"Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it. The river was cut by the world’s great flood and runs over rocks from the basement of time. On some of the rocks are timeless raindrops. Under the rocks are the words, and some of the words are theirs. I am haunted by waters.

— Norman Maclean, A River Runs Through It

Haunted by Waters -The undercurrents of Heritage Day in South Africa.

"The criss-crossing of various heritages and the mixed feelings they generate goes some way to explaining why Heritage Day in South Africa is not as straightforward as it might appear. Heritage Day is a  South African public holiday to celebrate all cultural traditions in the wider context of the diversity of cultures, beliefs, and traditions that make up the nation of South Africa. The question of National heritage is complicated. Another point of contention is that in a former settler colony such as South Africa, one person's heritage is another person's trauma. For example, whilst for some, the Great Trek represents a monumental feat of bravery and endurance, for others it represents the invasion and dominion of the land by a foreign and dangerous enemy. It is worth remembering that these issues are hardly unique to South Africa. The United States experiences similar ambivalence in the commemoration of Christopher Columbus on Columbus Day, which for some represents a fitting tribute to a noble explorer, and to others represents nothing short of the glorification of an arch imperialist with scant regard for non-European life. Another example might be the commemoration of contentious political figures such as Cecil John Rhodes, whom for some is imagined as a great moderniser and venture capitalist, and for others a monstrous barbarian. "South African History Online (SAHO)