What is the meaning of heritage?

Klasie Wessels
Sep 6, 2018 · 2 min read

In a general sense heritage refers as the sum total of our historical and social ecosystem. Something weinherited from past generations, maintained in the present, and hope to bestow to future generations.Heritage Day is an important public holiday in South Africa as it recognises different aspects of South African culture and encourages South Africans across the spectrum to celebrate their cultural heritage, the diversity of their beliefs and different traditions. But what use is all of this and why do we bother to look back?

Like a wake behind a boat, looking back has limited benefits. It may create context sure, it may serve to motivate and inspire yes, and it can give way to a change in attitude, but unless it propels us forward, heritage has limited value. There is something quite sad and vacuous about the celebration of heritage for its own sake. Like the anxious beating of a drum caught in emotional crosswinds.

We are all moving. Why are we moving? — to find happiness and make meaning of it all. And heritage should be used for this purpose. To serve the future and make the world a better place. At best heritage is a foundation or a starting point from which to build a useful future. Anything other than that is selfish indulgence. Patronising ourselves in a selfish spiral of self-interest that does not create a better world is completely useless. Heritage should reach outwards, touch others and be inclusive. Not grounded in fearful self-preservation.

As humans we have individual and collective rights to the earth’s surface on equal terms. But each one of us have an immense responsibility to preserve and lead the rest of the worlds’ inhabitants — here I’m referring to other inhabitants like animals, plants and the earth itself. We need to become mindful of our collective heritage and collective responsibility to bring the human race and the world closer to a cosmopolitan constitution of common understanding. Heritage should not amplify our differences. It should accentuate our common responsibility to make the world a nice place to live in.

So here’s to a beer-braai-and-sunny-skies Heritage Day. Let’s celebrate with an eye on a great tomorrow.

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