Many of the visitors expected in South Africa for the month-long World Cup, will be interested to know more about South Africa's history. This includes the story of the birth of our country's democracy. At Freedom Park, visitors will be greeted in true African fashion and taken on a journey of discovery.
To tell visitors more about South Africa's road to freedom and democracy, Freedom Park has put together a programme for visiting football fans. Situated on Salvokop in Pretoria, Freedom Park stands as a museum to what South Africans have achieved as a nation.
Ancestors
Using South Africa's culture, heritage, history and spirituality, Freedom Park tells our stories and honours the loyalty and dedication of South Africans who fought and died in the different struggles for freedom.
Freedom Park is not only a tourist destination. It helps us as South Africans to learn about our shared heritage, experience and appreciate our history and to walk where our ancestors once walked.
Four areas
The park is divided into four main areas, each area showing a different aspect and serving a specific purpose.
The areas are Isivivane, and iSikhumbuto, the Wall of Names, the amphitheatre, sanctuary, eternal flame and the //hapo which is a Khoi word for dream.
Isivivane is a spiritual place, a final resting place for those who died fighting freedom and liberation in South Africa.
The iSikhumbuto is the main memorial, which tells us about the most important conflicts in South Africa's history and honours those who died fighting for freedom during these conflicts.
Wall of names
Within iSikhumbuto, there is the Wall of Names on which the names of South Africa's heroes and heroines who died fighting for humanity and freedom during the major conflicts in South Africa's history.
These conflicts include pre-Colonial wars, slavery, genocide, wars of resistance, the South African War against the British, the First and the Second World Wars and the struggle for liberation.
The Amphitheatre is used for national events and celebrations such as Freedom Day and Reconciliation Day.
The Sanctuary is a quiet place where visitors can go to think or to pay respect to their loved ones who passed on. The Eternal Flame is for heroes and heroines who died without their names being recorded.
Sharing a dream
The //hapo is an exhibition space where the story of Southern Africa dating back 3,6 billion years. // hapo forms part of the last phase of Freedom Park and its name is taken from the Khoi proverb: // hapo ge //hapo tama /haohasib dis tamas ka ibo. This means a dream is not a dream until it is shared by the entire community
- Mbulelo Baloyi
Email
Facebook
Twitter
WhatsApp