What is heritage in a 21st century world?

This morning I was reflecting about what heritage means in the world we live in. We want to hold on to what defines us. Do we even know what that means in this technology driven global world? Shifts are happening and that is impacting what heritage is. These are my thoughts this weekend.

Google states that Heritage Day in South Africa has a specific purpose:

Heritage Day is a South African public holiday celebrated on 24 September. On this day, South Africans across the spectrum are encouraged to celebrate their culture and the diversity of their beliefs and traditions, in the wider context of a nation that belongs to all its people.

Where does our culture come from? Our family, our neighbourhood or our country? I am grappling with this as I look at my own family.

We are four children, born in South Africa from parents who have lived here for at least five generations. For our childhood and early adult years, we were all still here in South Africa. Twenty years later this is what it looks like.

I am still here and very much South African but my daughter is married to a Thai , lives in Thailand and I have Thai grandchildren. My son and daughter-in law now live in the UK with British citizenship and my two British grandchildren have mixed accents and know the UK better than they do the homeland of their parents.

My sister, married an Irishman, her children were both born in Switzerland and now all have United States citizenship.

My one brother is still here with all three of his children but who knows what may happen with them as they seek work and marriage in the next few years.

My youngest brother lives in South Africa, but owns property on a Greek Island and spends at least 4 months a year in this beautiful part of the world.

This is the reality of what has happened in just one generation in one family. What does it look like for your family?

This is what I was grappling with this morning. What binds us is family and the love of the heritage we share. It is no longer all of us in one village but spread across the planet. Family values and the use of technology enables us to stay connected. That is what I am trying to do as I grapple with grandchildren too far away to engage with, village style.

We all have a love for this beautiful nation, South Africa. If anyone asks we are all proudly South African, even though we no longer live under one nation. Our love for the people, our environment, our seasons and that special piece of kindness and humanity that exists in most of us. It saddens me that we have come to a time where this is being destroyed by the few. I am pleased to see civil society standing up for justice, peace and good governance. That is the South Africa I am proud to belong to.

I spoke on legacy and heritage at church a few months back. A learned academic in the audience spoke about the decision we make when we make the decision to follow Jesus. He said we move from the country we live in to the one where Jesus, reigns. This makes sense to me too. That is very much part of my heritage now as a committed Christian and the words in the bible that say, “as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” Joshua 24:15.

We need to spend some time reflecting on heritage and find ways to build the fabric of legacy in our families, communities and with those we love. 

I am a child of the most high God, with a family I love around the globe.  I choose to live a life of service every day in my community and with those with whom I engage. I love my Nation, South Africa and pray peace, love and forgiveness for all of us in the days that lie ahead. May we become a Nation that looks after its’ people, especially the vulnerable, young and old and build an economy free of corruption.  That is my pray for all of us for heritage day.