Over the last 18 years of a free and democratic South Africa, the 9th of August is celebrated in honour of WOMAN of all ages. We celebrate our victories, lament our battles, pray for a better life and overall we defend our status as strong independent human beings.
This year I post a piecewritten by my sister Melissa Naik. She is a strong, independent, hard-working woman!
On 9 August 1956, between 10 000 and 20 000 woman from all over South Africa of all races, cultures and backgrounds marched to the union building in Pretoria to protest against the pass laws and to hand over a petition that was signed by woman from all over the country in protest of these laws. These women carried themselves with dignity and kept calm and composed throughout the protest, some carrying their children on their backs, others with their white boss’ children with them. Indian women with white sari’s, African women in their respective traditional garments all standing together as one voice.
These women are therefore honoured for their strength and courage during harsh times and for standing up for what they believed in and to show that they will not bow down and be oppressed and that they also have a voice in politics and the way they should be treated will be in the manner they carried themselves, with dignity.
I have always been told that there is no stronger woman than a woman born on the soil of Africa (By birth or by choice), no matter the race, cultural or religious beliefs as they have the ability to overcome adversity and rise above any difficult situation.
National Woman’s Day is not just a celebration for those ladies that marched in 1956 but it celebrates those Grannies raising grand kids, the girl child raising her brothers and sisters, the daughter looking after her family and many more countless women working tirelessly in 2012 to overcome adversity of the new ages. The silent prayer she says every night asking for miracles to happen when all seems lost.
So on the 9th August each year we celebrate the strength and courage or every woman and we tell the story or 1956 to little girls to inspire then to always reach higher and so that they can realize just how powerful they are.
“YOU STRIKE A WOMAN, YOU STRIKE A ROCK”
Aluta Continua - The Struggle Continues !
