Culture in South Africa

The Culture in South Africa is am major tourist attraction. "The Rainbow Nation" is absolutely a worthy name of a country with such a rich, diverse and colorful culture.

The special thing about the culture in South Africa is that so many different cultures from all over the world come together in an African way, to build the unique South African culture.

Predominantly European cultures, south east, central and southwest Asian cultures mix together with African cultures and have composed altogether, the culture in SA of today's time.

The People

SA is a culturally diverse country, one nation made up of many peoples.

With 11 different official languages, a multiplicity of traditions and skin tones ranging from ebony to sunburnt pink, South Africa is, as Archbishop Desmond Tutu once put it, "the rainbow nation of Africa".

Over 47-million South African people share a wide variety of South African cultures, South African languages and South African religions.

South African tribes each have their own traditions and cultural heritage. Thank God these native South African traditions are giving expression, through the end of the apartheid.

They are colorful and friendly and serve as a great asset to the post apartheid awareness of SA.

The National Symbols

The South African National Symbols tell you a lot about it's culture. Thanks to the end of the apartheid these symbols have become more original, more truly African, washing away the "imported" heritage from Europe.

Many of the national symbols of SA are or have features from nature and wildlife. They range from Flowers, over animals, to gold. Yet the most popular symbol of SA is Nelson Mandela.

The Traditions

It says "Culture is what you grow, and tradition is what you pass on!"

South Africa's rich history dates back to some of the earliest human settlements in the world. Over 300 museums reflect the heritage of South African Traditions - from 18th century homes to mountain caves, from rural cultural villages to state-of-the-art urban facilities.

South Africans treasure their diverse cultural heritage - and they are only too happy to share it with visitors. South Africa's many cultural villages offer a close-up insight into the country's traditional cultures.

In the major centres, township tours - conducted with sensitivity and pride - will put you in touch with real South Africans, their history and their traditions.

The Languages

Besides the 11 officially recognized South African languages , many others - African, European, Asian and more - are spoken here, as the country lies at the crossroads of southern Africa. This most certainly profiles SA as a multilingual country.

The country's constitution guarantees equal status to 11 official languages to cater for the country's diverse peoples and their cultures.

Still English is understood across the country, as it is the language of business, politics and the media. But it only ranks joint fifth out of 11 as a home language.

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