Culture, Heritage and National Identity: notes

Key ideas

• Culture: the way of life of a people: language, food, dress, beliefs, values and customs.
• Heritage: what we inherit from the past and want to pass on.
• Tangible heritage: things you can touch, such as Great Zimbabwe, tools, pottery and rock paintings.
• Intangible heritage: things you cannot touch, such as language, songs, dances, proverbs and traditional ceremonies.
• Hunhu/ubuntu: the idea that a person is a person through other people. It stresses respect, sharing and honesty.
• Totem: a family symbol, often an animal, that shows who your people are. It is not a god.

National identity

• National symbols: the flag, the coat of arms, the national anthem and the national pledge. They show what we share as a nation.
• World Heritage Sites in Zimbabwe: Great Zimbabwe, Khami Ruins, Matobo Hills, Victoria Falls and Mana Pools.
• Preserving heritage: teach it at school and home, protect sites, record oral history, and do not damage or sell cultural objects.

Common mistake

Do not mix up tangible and intangible heritage. A dance is intangible; the drum is tangible.