Radio stars share their Braai Day playlists and Jan Braai gets funny

You do not need to be psychic to know that thousands of braais will be lit across South Africa today. It’s a public holiday, after all, and when South Africans have time to let their hair down and chill, they do it with smoke in their eyes.

Heritage Day recognises the cultural diversity of our nation. However, with more official languages than can be counted on our 10 fingers, and an array of cultures, what should a heritage celebration look like? Whose heritage are we being asked to celebrate?

Despite this puzzle, the importance of Heritage Day cannot be undermined. Originally Shaka Day, in honour of the Zulu king who united several clans, it was renamed Heritage Day and declared a public holiday the year after South Africa’s first democratic elections. It encompasses the cultural heritage of all South Africans and celebrates unity in diversity.

As Nelson Mandela once said about South Africa’s transition from apartheid to democracy: “We were expected to destroy one another and ourselves collectively in the worst racial conflagration. Instead, we as a people chose the path of negotiation, compromise and peaceful settlement. Instead of hatred and revenge, we chose reconciliation and nation-building.”

Now that’s worth celebrating!

Jan Scannell, fondly known as Jan Braai, slotted the pieces of the Heritage Day puzzle together in 2005. He suggested that because braaiing is a tradition loved by all cultures, we should unite around a fire. And so National Braai Day was founded.

He envisaged a day celebrated by all South Africans, similar to America’s Thanksgiving Day and France’s Bastille Day.

“Although the ingredients may differ, the one thing that never changes is that when we have something to celebrate, we light fires, and prepare great feasts,” says Jan.

Despite critics initially saying that National Braai Day trivialises the value of South Africa’s cultures, the initiative became a sizzling success. Its patron was the late Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu. According to South African History Online, Tutu was quoted in an interview saying: “We’re going to have this wonderful thing on the 24th of this month… when we all gather round one fire… It’s a fantastic thing, a very simple idea. Irrespective of your politics, of your culture, of your race, of your whatever, hierdie ding doen ons saam [‘we do this thing together’]… just South Africans doing one thing together, and recognising that we are a fantastic nation.”

Jan’s braai thoughts:

• Nothing beats a wood fire. ‘Gas’ is Afrikaans for a ‘guest’ at your braai; not something your braai on, he says.
• Braaiing is the only fat-negative way of cooking food.
• Don’t kill cows twice. Your steak is already dead so don’t braai it until the flavour is dead.
• Braai bread is your chance in life to have your bread buttered on both sides.
• When homo-erectus learnt how to make fires, it changed the future of the human race. Fire symbolises safety (initially from wild animals), food, light, warmth and conversation and in South Africa, braaiing symbolises being part of the best country in the world.

Braai Day vibes

When people think of a braai, fiery charcoal versus wood vs gas debates, cooler boxes, the gender divide of women making the sides and men showing off their tong prowess come to mind. And then there is the music. What’s a braai without your favourite songs?

Caxton Local Media asked Barney Simon, Sascha van Gelder, and Manani Botes (Jacaranda FM regional broadcast team) for their top 10 braai playlists:

Barney:

• The Eagles – Hotel California
• Dire Straits – Money for Nothing
• Guns N’ Roses – Sweet Child O’ Mine
• Bryan Adams – Summer of ’69
• Juluka – Impi
• AC/DC – Thunderstruck
• Metallica – Enter Sandman
• Leon Schuster – Hie’ Kommie Bokke!
• Kurt Darren – Kaptein
• Bob Marley and the Wailers – Exodus

Sascha:

• Prime Circle – Hello
• Neil Diamond – Sweet Caroline
• DJ Jazzy D – Lady Soul
• Maroon 5 – Memories
• Jack Parow – Dans dans dans
• Ricus Nel ft Snotkop – Boerepompie
• Tweak – Birthday card
• Goldfish – One million views
• Black Coffee – Superman
• Def Leppard – Pour some sugar on me

Manani:

• David Guetta and Black Coffee – Drive
• Jason Derulo – Savage love
• Ed Sheeran – Bad habits
• Gerhard Steyn – Baby tjoklits
• Whitney Houston – I wanna dance with somebody
• Justin Bieber – What do you mean
• Taio Cruz – Dynamite
• Black Eyed Peas – I gotta feeling
• Shania Twain – Man! I feel like a woman
• Justin Timberlake – Can’t stop the feeling

Heritage Day is the day before payday and many people will be hard-pressed to afford a worsie, never mind a luscious lamb chop. But whatever is on your grid, let the music and conversation flow – and don’t forget to proudly wear your best traditional outfit. Happy Heritage Day!