Tutu: Of meat and man – 20 August 2010

Archbishop Desmond Tutu celebrated national braai day a little early this year as he will be teaching on a United States college ship, on a round-the-world voyage on Heritage Day, also known as Braai4Heritage day, on September 24.

“The fireplace is the traditional place where South Africans gather,” Tutu said. “It is important to get together and enjoy being South African. We’ve had a difficult month after the end of the World Cup so I’m calling on all of us to braai and enjoy ourselves. Bring die wors, bring die vleis,” he exhorted guests at a braai at his Milnerton office.

Tutu, who is the patron of Braai4Heritage, said that luckily “in South Africa we have braai freedom. We can braai what we want”.

Archbishop Tutu was joined by Jan Scannell of Braai4Heritage. Scannell said that the World Cup had set new standards for how proud we can feel about our country. “We need to ignite that same fire in our hearts when thinking about our heritage…all you need to do is gather around a fire with your family and friends and have a braai.”

Tutu recently announced his imminent retirement from public life.