Hundreds of learners \u201cacross the wealth divide\u201d came together for a Derby at Christel House SA in Ottery on Heritage Day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Adri Marais, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Christel House, said five schools across the Cape joined together to learn about heritage and citizenship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cToday (Saturday 24 September), we are getting five schools together across the wealth divide and we specifically chose Heritage Day because our children come from a wide variety of cultures, languages, music taste and food taste.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The children who participated were Grade 6 to 8 learners from Christel House SA, Die Duine Primary, Rondebosch Boys\u2019 Prep, Mzamomtsha Primary in Mfuleni and St Cyprians Girls School.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s fantastic to have around 300 of them together here and we are making a potjie. We have 30 fires, 30Tpotjies and 10 people per fire and just sharing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSharing ideas about heritage, about citizenship, how to work together, how to collaborate and just how to be friends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis is our third year and we hoping to make this annual and, if all goes well, we will roll it out across the country and one day all schools will get together to do beautiful things on Heritage Day,\u201d said Marais.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Janine Welby-Solomon, project coordinator, said the aim of the school\u2019s derby day and the Simunye project was to bring children together \u201cwhose paths would normally not cross\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe have around 70 kids from each school and we are giving them a chance to engage, form connections and interact with one another.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The day consisted of fun activities such as a potjie kos competition, team games and creating a team emblem together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Welby-Solomon says they chose Heritage Day specifically because kids were from such different backgrounds and cultures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThey are on such different ends of the wealth spectrum, which means they don\u2019t have a chance to get to know someone outside of their circle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHeritage Day is a very important day because we thought the kids could learn about one another and understand one another, to experience the different heritages and cultures and to step out of their comfort zone,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Gerrard Stellmacher (14), a Grade 8 learner from Christel House, said he enjoyed making potjie with the other learners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTo me, Heritage Day is about connecting to your roots and about speaking to old people and basically learning where your family came from.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Noah Musikanth (14), a Grade 8 learner from Rondebosch Boys\u2019 Prep, explained that Heritage Day to him meant good South African culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHeritage is like your history, it\u2019s like the country\u2019s history. Heritage Day is also known as braai day and it\u2019s a good South African culture and to make a potjie and braai today is quite nice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe did our dances with the gumboots and that was quite fun and we also did our emblem which was quite interesting, coming up with names.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The teenager added that he realised some were more fortunate than others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019ve learned that because of the school I go to and my background I can be more fortunate and after looking at the facilities here, I am very grateful for my school\u2019s facilities.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Describing a typical Heritage Day with his family, Musikanth said he would normally sleep in, wake up \u201cto start the braai fire\u201d and then watch some rugby.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Shaffia Shushaiabu (12), a Grade 7 learner from Die Duine Primary, said he enjoyed participating in the gumboot dance because he was \u201creally good at it\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe did the gumboot dance as a school project in the second term which is why I know it very well,\u201d he said, adding that Heritage Day was about different cultures and that \u201cnot everyone is the same\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lisakhanya Dlomo (13), a Grade 7 learner from Mzamomtsha Primary, told the People\u2019s Post<\/span> that Heritage Day was about celebrating together as a country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHeritage Day means, I think, that you celebrate, I won\u2019t say your colour, but how you are. It\u2019s not about whether you are black or white but celebrating us as South Africans and we are in this country living together.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Calys Bloom (12), who is in Grade 7 at St Cyprians Girls School, said she enjoyed getting to meet the other learners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMy favourite thing was doing the potjie and the dance because everyone just joined together and came together as one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHeritage Day means, like everyone is different but in a good way and it\u2019s okay to be who you are. Just be amazing, being you.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Hundreds of learners \u201cacross the wealth divide\u201d came together for a Derby at Christel House SA in Ottery on Heritage 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