4 HERITAGE DAY ways to celebrate
weekend
TRAVEL REPORTER
HERITAGE month is celebrated during the spring, a perfect time to explore the outdoors. There are many healthy benefits to spending some time in the sun with your loved ones. Right now, in the age of Covid-19’s physical distancing and stay at home orders, there’s never been a better time, and bigger need, for the benefits of nature. We have put together a list of things that will give you some time in the sun while you celebrate heritage month Enjoy our natural beauty Fresh air, sun, trees. Nature is a magical thing, and according to some studies, can have strong healing powers – such as improving mood, boosting the immune system and increasing anti-cancer proteins. There is no denying that part of South Africa’s heritage is our abundant natural beauty. From its stunning oceans to its mountains and our vast savannahs, South Africa offers vast natural beauty. Take some time out this Heritage Day to celebrate what South Africa has to offer. Go for a hike, enjoy a day at the beach if
the weather allows, or even go on safari. For the latter, if you’re in the Kruger National Park, take the opportunity to learn about the heritage of the various areas there, such as the Kruger Station. The Kruger Station was built in the 1980s to house the heritage train currently parked in the Kruger camp Skukuza Attend an event virtually or in person if the group is small. The lockdown has left many people in isolation and in fear of socialising. While that has been good to stop the spread of the virus, many people have been subjected to mental illness and loneliness. With online events currently enjoying their halcyon days and smaller events opening up as lockdown regulations ease, why not use your day off to get your social fix? James Tagg, founder and director of the online events platform, Quicket, said since the pandemic, they’ve seen a number of creative options come through for Heritage Day this year. “For example, you can take
in your natural heritage with a beautiful rustic hike and braai, share a boerie roll and chakalaka on a five-star yacht cruise with friends, or tell stories around a potjie in the Winelands. Online, you can ruminate on culture as part of a heritage conversation series, or sit back and enjoy a foottapping Maskandi concert,” said Tagg. Learn more about other cultures through Google Now, arguably more than ever, we need to take some time to learn about other people and their cultures in a way that boosts our mutual understanding. If you can’t make it out and about for Heritage Day, you can learn about the history and other cultures, art and traditions with Google Arts & Culture. According to Google, Google Arts & Culture “is an online platform through which the public can view high-resolution images and videos of artworks and cultural artifacts from partner cultural organisations throughout the world”. There are many South African collections, stories and online
