Date: 17/09/2004
Source: Northern Cape Provincial Government
Title: G Lucas: Launch of National Symbols Booklet
LAUNCH OF THE NATIONAL SYMBOLS BOOKLET, NAMAQUA LIBRA HALL BY NORTHERN CAPE MEC FOR EDUCATION, G LUCAS, 17 September 2004
Programme Directors, Mr. Martin and Ms. Links
Officials form the National Department of Arts and Culture
Acting HOD of education, Mr. Tshepo Pharasi
Chief Director, Mr. Andre Joemat
Namaqua district director
Senior managers
Departmental officials
Principals and educators
Members of SGB's
Distinguished guests
Learners
Ladies and gentlemen
Ek wens u 'n hartlike welkom na die lansering van ons nasionale simbole boek. 'N spesiale welkom aan ons gaste wie van heinde en ver kom om ons by hierdie geleentheid te vereer. Welkom na ons se skitterende provinsie en ons hoop dat u die gasvryheid van namakwaland uiters geniet.
Program direkteur
Hierdie onderneming is meer as 'n nuwe begin, dit is 'n herdenking van ons land se ongelooflike verskillende kulture en dit is ook 'n bydrae tot die hernuwing van ons inheemse tale, kultuur en kennis stelsels wat voorheen onderdruk was. Dit is ons verpligting en aanhoudende stryd, dames en here, om die wanbalans van die verlede te herstel en hierdie verrigtinge van vandag , is net een van ons strategie.
Die doelwit van hierdie feesvieringe om ons land te verenig, ons prestasies te erken en om ons demokrasie te versterk.
Soos ons prestasies herdenk, is dit belangrik om te erken dat dinge nie altyd goed afgeloop het nie, en ons moet bereid wees om te leer van ons foute terwyl ons met trots die tweede dekade intree.
Net soos ons tien jaar van vryheid vier, moet ons trots wees op wie ons is en waar ons vandaan kom, as Suid Afrikaners, om 'n gesamentlike identiteit te kan bou.
Dames en here, ons het ongetwyfeld 'n lang pad geloop om vandag hier te staan, en dit is nodig dat ons feesvier met ons kinders, sodat ons kan verhoed dat hulle gevangenes van die verlede word.
One of our greatest leaders, Chief Albert Luthuli once made this call to our nation.
"Friends, let us make no mistake, the road to freedom is always full of difficulties. Before we reach the summit of freedom, many will have fallen by the wayside as a result of enemy action; I call on you as the true sons and daughters of South African, to be true to Africa, and count no sacrifice too great for her redemption".
Daarom roep ons ons leerders, soos hulle die tweede dekade van demokrasie bereik, moet hulle onthou dat die kultuur wat ons vanaand hernu, deur generasies as 'n strydgevoer en dat hulle alleenlik beskerm word as deel van ons vryheid deur ondermings soos hierdie.
Ons as 'n onderwysdepartement glo dat ons kultuur 'n reg is en dat alle leerders in kulturele aktiwiteite in skole moet deelneem sodat hulle kan verstaan wie hulle is en waarvandaan hulle kom as 'n nasie.
Dat hierdie boekie sal help om ons kulturele erfenis te vier met die nodige begrip en meer belangrik, met deeglike voegsaamheid en houding.
Program direkteur
Ons vra dat ons gemeenskappe moet saam met ons werk om seker te maak dat ons al die inligting oor ons verlede oorhandig aan die volgende generasies, dat ons erfenis vir ons klein kinders lewendig gehou word.
Ons herinner u dames en here, dat skole die middlepunt van ons gemeenskapslewe moet wees.
Indigenous knowledge is therefore not to be taught as something apart. It is part of the history of people as much as it is about people. The teachers and parents are therefore critical to bringing about qualitative change in our schools and we hope through this launch, we would have assisted in kick starting this whole process.
A sound education system and training system depends on the capacity and potential of its human resources and in our particular case, the teachers.
Clearly our success in the sustenance of initiatives like this launch rests squarely on a strengthened foundation for learning and knowledge acquisition laid by many dedicated compatriots, past and present.
Ladies and gentlemen, this year, in our tenth year of freedom, we also celebrated, on 26 June the 49th anniversary of the adoption of the Freedom Charter.
Among other things the freedom charter says;
"The doors of learning and culture shall be opened; the government shall discover, develop and encourage national talent for the enhancement of our cultural life.
"All the cultural treasures of mankind shall be opened to all, by free exchange of books, ideas and contact with other lands.
"The aim of education shall be to teach the youth to love their people and their culture, to honour brotherhood, liberty and peace".
The launching of this booklet therefore is aimed at ensuring that our youth have access to the rich history of struggle in our country; struggle for human brotherhood and sisterhood, for liberty and for peace!
Our youth will have the opportunity, through this booklet, to understand and know exactly how for instance, our flag should be displayed at different times. Our young people will know and understand exactly how to behave when the national anthem is sung; be it at some gathering, or more importantly, at sports stadium.
They will have a clear knowledge and understanding of our national symbols and consequently a profound appreciation of what it means to be South African and proudly so, for that matter; familiarity with our national symbols and knowledge of our struggle, will help to address the goals of inculcating in our youth, love for our people and our diverse cultures.
We committed ourselves, at the presentation of our budget speech earlier this year, to ensure that our national symbols are treated with the necessary respect and dignity.
This is what we said:
"we note with sadness and dismay how some of our schools continue to disrespect and undermine our national anthem and our national flag!
In fact, some of the schools respect their school songs and school flags more than they do our national symbols!"
We further committed ourselves to:
" work around the clock to try and turn this unpatriotic tide around, especially in preparation for our national heritage day celebrations and indeed all other major events during the course of the year, but more so, because it is the right to do!"
This launch bears testimony to our determination of making true on that promise.
Programme directors,
That same commitment that saw us working round the clock to turn around what we perceive as an unpatriotic inclination on the part of some of our compatriots, will also see us, as part of governments broader programme of action, attack a number of other social ills, that continue to disfigure the face of our society and undermine the gains we have made over the last ten years; chief among these being poverty and under development!
Poverty, as a result of our people being denied opportunities of fully participating in the economy of their own land by some who deemed themselves to be more human than our people are; and therefore more deserving of the riches and opportunities so abundant in our country and indeed in our province. Poverty and underdevelopment, as a result of the type of inferior education being fed on millions of our people by an evil system that sought to keep them as "drawers of water and hewers of wood".
No doubt, ladies and gentlemen, great strides have been made in our relatively young democracy.
However, equally great challenges continue to confront us as we grapple with the task of transforming our education system and opening up access to quality public education to all our learners, irrespective of race, language, gender or ability.
Through this particular initiative and indeed countless others that will no doubt follow, we commit ourselves to work for the further and visible advancement of our people with regard to the improvement of the quality of life of all our people - affecting many critical areas of life, particularly opening the doors of culture and education to all and promoting greater social cohesion. It is therefore appropriate ladies and gentlemen that this launch takes place in Namaqua.
Firstly because of the greater social cohesion that we spoke about and secondly, because of our desire to export and share with the rest of the country, the unique and peculiar culture of our Nama people.
We are proud of the heroics performed by the Nama schools in the national heritage competitions held in Pretoria recently.
The fact that our schools swept the boards and attained top positions in most categories, attests to the uniqueness of the Nama culture.
We had something new, something different to offer the rest of the country and for that, we are truly grateful for our uniqueness and indeed our oneness.
In conclusion ladies and gentlemen, the national department of arts and culture wants us to use this heritage month "as a vehicle for a long -term vision of collecting, preserving, protecting, promoting and disseminating living heritage."
It is our sincere wish that many of our people , across the racial divide, will participate in this process; a process that is so central to the continuing efforts of giving birth to a new and more humane society, one whose critical elements is our diverse and common " sense of identity and continuity. And we thank Namaqua for setting us firmly on that course!!!
Issued by: Department of Education, Northern Cape Provincial Government
17 September 2004
Source: Northern Cape Provincial Government (http://www.northern-cape.gov.za)
Source: Northern Cape Provincial Government
Title: G Lucas: Launch of National Symbols Booklet
LAUNCH OF THE NATIONAL SYMBOLS BOOKLET, NAMAQUA LIBRA HALL BY NORTHERN CAPE MEC FOR EDUCATION, G LUCAS, 17 September 2004
Programme Directors, Mr. Martin and Ms. Links
Officials form the National Department of Arts and Culture
Acting HOD of education, Mr. Tshepo Pharasi
Chief Director, Mr. Andre Joemat
Namaqua district director
Senior managers
Departmental officials
Principals and educators
Members of SGB's
Distinguished guests
Learners
Ladies and gentlemen
Ek wens u 'n hartlike welkom na die lansering van ons nasionale simbole boek. 'N spesiale welkom aan ons gaste wie van heinde en ver kom om ons by hierdie geleentheid te vereer. Welkom na ons se skitterende provinsie en ons hoop dat u die gasvryheid van namakwaland uiters geniet.
Program direkteur
Hierdie onderneming is meer as 'n nuwe begin, dit is 'n herdenking van ons land se ongelooflike verskillende kulture en dit is ook 'n bydrae tot die hernuwing van ons inheemse tale, kultuur en kennis stelsels wat voorheen onderdruk was. Dit is ons verpligting en aanhoudende stryd, dames en here, om die wanbalans van die verlede te herstel en hierdie verrigtinge van vandag , is net een van ons strategie.
Die doelwit van hierdie feesvieringe om ons land te verenig, ons prestasies te erken en om ons demokrasie te versterk.
Soos ons prestasies herdenk, is dit belangrik om te erken dat dinge nie altyd goed afgeloop het nie, en ons moet bereid wees om te leer van ons foute terwyl ons met trots die tweede dekade intree.
Net soos ons tien jaar van vryheid vier, moet ons trots wees op wie ons is en waar ons vandaan kom, as Suid Afrikaners, om 'n gesamentlike identiteit te kan bou.
Dames en here, ons het ongetwyfeld 'n lang pad geloop om vandag hier te staan, en dit is nodig dat ons feesvier met ons kinders, sodat ons kan verhoed dat hulle gevangenes van die verlede word.
One of our greatest leaders, Chief Albert Luthuli once made this call to our nation.
"Friends, let us make no mistake, the road to freedom is always full of difficulties. Before we reach the summit of freedom, many will have fallen by the wayside as a result of enemy action; I call on you as the true sons and daughters of South African, to be true to Africa, and count no sacrifice too great for her redemption".
Daarom roep ons ons leerders, soos hulle die tweede dekade van demokrasie bereik, moet hulle onthou dat die kultuur wat ons vanaand hernu, deur generasies as 'n strydgevoer en dat hulle alleenlik beskerm word as deel van ons vryheid deur ondermings soos hierdie.
Ons as 'n onderwysdepartement glo dat ons kultuur 'n reg is en dat alle leerders in kulturele aktiwiteite in skole moet deelneem sodat hulle kan verstaan wie hulle is en waarvandaan hulle kom as 'n nasie.
Dat hierdie boekie sal help om ons kulturele erfenis te vier met die nodige begrip en meer belangrik, met deeglike voegsaamheid en houding.
Program direkteur
Ons vra dat ons gemeenskappe moet saam met ons werk om seker te maak dat ons al die inligting oor ons verlede oorhandig aan die volgende generasies, dat ons erfenis vir ons klein kinders lewendig gehou word.
Ons herinner u dames en here, dat skole die middlepunt van ons gemeenskapslewe moet wees.
Indigenous knowledge is therefore not to be taught as something apart. It is part of the history of people as much as it is about people. The teachers and parents are therefore critical to bringing about qualitative change in our schools and we hope through this launch, we would have assisted in kick starting this whole process.
A sound education system and training system depends on the capacity and potential of its human resources and in our particular case, the teachers.
Clearly our success in the sustenance of initiatives like this launch rests squarely on a strengthened foundation for learning and knowledge acquisition laid by many dedicated compatriots, past and present.
Ladies and gentlemen, this year, in our tenth year of freedom, we also celebrated, on 26 June the 49th anniversary of the adoption of the Freedom Charter.
Among other things the freedom charter says;
"The doors of learning and culture shall be opened; the government shall discover, develop and encourage national talent for the enhancement of our cultural life.
"All the cultural treasures of mankind shall be opened to all, by free exchange of books, ideas and contact with other lands.
"The aim of education shall be to teach the youth to love their people and their culture, to honour brotherhood, liberty and peace".
The launching of this booklet therefore is aimed at ensuring that our youth have access to the rich history of struggle in our country; struggle for human brotherhood and sisterhood, for liberty and for peace!
Our youth will have the opportunity, through this booklet, to understand and know exactly how for instance, our flag should be displayed at different times. Our young people will know and understand exactly how to behave when the national anthem is sung; be it at some gathering, or more importantly, at sports stadium.
They will have a clear knowledge and understanding of our national symbols and consequently a profound appreciation of what it means to be South African and proudly so, for that matter; familiarity with our national symbols and knowledge of our struggle, will help to address the goals of inculcating in our youth, love for our people and our diverse cultures.
We committed ourselves, at the presentation of our budget speech earlier this year, to ensure that our national symbols are treated with the necessary respect and dignity.
This is what we said:
"we note with sadness and dismay how some of our schools continue to disrespect and undermine our national anthem and our national flag!
In fact, some of the schools respect their school songs and school flags more than they do our national symbols!"
We further committed ourselves to:
" work around the clock to try and turn this unpatriotic tide around, especially in preparation for our national heritage day celebrations and indeed all other major events during the course of the year, but more so, because it is the right to do!"
This launch bears testimony to our determination of making true on that promise.
Programme directors,
That same commitment that saw us working round the clock to turn around what we perceive as an unpatriotic inclination on the part of some of our compatriots, will also see us, as part of governments broader programme of action, attack a number of other social ills, that continue to disfigure the face of our society and undermine the gains we have made over the last ten years; chief among these being poverty and under development!
Poverty, as a result of our people being denied opportunities of fully participating in the economy of their own land by some who deemed themselves to be more human than our people are; and therefore more deserving of the riches and opportunities so abundant in our country and indeed in our province. Poverty and underdevelopment, as a result of the type of inferior education being fed on millions of our people by an evil system that sought to keep them as "drawers of water and hewers of wood".
No doubt, ladies and gentlemen, great strides have been made in our relatively young democracy.
However, equally great challenges continue to confront us as we grapple with the task of transforming our education system and opening up access to quality public education to all our learners, irrespective of race, language, gender or ability.
Through this particular initiative and indeed countless others that will no doubt follow, we commit ourselves to work for the further and visible advancement of our people with regard to the improvement of the quality of life of all our people - affecting many critical areas of life, particularly opening the doors of culture and education to all and promoting greater social cohesion. It is therefore appropriate ladies and gentlemen that this launch takes place in Namaqua.
Firstly because of the greater social cohesion that we spoke about and secondly, because of our desire to export and share with the rest of the country, the unique and peculiar culture of our Nama people.
We are proud of the heroics performed by the Nama schools in the national heritage competitions held in Pretoria recently.
The fact that our schools swept the boards and attained top positions in most categories, attests to the uniqueness of the Nama culture.
We had something new, something different to offer the rest of the country and for that, we are truly grateful for our uniqueness and indeed our oneness.
In conclusion ladies and gentlemen, the national department of arts and culture wants us to use this heritage month "as a vehicle for a long -term vision of collecting, preserving, protecting, promoting and disseminating living heritage."
It is our sincere wish that many of our people , across the racial divide, will participate in this process; a process that is so central to the continuing efforts of giving birth to a new and more humane society, one whose critical elements is our diverse and common " sense of identity and continuity. And we thank Namaqua for setting us firmly on that course!!!
Issued by: Department of Education, Northern Cape Provincial Government
17 September 2004
Source: Northern Cape Provincial Government (http://www.northern-cape.gov.za)
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