PROUDLY SOUTH AFRICAN

On 24 September we recognized and celebrated the cultural wealth of our nation!

Also known as National Braai Day, the intention of Heritage Day is for all South Africans to celebrate their heritage, the diversity of their beliefs, traditions and cultures.

The official government definition of “heritage” in “Heritage Day” counts it to include all that the people inherit, such as culture, history, wildlife, monuments, artwork, literature, music, folklore, languages, culinary traditions, and more. In 1996, president Nelson Mandela declared that Heritage Day would help South Africans use their “rich and varied cultural heritage“ to “build our new nation.” 

People celebrated this day in various ways: some attended a Braai or hosted their own, some visited Hout Bay for the reenactment of the Battle of Hout Bay held there around this time every year, some joined tour sites associated with Nelson Mandela’s life and career and some visited The Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg or the similar District Six Museum in Cape Town, both of which reveal the realities of the apartheid era.

However you celebrated we hope that you did so in a proudly South African fashion!

SAVE THE DATE

SAVE OUR FURRY FRIENDS

In recent months there has been an increase in the incidents of animal abuse and cruelty across the board. We have seen and heard stories and footage on television and social media where animals are being killed and tortured and neglected, left to fend for themselves on the streets and try to survive against the odds. 

If you are an animal lover or just someone who cares, you know that we should take a stand and protect our furry friends! 

Click on the link below to see a list of organizations you can contact or get involved with to help give our animals the love and respect that they deserve. 

DID YOU KNOW?

Zonnebloem’s beginnings date back to 1707 when a small farm (or market garden) was granted to Pieter Christiaans. There were numerous farms and market gardens on the slopes of Table Mountain and Devil’s Peak, and their original purpose was to supply the ships anchored at Table Bay with scurvy-preventing fresh fruit and vegetables for their long ocean trips. After a succession of owners, Zonnebloem (meaning sunflower in Dutch) came into the hands of Rudolph Siegfried Allemann in 1739. A man of some means – he was the leader of the Cape Garrison – he increased the property’s size two-fold and probably built the first house on Zonnebloem to accommodate his growing family, after relocating from the Castle. He died at Zonnebloem in 1762 and his son passed the farm over to Jan Hendrik Munnik in 1774.

Although the land wasn’t particularly fertile, Munnik may have wanted to use the Zonnebloem farm and house as a showplace, a symbol of his status as Captain of the Cape Cavalry – status being highly important. The homestead also boasted one of the best views in Cape Town, of Table Mountain and Lion’s Head with vistas of the sweeping expanse of Table Bay, laden with sailing ships as it was in those days. At some point in its history, Zonnebloem was also owned by a slave trader, and the West African slaves were reputedly kept at the farm until being taken by ship to the Americas, where many would have died from disease and inhumane conditions en route.

District Six, the vibrant area where different races lived amicably, sprung up on some of Zonnebloem’s old farmlands in the last half of the 19th century. The remaining grounds and house were taken over to become the Zonnebloem College.

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