臺北市新住民專區網站英文版

In Taiwan, the most important holiday in September is the Mid-Autumn Festival. It is a holiday of family reunion, enjoying moon cakes, moon watching, and more recently: barbeque. However, do you know on the other side of the world, South Africa also has a holiday in September that is widely celebrated with barbeque?
September 24 is South Africa’s Heritage Day, also known as Shaka Day. This holiday is celebrated in commemoration of Shaka, the Zulu king, and it is also to celebrate the diverse culture, beliefs, and traditions of South Africa. Heritage Day is a public holiday in South Africa, so besides family reunion and celebration events, one of the most common celebration routines in recent years is braai (BBQ).
Braai is a very traditional African cooking method. On Heritage Day (a day that represents South African traditions), families will start a fire in the backyard, and cook meats and vegetables over charcoal. Sometimes, pap (bread) and sheba (gravy) are cooked over open fire and served together as a dish.