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Wednesday, 8 October 2025

From Roots to Blossoms: Honouring Heritage in the Season of Spring

 


By Minenhle Jali & Pravina Laljeeth

September is a month of celebrating cultural diversity in South Africa. The air is filled with the scent of blossoming flowers, the promise of warmer days, and the familiar sound of laughter and togetherness as families prepare to mark Heritage Day. It is a time when nature and culture meet—spring reminds us of renewal and growth, while Heritage Day calls us back to our roots and the rich traditions that make us who we are.

Much like spring, our heritage is alive and dynamic. It is passed down through stories, language, music, food, and community. Like every flower adds colour to the season, every culture enriches South Africa’s identity. Together, they create the beautiful garden that is our shared heritage.

Libraries as Gardens of Knowledge

In many respects, the library is like a spring garden, aligning with the founding principle of Ranganathan’s fifth law, which affirms that the library is a verdant growing organism. Libraries preserve the seeds of the past—our histories, archives, cultural treasures and scientific breakthroughs—while nurturing new growth through research, technology, reading, and discovery (Kwanya et al., 2010).  Whenever we open a book, listen to an oral history, or explore a digital archive, we allow something new to bloom in our understanding of who we are.

Heritage Day invites us to reflect on our national and collective roots. Libraries play a vital role in keeping those roots alive, offering access to literature, historical documents, and knowledge that might otherwise be forgotten. At the same time, they are places of renewal, where new ideas are planted and future stories begin to grow.


Springing into Stories

Storytelling has always been at the heart of both heritage and renewal. In many cultures, oral traditions carry ancestors' wisdom, while written stories capture experiences for generations to come (Cajete et al., 2010). This September, as nature blossoms around us, we are reminded that stories—whether told around a fire, sung in a song, or found in a book—are the blossoms of our heritage.

A Season of Celebration

Spring is also a season of hope, and Heritage Day is a celebration of unity in diversity. They remind us that while our roots ground us, our growth carries us forward. By visiting the library this September, you can connect with both—exploring collections that preserve heritage while discovering fresh perspectives that inspire renewal.

As we step into this season, may we honour our roots while embracing new blossoms of teaching, learning, understanding, and connection.

The library invites you to celebrate Heritage Month by exploring our heritage collections, discovering new stories, and adding your own voice to the garden of knowledge that continues to impact our communities.


References

Cajete, G., Eder, D., & Holyan, R. (2010). Life lessons through storytelling : children's exploration of ethics. Indiana University Press. http://site.ebrary.com/id/10415914

Kwanya, T., Stilwell, C., & Underwood, P. G. (2010). Library 2.0 principles and Ranganathan's fifth law. Mousaion, 28(2), 1-16. 





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