Heritage Month at the GC

The GC celebrated an amazing Heritage Month through various activities. Please see our full photo gallery below the article.

We started the month out with an amazing combined BC/GC isiZulu/Sesotho heritage evening, followed by heritage discussions in the AvZ Quad. Our BC/GC/GP Sesotho Departments presented a Basotho cultural day with visitors from Curro Vanderbijlpark, Kingsmead and St Peter’s.

isiZulu/Sesotho event

Heritage Day discussions

Basotho Cultural Day

Photo: David Gadd

On Friday, 30 September, we celebrated National Representation Day to highlight all our staff and students who have represented their country on the international stage. We also celebrated our alumni on the College's social media channels.

We also had two OSA reunions during this month: the Classes of 2002 and 2012. They came to celebrate their 20- and 10-year reunions, respectively, and reminisce about their shared heritage of ‘happy, youthful years’.

Class of 2002

National Representatives

Class of 2012

However, the highlight was undoubtedly our Heritage Fair on Friday, 23 September. We kicked off with a special assembly that included traditional Indian, Zulu and Sotho dancing and an address from Mr Souayibou Varissou, Executive Director of the African World Heritage Fund. The quad was decorated with bunting in designs that our community submitted.

We moved into rotations covering the following four areas:

• At the language stations, students and teachers could immerse themselves in conversational Spanish, French and Hindi, to name just a few of the languages that were on offer.
• The traditional dance stations was made up of our Grade 9 isiZulu and Grade 11 Sesotho dances. We were also joined by Grade 9 traditional Indian dancers, as well as Ms Andrea El-Naddaf, who taught the students and teachers Dubkeh dancing. The Afrikaans Department also had a sokkie workshop.
• In the cultural artefacts stations, students and teachers were taught about mehndi art and the significance behind this traditional practice. A few students got to try their hand at traditional music by learning to play the djembe drum, while others got a lesson in Jewish, Muslim and African head-wrap techniques. We also invited one of our greatest Saints supporters, Mr Itso Tembo, who is the gentleman you often see outside the Bishop Malinga Gate selling handmade beadwork. Our Life Sciences Department taught us about the importance of our natural heritage.
• The food station was a firm favourite as students and teachers had culinary experiences from near and far. We showcased South African favourites, rusks, fat cakes and gemmerbier (ginger beer), as well as some Jewish, Italian and English dishes.

Overall, the day was a wonderful celebration of One and All.