With Heritage Day fast approaching, Jacaranda FM's hugely popular morning show presenter, Martin Bester, shares his personal journey with his cultural heritage.
From comforting family traditions to delicious home-cooked meals, Bester shared insight into what Heritage Day means to him as a South African.
For him, Heritage Day is a celebration of the beautiful mix of cultures that makes South Africa unique.
“As South Africans, we understand how different we are in terms of traditions and backgrounds, but at the same time, we also understand how similar we are. Celebrating our differences and unity at the same time makes us very unique as a people.”
He added that pride in being South African comes from the nation's ability to come together in difficult times.
“We are truly united as a people. You only need to log onto social media and any time someone attacks South Africans we all come together to defend our country.”
Martin Bester's childhood memories
Bester's fondest childhood memories involve food This is the traditional “Kukkukos”.
“The dish that reminds me most of my roots is one that my mother and grandmother used to make: kukkukos.”
“We had rais vlais (rice), traditional (pumpkin) and artapple (potatoes) – all big things in our house. And of course, we can't forget the braai (barbecue). My father would host a braai for us whenever he had the chance.”
“On Sundays and whenever we had family get-togethers, there were many of the dishes mentioned above. Other memorable dishes are my mum's potato salad and the pea soup my grandmother made in the winter. Another thing about growing up Afrikaans was that we had to eat all the food that was prepared for us and not waste it. Luckily, my mum and grandmother were very good cooks!”
Bester also introduced some Afrikaans phrases he heard as a child, including “Husse met lang ore,” which translates to “curiosity killed the cat.”
Those expressions and family camping trips filled with barbecues and music are some of his most cherished memories.
“My parents loved caravanning and that's how we saw more of the country. Camping meant barbecues, music and meeting new people from other parts of the country. Afrikaans people are sociable and love the outdoors. I still cherish that. I probably spend more time in the garden than inside the house.”
Listen to him on “Breakfast with Martin Bester” weekdays from 6am to 9am on Jacaranda FM.