Culture of South Africa

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There is no single Culture of South Africa. As South Africa is so ethnically diverse, it is not surprising that there are vast cultural differences as well.

Main Cultural differences

Because of the legacy of Apartheid segregation, many cultural differences correspond closely to the racial groups defined by Apartheid (Blacks, Whites, Coloureds, Asians). This may change as assimilation progresses, although as of 2004 many cultural differences between Apartheid-defined racial groups persist.

Black people

The country's black majority still has a substantial number of rural inhabitants who lead largely impoverished and simple lives. However, blacks are increasingly urbanised and westernised, and usually speak English or Afrikaans in addition to their native tongue, which may be one of nine Bantu languages with official status since 1994. These include the Nguni languages, Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele and Swazi, and the Sotho languages, which include Tswana, Sotho and Northern Sotho. Cultural differences between speakers from the two language groups are comparable to those between speakers of German and Italian.

The Venda language is quite different to the foregoing and has its origins in Zimbabwe.

The Tsonga language is also unique, although in some instances there are Nguni influences. It is sometimes called Shangaan, although many speakers of the language find this term unacceptable. The name Shangaan can be traced to the Zulu chief Soshangane who subjugated many clans in the nineteenth century, but communities who stem from clans that were never subjugated do not accept this name. Linguistically the languages are similar but culturally there is a difference between the vaTsonga and maShangana people and the xiTsonga and xiShangana languages.

Many urban blacks speak several indigenous languages, with Zulu being a lingua franca in the Johannesburg area.

Most are Christian, with membership of the Anglican and Roman Catholic churches being strong as is membership of the predominantly black Zion Christian Church, although many still follow traditional beliefs, many often consulting a sangoma. There is a vibrant indigenous culture, with local popular music forms, such as kwaito, locally mixed house while black South African musicians such as Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Mahotella Queens, Miriam Makeba, and Hugh Masekela are well known internationally.

White people

The white minority lead lifestyles similar in many respects to whites found in Europe, North America and Australasia, with sport being immensely popular. The braai (short for braaivleis or barbecue) is another national pastime, epitomised by an old advertising slogan for Chevrolet cars in the 1960s: Braaivleis, rugby, sunny skies and Chevrolet.

Religious beliefs are also strong, with most Afrikaners adhering to the Dutch Reformed Church. Most English-speaking whites are either Anglican or Roman Catholic. Perhaps 90,000 whites are Jewish, with a similar number being of Portuguese origin. There are some Greeks and Christian Lebanese.

Coloured (Mixed-Race) people

The mixed-race Coloureds are, culturally speaking, much closer to whites, especially Afrikaans speakers, whose language and religious beliefs they share, than they are to black South Africans, despite suffering considerable discrimination under apartheid. A small minority of Coloureds, known as Cape Malays are Muslim. Well known members of the community include Springboks rugby union players Chester Williams, Breyton Paulse and Bryan Habana, and jazz musicians Jonathan Butler and Abdullah Ibrahim (also known as Dollar Brand).

Asian people

Asians, (predominantly Indian origin) preserve their own cultural heritage, languages and religious beliefs, being predominantly Christian, Hindu or Muslim, and speaking English, with Indian languages like Tamil, Hindi, Telugu or Gujarati being spoken less frequently. Small Chinese, Japanese and Korean populations exist in South Africa as well. However, during recent decades, the number of Chinese have increased due to the influx of immigrants from mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Protection of Cultural Rights

The rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities are protected in the constitution by the Commission for the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities. This is a Chapter 9 Institution which was created by the constitution.

Sex and gender

Gender issues

South Africa demonstrates significant differences between the experiences of men and women. Cultural attitudes towards women tend to demonstrate inequality. The poorest and most disadvantaged people in South Africa remain black women, and women are disadvantaged in terms of their earning power, their access to education and their employment status. In addition, South African women face cultural chauvinism in other areas: for example, in some traditional southern African cultures, a woman cannot own property.

However, the South African Government is attempting to correct the long lasting gender discrimination, which has reigned for many years, through Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) projects, especially in subsidizing and favoring Black Woman Owned (BWO) companies. As well as requiring all business to have a BEE Rating. Basically meaning that all businesses are forced to have Black citizens in managerial positions, and have minimum quota systems for Black employees.

Sexual orientation

South Africa offers all its citizens, including gay men and lesbians, equality under the 1996 constitution. In July 2002, the High Court of South Africa in Bloemfontein ruled that to deny same-sex couples the right to marry equally is discriminatory and thus unconstitutional. While many conservative South Africans remain opposed to homosexuality [1], in some southern African cultures sex between adolescent males is normal and unremarkable (e.g. the Swazi practice of amantanyula [2]).

International cultural boycott

Many countries imposed cultural boycotts on the apartheid regime, meaning that South Africa was banned from the Olympic Games until 1992, as well as rugby union and cricket. The 1971 Springbok rugby tour to Australia sparked mass protest and a state of emergency was even declared in Queensland. When the all-white national rugby team, the Springboks, toured New Zealand in 1981, it provoked public outrage, as did the decision of the British rock group Queen to perform in the Sun City resort in the bantustan of Bophuthatswana. Paul Simon caused controversy when he recorded his Graceland album with the South African group Ladysmith Black Mambazo, even though all its members were black.

Until the 1990s, the British actors' union, Equity, imposed a boycott on the sale of TV programmes to South Africa, although the state-controlled South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) happily bought U.S. programmes instead.

Famous South Africans

Politics

Nelson Mandela is perhaps the most famous South African. Other famous politicians include F. W. de Klerk and Steve Biko. From the early 20th century there is also Jan Smuts (who was perhaps South Africa's only international statesman until Mandela). D. F. Malan, Hendrik Verwoerd and J G Strijdom were architects of Apartheid. Beginning in the 1960's, Harry Schwarz became a national figure in the fight against Apartheid. Perhaps the world's most famous Anglican clergyman and political activist Desmond Tutu. Winnie Mandela is loved by some and despised by others, but known by all. Helen Suzman was for years the only "one person, one vote" democrat in parliament. Other famous South Africans are former State President Thabo Mbeki, current president of the African National Congress, the controversial Jacob Zuma and Inkatha Freedom Party leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi.

Literature

Writers like Nadine Gordimer and J. M. Coetzee have also found international acclaim, both being winners of the Nobel Prize for Literature. J. R. R. Tolkien, author of The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion was born in Bloemfontein, South Africa in 1892.

Sport

Well known South African sports stars include:

• Athletics: Zola Budd, Oscar Pistorius, Bruce Fordyce, Ernst van Dyk
• Boxing: Baby Jake Matlala
• Cricket: Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis, Makhaya Ntini, Graeme Pollock, Shaun Pollock, Ashwell Prince, Jonty Rhodes
• Football (soccer): Doctor Khumalo, Benni McCarthy, Patrick "Ace" Ntsoelengoe, Lucas Radebe, Jomo Sono
• Golf: Ernie Els, Retief Goosen, Trevor Immelman, Gary Player
• Motorsport: Jody Scheckter
• Rugby
  • Players: Naas Botha, Schalk Burger, Danie Craven (also coach and administrator), Morne du Plessis, Frik du Preez, Os du Randt, Danie Gerber, Bryan Habana, Victor Matfield, Percy Montgomery, Hennie Muller, Bennie Osler, Francois Pienaar, John Smit, Joost van der Westhuizen, Chester Williams
  • Coaches: Kitch Christie, Peter de Villiers, Nick Mallett, Jake White
• Swimming: Natalie du Toit, Ryk Neethling
• Tennis: Amanda Coetzer, Kevin Curren, Johan Kriek

Theatre, film and television

While South Africa was isolated by the cultural boycott in the 1980s, there are now many well-known South African performing artists and writers. They include playwrights such as Athol Fugard, and satirist Pieter Dirk Uys, actors like Anthony Sher, Hollywood stars like Oscar-winner Charlize Theron, and The Mummy Returns co-star Arnold Vosloo. Also, the creator of the popular children's show Thomas and Friends, Britt Allcroft, was born in Johannesburg.

Music

In music, the groups African Jazz Pioneers and Ladysmith Black Mambazo have found popularity worldwide. Ladysmith Black Mambazo's collaboration with Paul Simon in 1986 (which resulted in their extreme fame across the world) paved the way for many other South African musicians to gain popularity amongst international audiences, such as Mahlathini and the Mahotella Queens, who popularized mbaqanga music across the world. Two white rock artists of South African origin are Dave Matthews, lead singer of the Dave Matthews Band, and Manfred Mann. Miriam Makeba, a singer who first found fame in the anti-apartheid movie Come Back, Africa, Dudu Pukwana, a gifted jazz musician, and Abdullah Ibrahim (Dollar Brand), being on the wrong side of the colour bar, had to leave South Africa to fully exploit their talents — their music was not played on South African radio. Johnny Clegg and Sipho Mchunu formed the massively successful band Juluka, which went onto gain worldwide fame (as did Clegg's later band, Savuka). The alt-metal group Seether also features two prominent members of South African origin, guitarist and vocalist Shaun Morgan and bassist Dale Stewart and have received considerable play on mainstream radio and music television in the U.S. James Phillips was a prominent liberal rock musician of the 1980s. Lead singer of power metal band, DragonForce, ZP Theart hails from Clanwilliam, South Africa.

Sport

Major sports

See also Sport in South Africa

Many Sports have a passionate following, although it remains largely divided on ethnic lines and is still largely seen (in the words of a former member of Women and Sport South Africa) as "the domain of men". In 1997, one writer described "massive gender inequalities in the sporting structures of the country, and a strong association between sport and masculinity". The most popular sport among black South African men is soccer, with the national team being nicknamed Bafana Bafana (meaning 'The Boys'). South Africa will be hosting the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the first soccer World Cup to be held in Africa.

Rugby union is one of the most popular sports in South Africa, especially among Afrikaners. The national rugby union team are known as the Springboks. The Springboks famously hosted and won the 1995 Rugby World Cup, it was their first appearance at the World Cup. The defeat of the New Zealand All Blacks in the final is remembered as one of the most famous South African sporting moments and was also a very significant factor in defining a national identity for post-apartheid South Africa. President Nelson Mandela wore the Springbok jersey, once only worn by whites, at the presentation of the trophy. The domestic league - the Currie Cup is also played annually, as well as the international Super 14.

Cricket is traditionally popular among whites though its popularity has grown markedly amongst other groups. Since re-admission to the ICC the national team has consistently ranked in the top three in the world in both the One-Day and Test forms of the game.

The country has a number of disabled athletes, most notably the double amputee world record holder at 100 m, 200 m and 400 m - Oscar Pistorius, world wheelchair marathon champion Ernst van Dyk and swimmer Natalie du Toit.

Surfing South Africa has a long coastline(East coast/West coast) and also a large surfing population. The surfing culture is strong and South Africa competes internationally. It is the home of the famous right hander Super Tubes in J-Bay. Also world famous surfer and former world champion Shaun Tomson played a large role in the free lifestyle culture. South Africa also have its own cult surf brands. The South African surf culture is very brand conscious and most of the country even inland wear surf apparal.

Food

See also Cuisine of South Africa

The braai or barbecue is widely popular, especially with whites, and includes meat, especially boerewors or spicy sausages, and mielies (maize) or Mielie-meal, often as a porridge, or pearl millet, a staple food of black South Africans. Pastries such like koeksusters and desserts like melktert (milk tart) are also universally popular. Vegetarianism is becoming widely accepted.

Another favourite among most South Africans is biltong, a form of dried meat usually made from beef or game, and often consumed while watching sporting events. Biltong is extremely popular and is widely loved by people of all cultures.

Indian food like curry is also popular, especially in Durban with its large Indian population. Another local Indian Durban speciality is the 'bunny' or bunny chow, which consists of a hollowed-out loaf of white bread filled with curry. Cape Malay dishes have their origins in Southeast Asia. Bobotie is a popular dish (originating in Europe) which was adapted to suit the Cape Malay palate. It is made from curried lamb, fruit and bread, served with rice, and sosatie, a type of barbecued meat. More recently, Pakistani and Indian restaurants have been opened in major cities by recent immigrants, and provide a more "authentic" South Asian dining experience.

The Portuguese community has also made its mark, with spicy peri-peri chicken being a favourite. The South African Portuguese-themed restaurant chain Nando's now has restaurants in the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia and Kenya.

TV and films

Television, which for political reasons was not introduced in South Africa until 1976, is also popular. Traditionally, U.S. programmes have dominated TV schedules. Programmes like The Bold and the Beautiful have been popular with South Africans of all races, but locally produced soap operas or 'soapies' now draw a large audience and are exported all over Africa. The SABC drama series Shaka Zulu, based on the true story of the Zulu warrior King Shaka, was shown around the world in the 1980s, but had to be marketed by a US distributor.

While many foreign films have been produced about South Africa (usually involving race relations), few local productions are known outside South Africa itself. One exception was the film The Gods Must Be Crazy in 1980, set in the Kalahari. This is about how life in a traditional community of Bushmen is changed when a Coke bottle, thrown out of an aeroplane, suddenly lands from the sky. The late Jamie Uys, who wrote and directed The Gods Must Be Crazy, also had success overseas in the 1970s with his films Funny People and Funny People II, similar to the TV series Candid Camera in the US. Leon Schuster's You Must Be Joking! films are in the same genre, and hugely popular among South Africans.

Other notable exceptions are the film Tsotsi, which won the Academy Award for Foreign Language Film at the 78th Academy Awards in 2006 as well as U-Carmen e-Khayelitsha, which won the Golden Bear at the 2005 Berlin International Film Festival.

In 2004, the New South African TV channel (NSAT) began broadcasting on Sky Digital in the UK, thereby reaching the large expatriate community, showing a mix of South African entertainment, films, sport and news coverage.

See also

• South African Pop History: Dance
• Rugby union in South Africa

References

• Race, Gender and Sport in Post-Apartheid South Africa, Robert Chappell, 2005.
• South African government report on gender equality, Statistics SA 2002
• Gender Inequality and the Economy: Empowering Women in the New South Africa, by Zarina Maharaj

Colour, Confusion and Concessions: The History of the Chinese in South Africa by Melanie Yap; Dianne Leong Man

External links

• SA Rugby, the national governing body of Rugby Union.
• SA Football Association