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I’M STILL FIERCELY SOUTH AFRICAN!
Happy 2013! Maybe one of your new year resolutions is to reconnect with home, right here in your patch of Britain? We’re here to help!
H
by HEATHER WALKER
appy New Year to all our readers! May 2013 bring you love, health, happiness, adventure and prosperity! Maybe you’re feeling out of touch with your South African roots and one of your new year resolutions is to reconnect with home? Well, we’re here to help with some fun suggestions on how to feel more proudly South African, right here in your patch of Britain: Learn a South African language Regret never learning Zulu, Xhosa, Sotho or Afrikaans at school? You’re never too old to start. There are a number of online courses or even better, you could use our Facebook group (facebook.com/ thesouthafrican) to connect with native speakers in the UK to give you some personal tuition. If nothing else, why not learn some basic phrases in Xhosa or Zulu that you can use next time you fly back home. Nothing brightens someone’s day better than being greeted in their language (even if the pronunciation is slightly off).
Start the new year by acquainting yourself with some of South Africa’s rising new stars, such as singer Lira, who will perform at President Barack Obama’s inauguration ball this month. See page 2 for full story.
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Learn the words to the national anthem Feel that stirring inside whenever they play the opening bars of ‘Nkosi Sikelel’iAfrica’ before the
Springbok rugby games but find yourself sheepishly mumbling half the words when the song kicks in? It’s time to act! Start by looking up the lyrics (and meaning) and then follow the phonetic guide to pronunciation in the video on our website (www. thesouthafrican.com/news). Soon you’ll be belting it out better than Ard Matthews and Ras Dumisani in duet. Get into the kitchen Craving your ouma’s koeksisters? Why not dig out her old recipe book or buy one such as Evita Bezuidenhout’s Kossie Sikelela or Ukutya Kwasekhaya: Tastes from Mandela’s Kitchen. Nothing says home like some lekker soulfood. Think vetkoek, pap en sous, chakalaka, samp and beans, bobotie, malva pudding, pumpkin fritters… Join a South African club or networking group Join one of the many Facebook groups for South Africans in different parts of the UK, to find out about the numerous SA meet-ups and events throughout the year. If you’re in London and want to do some business networking, why not become a member of the Breakfast Indaba or South African Chamber of Commerce UK. ...continues on next page
INSIDE:
South African wins MasterChef Ireland | p5 Former Knysna resident Tamarin Blackmur competed against 50 other contenders over a gruelling 10 weeks to win the prestigious MasterChef Ireland 2012 award.
The Optimist: Will 13 be my lucky number? | p5 I feel traitorous leaving the year. On the other hand, the idea of beginning again is like new stationery, like a new diary, all white and blank.
SA Power 100: Paul Holden | p6 London-based South African researcher and investigative journalist Paul Holden tells us about the dangerous business of writing books such as ‘The Arms Deal in your Pocket’.
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