Celebrating Cultural Diversity and Embracing a Season of Renewal

PRETORIA – The University of South Africa (Unisa) brought the spirit of spring and the richness of its diverse heritage together at a celebration that encouraged staff members to embrace their cultures and reflect on the meaning of renewal.

Held at the E-Garden at Unisa’s Muckleneuk Campus on Wednesday, the Spring and Heritage Celebration featured cultural activities, indigenous games, traditional fashion and dance, creating a colourful and vibrant occasion for staff and guests.

Dressed in traditional attire and bright colours, participants proudly showcased their cultural identities while sharing in the traditions and experiences that form part of South Africa’s diverse heritage.

Setting the tone for the celebration, Professor Boitumelo Senokoane, Acting Executive Director of Unisa’s Department of Institutional Advancement, reflected on the connection between spring and heritage.

Although the two themes may appear unrelated, he said, they are closely connected by the ideas of renewal, identity and legacy.

“Heritage gives us our roots. Spring gives us room for growth,” Senokoane said.

He explained that heritage reminds people of where they come from, while spring presents an opportunity to consider the future and ask what legacy they will leave for those who come after them.

Senokoane also reflected on the significance of indigenous games and activities, saying they are closely linked to memory, culture and collective inheritance.

“They should be treated as more than games, as they are charged with valuable experiences and lifelong lessons,” he said.

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Reflecting Unisa’s identity as an African university, Senokoane invoked the principle of Ubuntu to emphasise the importance of interconnectedness and mutual respect.

He said the different heritages represented at Unisa should not be viewed as competing narratives, but as distinct parts of a shared institutional community.

He praised Unisa’s inclusive environment, saying staff and students should not have to leave their identities at the door when they enter the university.

Instead, he encouraged them to bring their languages, cultures, experiences and histories into the institution.

For Senokoane, celebrating diversity does not undermine the university’s sense of unity. Rather, it creates an opportunity for people to learn from one another while recognising what they share.

“Let us be grateful that we belong to an institution that gives us space to learn one another,” he said.

The celebration also provided an opportunity to reflect on pressing social challenges.

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Professor Ndikho Mtshiselwa of Unisa’s Department of Biblical and Ancient Studies condemned the recent killings of women in South Africa and called for greater solidarity in addressing femicide.

He emphasised the importance of women in the country’s heritage and the need for society to protect their lives and dignity.

Through its combination of cultural expression, reflection and social engagement, the Spring and Heritage Celebration provided staff members with an opportunity to celebrate what makes them different while recognising the values that bring them together.

The event also served as a precursor to National Heritage Day on 24 September, reinforcing Unisa’s commitment to celebrating the cultural diversity that characterises South Africa.

As staff members shared their traditions through dress, dance and indigenous activities, the celebration offered a reminder that heritage is not only about remembering the past. It is also about carrying cultural knowledge forward and creating space for future generations to learn, grow and contribute.

* Article and photography by Victor Malatji, Journalist Intern, Unisa’s Department of Institutional Advancement