South Africans to honor Heritage Day
The South Africans in Korea Network (SAKorNET) together with the South African Embassy will celebrate South African Heritage Day with an event at the Nanji Hangang Park and Camping Site in Seoul, Saturday.
The annual event called “Nanji Braai” and is in line with the Braai4Heritage initiative, one of SAKorNET’s flagship events.
September is regarded as Heritage Month and South Africa celebrates Heritage Day on Sept. 24. However, due to embassy schedule conflicts and travel concerns, the event was pushed up to Sept. 16.
“We were going to have the celebration on Sunday, but many of our members would have found it difficult to get back to their place of work by Monday as they live all over Korea,” said Raymond Manzini from the South African Embassy.
“So we decided on a Saturday, but that also was a problem because of an embassy event in Busan.”
The day will showcase South Africa’s diverse culture through attire and food including pap, a type of maize porridge.
The embassy will provide some local wines and a few dishes.
“South Africans are encouraged to come dressed in the various traditional outfits/representative outfits and to bring any South African dish to eat and/or share,” the event organizer says in the invite.
On Heritage Day, South Africans across the spectrum are encouraged to celebrate their culture and the diversity of their beliefs and traditions.
A braai is a traditional South African barbecue that involves grilling lamb chops, boerewors (a South African spiced beef and pork sausage) and other meat on an outdoor wood fire.
SAKorNET is a nonprofit organization that organizes social events for the South African community.
The Nanji Braai is from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and entry fee to the park is 4,000 won.
The campsite opens around 10 a.m., but other day campers start lining up at 8 a.m. to get good spots.
To get there, leave exit 1 or 2 of World Cup Stadium Station. Walk past the Homeplus in the direction of the main road. Catch a taxi there to “Nanji Camping Jang.”
The event is open to all nationalities. No pets allowed. For more information, search for Nanji Braai 4 Heritage on Facebook.