To commemorate or not to commemorate: Three important commemorative events in twentieth-century South Africa

Abstract

To remember and to commemorate events that took place in the past seem to be a universal human trait, both at individual and group level, and there are countless examples of what we commemorate. The events in question can be of either a tragic or a joyous nature, but it seems to be more common to commemorate the former kind of events. At an individual level, commemorations usually deal with birthdays, wedding anniversaries or the remembrance of a loved one that died. Groups and nations usually commemorate events such as the birthdates of important leaders, independence days, and important military events. For example, every year on 17 May, most Norwegians celebrate their independence from Sweden in 1905; in the Netherlands 30 April is the day on which the queen's birthday is officially celebrated (and consequently is a public holiday), and 4 May is a public holiday to commemorate the country's liberation at the end of World War II, while 4 July is celebrated in the United States of America (USA) as Independence Day.