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So, it is National Heritage Day here in South Africa today. The day set aside every year for all South Africans to celebrate our identity and pride as a collective nation.
As the days’ entry in Wikipedia suggests, “Heritage Day, September 24, is a Public Holiday on which South Africans across the spectrum are encouraged to celebrate their cultural heritage and the diversity of their beliefs and traditions, in the wider context of a nation that belongs to all its people.”
Heritage Day evolved from its origins as Shaka Day in KwaZulu-Natal, to its present form. We are encouraged to remember and recognise the cultural heritage of the many cultures that make up the population of South Africa.
Born from his labelling of South Africa as “The Rainbow Nation”, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, in 2007, became the official patron of what was then called National Braai Day. Subsequently rebranded as the “Braai 4 Heritage” campaign, the initiative received the endorsement of South Africa’s National Heritage Council.
A visit to the Braai4Heritage site will give you all the advice, tips, recipes and suggestions on hosting your own Heritage Day gathering that you’ll need.
I’d like to especially encourage ex-pat South Africans wherever they are in the world to get it together today and to reaffirm their national heritage.
May the wors be with you!
7 Comments
And what message is all this wood-burning bringing?
Enjoy
Cindy makes a good point.
I'd suggest that if you are going to do the braai thing today, use gas.
Or if you insist on that "wood flavoured" ideal, select braai wood and/or charcoal that is derived from alien tree species and, as mush as possible, is of the low-smoke variety.
Braai the beloved country indeed!
wood is a renewable resource, people… lets not get hysterical…
Hello Jessness (& welcome to BlaBla)
I agree with your point entirely – and that too many people get too hysterical too often about such issues. There are more important things to focus on, in my opinion.
But…
I understood Cindys' comment to reflect the concern of adding to an already stressed air pollution problem. Her later post (Killjoy was here) suggests the same. http://www.blabla.co.za/2009/09/24/killjoy-was-he…
Oh come on CINDY, EARTH is full of trees! Lets BRAAI! I use gas actually….
@ Cindy. Wood-burning? What about animal sacrifice!
@Greg. Good point but how about giving some examples of which wood to use and where they may be found. I prefer gas as I can regulate the heat, it does not just burn out before the meat is cooked and is clean -no ashes to clean up [and starts straight away]. Most outlets just have packs of “wood”. On the road to Mabula last year, packs of firewood were being sold at the roadside for R8. At the Mabula store these packs were being sold at R15, but were wet and hence useless. I have never tried Bluegum or Wattle but would assume that they don’t have enough heat value and would not burn for long.
Hi Dozey,
(I’m tempted to ask how the other six dwarfs are, but I won’t
)
You make a sold point of requesting some examples of which woods to source – it was a bit daft of me not to include that info in my post originally. I’ll rectify it shortly, but in the interim….
My recommendation (and that of other ‘braaimeisters’) would be for Rooikraans wood (it’s an Acacia species), if you can get hold of it. It is an invasive species prevalent in the Western Cape area, so if you are in that neck of the woods (!) you should find it there.
As secondary alternatives, try for either Camelthorn (also confusing known as Acacia, as it is another variety) or Blue Gum (aka Eucalyptus) woods. Both are very thirsty trees, and both provide solid fuel for braaing.
All three of these should give you ideal braai conditions – hot and slow burning coals.
Good luck, let us know which you are able to find and the results. Even better, slap a fillet on the grill for us and invite us round!