southern tip of Afrikan nation, then you discover there's the United States National Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from September 15 to October 15.

That's when you realise September month has something Heritage about it, or has a lot of Heritage about it or even a lot of Heritage in it.

Whatever the case maybe, Heritage is celebrated the world over and has the potential to unite and renew nations, communities and peoples all around the world.

So what can be done to make the most out of Heritage throughout the year?

Of course, it all starts with the FAMILY, I suggest!

Children are impacted more with what they learn in their early years at home or are affected by what they don't learn in their formative years from home.

It therefore becomes of great necessity to talk and teach children about Heritage while they are still young.

Such an exercise, is more likely than not, to implant positive values in children from a young age which will serve as constructive guiding principles throughout their lives.

But hey! First of all! What is Heritage?
Heritage can mean a lot of different things to different people, sure you can imagine that one!

However, there are popularly agreed to definitions of what Heritage is, all around the world.

And those who may not buy into this Heritage thing, must be valued and appreciated for their constitutionally bound human rights and freedoms of choice, belief, expression and other liberties!

And back to what is Heritage?
For others it's histories, customs, cultures, traditions, philosophies, religions from ancient times, that define Heritage.

To others it's music; cuisine; art; dress codes; gathering of family and friends over meals & festivities; travel & leisure; visiting museums, art and historical galleries; sporting & recreational activities to name a few.

And to others it's some of these or all of these combined and possibly more.

A standard Internet definition goes something like this, "Heritage is the valuable collection of traditions, historic buildings, cultural practices, and natural environments handed down from past generations."

Well and good. It all sounds good. And cool too.

But, there's more, "Heritage shapes our identity, connects us to our history, and guides our future."

You liked the sound of that, didn't you?
So did I.
Well then, it turns out this Heritage thing is quite massive.

Check this out, some types of Heritage Tangible (Built) Heritage includes physical items you can touch and see like historic buildings, monuments, old tools, artwork, and archaeological sites.

Fabulous stuff, wouldn't you say? I think so!

And the non-physical customs and knowledge.
Here is included oral stories, traditional music, dances, languages, recipes, and spiritual beliefs.

Remarkable, hey?
Oh wow, natural Heritage involves the natural environment and biodiversity of a region.

This includes landscapes, national parks, rivers, forests, plants, and native wildlife.

Mind blowing stuff!
You bet, the Family Structure is a crucial component of anything Heritage.

In fact, The Family, it can be argued, is the foundation of Heritage!

Since the beginning of time!
The Family was there and it's still there today!

And by the look of things, it's gonna be there forever!

Afterall, those who are blessed with wisdom, have been telling humanity since the world began that we are a 'Human Family', or they discovered that along the way.

I suspect the later is more accurate!
Either way, a 'Human Family' we are!
So what's the fuss!!
Or more appropriately what is at hand here!
It would be that Family Structure is suppose to be uniting, supportive, loving and encouraging everyone to be good, to do good and always find comfort from the rest of the family, 'when the tough gets going; and the going gets tough'.

Yet, many can say that has not been their experience with Family!

But I want to believe that many others can still attest to the opposite, and they can testify of the unity, support, love and encouragement they enjoyed growing up and still do now. Hopefully!

And what about those who didn't have the ideal Family upbringing and setup?

A tricky one, if you ask me!
Suffice to say, there's a lot of education and training that needs to take place in our society for the recovery, healing and total development of all people, with special focus on those coming from dysfunctional or broken families!

Many of those in jail or those in psychiatric homes would make the bulk of the people who need extra assistance to become better citizens so they can reach the fullness of their destinies.

In times gone by, it has been suggested from various quarters, that the schooling system has a lot to offer, in-terms of making Heritage part of the curriculum!

I'm not counting on this happening anytime soon, I stand to be corrected!

Even if it doesn't happen, that's more reason why The Family unit should be the basis of building people through Heritage!

The Church can also be in the forefront of educating children and elders about their Family Histories, Family Customs, Family Traditions, Family Heritage!

The Church is also well positioned to promote positive Family Values, Family Reunions, Family Co-Operatives, Family Traditions including daily Family Prayers and Family Scripture Studies.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for example, runs a dedicated Family History department; and its online FamilySearch programs, accomodate around 8 billions names of our Ancestors and loved ones who have passed on.

Our Ancestors and loved ones can still live with us when we tell their stories and inspire others to make the world a better place for all us to live in.

The education of The Family would then need to involve the broader education of the community including learning about other peoples, customs, cultures, nations, histories and civilizations to name some.

The various groups who form the Heritage sector are needed to make their presence felt with good effect; and urgently, in advancing Heritage in all communities and homes!

We can also make our contributions in making Heritage an integral part of our lives by telling stories of our Ancestors and historical figures who shaped our world positively, tell even the stories of those who where on the wrong side of history and learn what happens to those who embark on wrong doings; we can also post and share content on Social Media and elsewhere on any activities related to Heritage.

Being vocal and visible will go a long way in mobilising society to pay attention and join in, the great potential of what Heritage can offer us all in getting us away from an Armageddon and get us all to a Renaissance!

For now.... Here's to Heritage Month 2026....

Mgudlwa has more than 25 years of experience as a Reporter, Editor, Blogger, Entreprenuer & Consultant