heritage day essay grade 10 answers pdf download

Heritage Day Essay Grade 10

Heritage Day, also known as National Braai Day, is a vibrant celebration of South Africa’s rich canvas of cultures, traditions, and histories. But for me as a Grade 10 learner, it can also mean fun time!

This essay guide will equip you to conquer that Heritage Day essay and impress your teacher.

How to answer “Heritage Day Essay” correctly for Grade 10?

Let us look at the magic term: Essay . When a question asks a student to write an “Heritage day essay,” they (students) are expected to provide a structured and well-organised piece of writing that presents and supports a main idea or a position.

The essay should have an introduction that introduces the topic and states the position or a side of the writer, body paragraphs that support the thesis or position with evidence and examples based on their country of South Africa, and a conclusion that summarises the main points and restates the position (good/bad).

Marks Breakdown

Total: 55 Marks

The Topic for Heritage Day Essay for Grade 10

The red text is my handwritten answer.

I will take my essay and based it to heritage day food.

My Title:  A Rainbow on Our Plates on the South Africa’s Food Heritage day ✓

Sample Short Essay (200 words)

Heritage Day in South Africa, the 24th of September, is a day full of life, colours, tunes, and most importantly, delicious food! It is a day when we celebrate the variety of flavours that represent our country’s rich mix of cultures. From the spicy curries made by Durban’s Indian community to the slow-cooked potjiekos of the Dutch settlers’ descendants and to the delicious Mopani worms, every meal has its own tale. ✓

Let’s talk about the braai – it’s the heart of any South African party. It started with the grilling traditions of the Khoisan people and was later picked up by European settlers. Now, the braai brings everyone together, no matter their background, around tasty boerewors and juicy steaks. It’s more than just cooking; it’s a time for joy, a celebration of life, and a way to remember our shared past. ✓

The original people of South Africa have also influenced our food. Samp, a type of maize porridge, has been a main food for ages, and koeksisters – sweet, syrupy pastries – are loved all over. These foods fill us up and also link us to our land and the cleverness of our forebears. ✓

Heritage Day is about more than just enjoying a good braai. It’s a time to value the different food traditions that have helped shape our nation. When we share meals with friends and family from various cultures, we get to know more about them, and together, we build a South Africa that welcomes everyone. ✓

Remember: This is just a sample, adjust the length and content according to your specific essay requirements.

Tips to Score Big:

• Go beyond the braai: Explore lesser-known aspects of heritage like traditional crafts, music, or languages.
• Show, don’t tell: Instead of just stating facts, use vivid descriptions and historical context to bring your essay to life.
• Source it right: Include in-text citations if required, and provide a reference list at the end.
• Proofread like a pro: Typos and grammatical errors can cost you marks. Double-check your work before submission.

By following these tips and understanding the marking scheme, you’ll be well on your way to writing a stellar Heritage Day essay that celebrates the vibrant tapestry of South Africa.

Shama Nathoo

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HISTORY Gr. 10 T1 W7: The Heritage Research Assignment: Theory - the nature of heritage and debates around it

This term will now focus on The Heritage Research Assignment: Theory. This week will focus on the nature of heritage and debates around it.

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Preview text

Heritage assignment, this heritage assignment consist of 03 pages and a rubric, how has south africa chosen to celebrate their heritage, historical context, since the dawn of democracy in 1994 the south african government has chosen to, remember the past by celebrating unity in diversity. what has been the painful past has, been changed to a form of celebration, thus bringing in reconciliation and unity in south, in the context of the above statement, do a research on this public holiday:, heritage day, 1. the scope of research:.

The brief history linked to the day.

Explain the changes that were made to this public holiday.

Explain how the day is celebrated in schools, families, work places and

other institutions like churches etc.

• How does the celebration of the holiday bring unity and close the gaps of
• Explain how the celebration of the day enforces the application of the

constitution of South Africa.

• Visual sources should be used within the discussion to reinforce and

explain the written information.

2. instructions for research, 1. the learners should have three weeks to gather evidence and, contextualise it to the research topic., 2. the learners’ response should be in the form of an essay with, introduction, body and conclusion., 3. no subheadings, point form and cut and paste in the content., 4. avoid putting visual sources on separate and isolated page. visual, sources should be given captions that relate to the discussion in the, research discussion., 5. the length of heritage assignment should be about seven (7) pages, sba task 3. grade 10. term 2 heritage rubric: total marks-, surname and name: _______________________________________, name of the school: ____________________________________.

CRITERIA Level 1 Not achieved

Level 2 Partially achieved

Level 3 Achieved

Level 4 Excellent

Explain the changes to the Heritage day and the brief background of the day.

Shows no or little understanding of changes to the day, the background of the heritage day and how it is celebrated in South Africa. (0-3)

Shows a partial understanding of changes to the day, the background of the heritage day and how it is celebrated in South Africa. (4-6)

Shows an adequate understanding of changes to the day, the background of the heritage day and how it is celebrated in South Africa. . (7-9)

Shows an excellent understanding of changes to the day, the background of the heritage day and how it is celebrated in South Africa. (10-12)

Presentation, logic and coherence of collected information.

Information has no or little logic and coherence.

Information has some logic and coherence.

Information shows logic and coherent flow of ideas.

Information presented in an excellent, logical, coherent manner that shows insight. (7-8)

Understanding of heritage issues and whether this change has built national unity and identity in South Africa.

Has shown little or no understanding of the heritage issues and impact of change in South Africa.

Has shown partial understanding of the heritage issues and impact of change in South Africa.

Shows adequate understanding of the heritage issues and impact of change in South Africa. (5-6)

Shows an excellent understanding of the heritage issues and impact of change in South Africa. (7-8)

Ability to select relevant information and visual sources. Ability to use and apply the selected information and visual sources.

Shows little or no little ability to select and apply relevant information and use of illustrations (0-1)

Basic information and visuals selection and application.

Selected and applied relevant information and relevant visual sources

Excellent selection and application of information and visual sources. (7-8)

Structure of the essay, referencing, bibliography and plagiarism

No or basic essay structure and acknowledgement of sources used. Plagiarised content (0-2)

Attempt at structuring the essay and little acknowledgement of sources used. Some plagiarism in content. (3-4)

Essay adequately structured and sources used acknowledged. No plagiarism in content. (5-6)

Excellent structure with sources acknowledged in an excellent manner. (7- 8)

How the celebration of the day enforces the application of the constitution of the South Africa.

Shows no or little understanding of how the day enforces the constitution of South Africa.

Shows some understanding on how the day enforces the constitution South Africa

Shows relevant understanding on how the day enforces the constitution South Africa.

Excellent understanding on how the day enforces the constitution South Africa.

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History Grade 10 - Topic 4 Essay Questions and Answers

Shaka Zulu Legacy

Essay questions on Shaka Zulu’s legacy will be asked as 8-mark questions where students have to use sources to answer the question. The following article will discuss the major points of the question and refer to supporting evidence for these points.

TIP: See our technical skills pack on answering source-based paragraphs.

The above statue portraying Shaka Zulu was removed in 2010, due to difference in opinion about the portrayal of Shaka Zulu. [1] Discuss the legacy of Shaka Zulu by explaining ways in which he has been portrayed, and why he has been portrayed this way.

How has Shaka been remembered?

A myth and legacy around Shaka Zulu emerged in the early 19th Century in South Africa. It was initially believed that Shaka was the main cause of the Mfecane. [2] This has since been debated by historians, who claim that Shaka was one of many leaders that played a role in influencing South Africa during this time. This discussion shall look at different portrayals of Shaka and why he was depicted in this way.

TIP: Questions on Shaka and the Mfecane are examinable. See additional article on the historiography of the Mfecane.

How Shaka has been portrayed?

The late Winston S. Churchill , former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, once stated that, “History is written by victors.” [3] A victor is a winner and by incorporating only the winner’s interpretation into history it leads to biased representation of history. One see’s traces of the victor’s history in common portrayals of Shaka Zulu : [4]

• Some historians portray Shaka as a “military genius” who consolidated a powerful Zulu military and society resulting in the defeat of other chiefdoms. [5] Shaka was obsessed with military tactics and employed new techniques on the battlefield that allowed for the defeat of rival kingdoms.
• Shaka is also portrayed as a cruel tyrant who caused the destruction and misery of African societies during the Mfecane as he had firm control over his subjects. [6] Shaka would order the execution of those who he deemed a threat or disloyal to him or the Zulu kingdom.
• Shaka is also portrayed as a nation builder and an admirable leader who consolidated and strengthened the Zulu nation. [7]

Information or knowledge on Shaka comes from different types of sources. Historical research methodology requires that the reliability of sources has to be assessed. Questions of who produced the sources and why sources were produced can give one a better understanding of the angle taken in the information’s portrayal.

The Military Genius

Oral history and praise poems portray Shaka as a “military genius.” Here is an extract from a praise poem titled Shaka: [8]

“Dlungwana son of Ndaba! Ferocious one of the Mbelebele brigade, Who raged among the large kraals, So that until dawn the huts were being turned upside down. He who is famous without effort, son of Menzi, He who beats but is not beaten, unlike water, Axe that surpasses other axes in sharpness; Shaka, I fear to say he is Shaka, Shaka, he is the chief of the Mashobas. He of the shrill whistle, the lion; He who armed in the forest, who is like a madman, The madman who is in full view of the men. He who trudged wearily the plain going to Mfene; The voracious one of Senzangakhona, Spear that is red even on the handle… The attacker has been long attacking them: He attacked Phungashe of the Buthelezi clan, He attacked Sondaba of Mthanda as he sat in council, He attacked Macingwane at Ngonyameni, He attacked Mangcengeza of the Mbatha clan, He attacked Dladlama of the Majolas, He attacked Nxaba son of Mbhekane, He attacked Gambushe in Pondoland, He attacked Faku in Pondoland.”

In African societies, oral tradition was the main way to pass on information where speaking about history would passed down from one generation to the next. [9] Praise poems or izibongo, a Zulu word referring to praises intoned in honour of a person, are generally long. Oral tradition has accumulated accounts of people who lived through the events or who heard of these events. The following quote comes from an interview in 1903 that a Natal administrator, James Stuart, had with Jantshika Nongila whose father was a spy for Shaka : [10]

“At Dukuza, while Tshaka was sitting in company, he pointed to the cattle in the kraal and said, “No ordinary man will inherit those cattle; none but a great man will get them. The day I die the country will be overrun by locusts; it will be ruled by white men. The stars will be bright in the sky. While I am still taking care of you.”

The Cruel Tyrant

Accounts which portrayed Shaka as a cruel and bloodthirsty tyrant were based on written accounts. The only written accounts of Shaka produced during his lifetime were by British traders who visited the Zulu kingdom in the 1820s. Lots of historians based their views of Shaka on the diary of Francis Fynn, a British trader. [11] The credibility of the source is problematic as the diary did not provide an accurate daily account, but was written down from what Fynn could still remember. In addition, the British trader called Nathaniel Isaacs encouraged Fynn to write negatively about Dingane and Shaka . In a letter addressed Fynn, Isaacs said: [12]

“Make them seem as bloodthirsty as you can, and try to give an estimation of the number of people they have murdered during their reign.”

The Nation Builder

The negative depictions of Shaka by British traders were not the only colonial written records, but there were also colonial administrators in Nata l who portrayed Shaka as a nation builder. [13] In the early 1900s a Natal administrator, James Stuart, collected many oral testimonies from people who heard of stories of Shaka . For example, in 1903, Stuart interviewed Jantshika Nongila, the son of Shaka’s spy. [14] The following extract comes from original documents written by Stuart from the interviews he conducted and these original documents are currently held in the Killie Campbell Africana Library in Durban: [15]

“Almost at the same time as that of Napoleon in Europe, the career of Shaka in South Africa, instead of being full of failure, met with success and that in a truly remarkable manner. Beginning with a small and little known tribe he by degrees lifted it together with many surrounding tribes within a five hundred mile radius into becoming a great nation.”

During the twentieth century written records were produced by Zulu leaders who admired Shaka’s leadership skills. [16] The former  African National Congress (ANC)  Leader,  Albert Luthuli , wrote of Shaka in his autobiography, “Let My People Go”. [17] Luthuli wrote of Shaka as a formidable leader, but also as a leader who displayed dangerous characteristics as a dictator.

Why was Shaka portrayed in this way?

Different sources provide different perspectives and theories of Shaka’s role and influence as a leader of the Zulu kingdom . Sources display bias when they focus on one aspect of Shaka , either as a nation builder or a cruel tyrant. [18] Sources that depict Shaka as a cruel tyrant have dominated the historical narrative of the Zulu leader. These sources also place a lot of emphasis on the traditional view that Shaka Zulu was one of the main causes for the Mfecane. [19] However, from the 1980s many historians rejected the one-sided view of Shaka as merely a bloodthirsty tyrant, but placed more emphasis on his positive role as a Zulu leader.

Remember that one has to ask who and why a source was produced. Negative portrayals of Shaka by British colonial traders were written when the British saw him as a threat to their colonial influence in Natal . [20] By portraying Shaka as a threat, it could justify their subjugation of the Zulu kingdom . However, by the early 1900s Shaka had long passed on and was no longer a threat to the British colony. [21] In the early 1900s the Natal administrator, James Stuart, wanted to produce accounts of Shaka as a proficient administrator, because he wanted to provide evidence to the British colony of good African administrators so that African leaders could administer areas reserved for African land use. [22] Thus, the pool of information about Shaka provided more positive accounts of his leadership. From the 1980s, more historians rejected the biased notion of Shaka as a bloodthirsty tyrant, but have integrated different perspectives which acknowledge his intelligible leadership, without ignoring his dictatorial tendencies. [23]

This content was originally produced for the SAHO classroom by Ilse Brookes, Amber Fox-Martin & Simone van der Colff

[1] C. Ndasilo. “King Shaka statue still causing trouble”. News24. 23 August 2013. Available at: https://www.news24.com/news24/Travel/South-Africa/King-Shaka-statue-still-causing-trouble-20130823

Accessed 15 October 2020.

[2] J. Wright. “Political Mythology and the Making of Natal’s Mfecane,” Canadian Journal of African Studies. (23), (2), 1989. p. 272.

[3] History News Network. “The History of “History is Written by the Victors,” available at: https://historynewsnetwork.org/article/173752 . [online] Accessed 25 November 2020.

[4] N. Worden, J. Bottaro, P.  Visser, P. “In Search of History: Grade 10 Learner’s Book”.

[8] Ibid.”.

[9] SA History Online, “Oral Tradition and indigenous knowledge.”[online] Available at: https://www.sahistory.org.za/article/oral-tradition-and-indigenous-knowledge . Accessed 25 November 2020.

[10] Testimony from the James Stuart Archive. Available at:  https://fhya.org/baleka-ka-mpitikakazi-testimony-from-the-james-stuart-archive-of-recorded-oral-evidence-relating-to-the-history-of-the-zulu-and-neighbouring-peoples-volume-1-ant-lyl [online]. Accessed 25 November 2020.

[11] H.F. Fynn. D. McK. Malcolm, J. Stuart. (eds.).  The Diary of Henry Francis Fynn. Compiled from Original Sources . (Shuter & Shooter: Pietermaritzburg, 1950.)

[12] N. Worden, J. Bottaro, P.  Visser, P. “In Search of History: Grade 10 Learner’s Book”.

[14] Testimony from the James Stuart Archive. Available at:  https://fhya.org/baleka-ka-mpitikakazi-testimony-from-the-james-stuart-archive-of-recorded-oral-evidence-relating-to-the-history-of-the-zulu-and-neighbouring-peoples-volume-1-ant-lyl [online]. Accessed 25 November 2020.

[15] N. Worden, J. Bottaro, P.  Visser, P. “In Search of History: Grade 10 Learner’s Book”.

[17] A. Luthuli. Let My People Go. (Mafube: Tafelberg, 1960).

[18] N. Worden, J. Bottaro, P.  Visser, P. “In Search of History: Grade 10 Learner’s Book”.

[19] J. Wright. “Political Mythology and the Making of Natal’s Mfecane,” Canadian Journal of African Studies. (23), (2), 1989. p. 272.

[20] N. Worden, J. Bottaro, P.  Visser, P. “In Search of History: Grade 10 Learner’s Book”.

[22] Testimony from the James Stuart Archive. Available at:  https://fhya.org/baleka-ka-mpitikakazi-testimony-from-the-james-stuart-archive-of-recorded-oral-evidence-relating-to-the-history-of-the-zulu-and-neighbouring-peoples-volume-1-ant-lyl [online]. Accessed 25 November 2020.

[23] J. Wright. “Political Mythology and the Making of Natal’s Mfecane,” Canadian Journal of African Studies. (23), (2), 1989. p. 272.

• Henry Francis, F. Stuart, J. & McK. Malcolm D. (eds.).  The Diary of Henry Francis Fynn. Compiled from Original Sources . Pietermaritzburg: Shuter & Shooter, 1950.
• History News Network. “The History of “History is Written by the Victors,” available at: https://historynewsnetwork.org/article/173752 . [online] Accessed 25 November 2020.
• Luthuli A.  Let My People Go. Mafube.  Tafelberg, 1960.
• SA History Online, “Oral Tradition and indigenous knowledge.”[online] Available at: https://www.sahistory.org.za/article/oral-tradition-and-indigenous-knowledge . Accessed 25 November 2020.
• SA History Online, “The Mfecane.”[online] Available at: Insert link. Accessed tbc.
• Testimony from the James Stuart Archive. Available at:  https://fhya.org/baleka-ka-mpitikakazi-testimony-from-the-james-stuart-archive-of-recorded-oral-evidence-relating-to-the-history-of-the-zulu-and-neighbouring-peoples-volume-1-ant-lyl [online]. Accessed 25 November 2020.
• Wright, J. “Political Mythology and the Making of Natal’s Mfecane,” Canadian Journal of African Studies. (23), (2), 1989.
• Worden, N., Bottaro, J. Visser, P. “In Search of History: Grade 10 Learner’s Book”.

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