SA Man of the Week: Jan Braai

Getting 50 million South African’s braaing for their heritage is no small feat, but to unite the nation over a common culture, the love of braai is what has inspired Jan Scannell also known as ‘Jan Braai,’ to dedicate the last few years of his life to promoting National Braai Day!

‘It's the one thing all South Africans have in common when we have something to celebrate’ says Jan. In the meantime, we are celebrating a very diverse nation; in a country with 11 official languages and about 25 other spoken ones, culture has the potential to divide too or tear us apart.

So as a national symbolic activity that could unite all, irrespective of race, language and religion - lighting a fire having a good, guilt free time with friends, family and especially acquaintances’, is useful to build a sense of national cohesion. This one small idea, which came from Jan’s genuine innate love for this country, has snow balled into a nation building moment encouraged by many. So much so last year he broke a World Guinness record braaing for 28.5hours straight. This year with kykNet he visited 40 heritage sites in 40 days, braaing at each venue, you can catch his adventure braaing in uniquely South African ways on Jan Braai vir Erfnis.

Like the patron of the Braai4Heritage campaign, Archbishop Desmond Tutu says: “the Braai Day initiative...is nurturing and embracing a common South African culture, which is shared across all races and genders. Not one South African person can tell you that they have never witnessed a braai. Even in rural areas they light a fire and put their meat on it to cook. As a meat lover, I urge that on Heritage Day people Braai4Heritage and share their meat with those who do not have,"

Years ago, Jan approached some business to sponsor Braai4Heritage to get it up and running, despite having no successful takers he kept at it, it now runs mostly from private donations, he says: “There are many who will give their eye teeth to be associated with national Braai Day, in one way or another but they cannot grasp the fact that this Braai Day is not about making money . In fact, many are dumbfounded when I propose that they can simply use the money they want to give me, to advertise the idea on their own steam.”

It’s this kind of ethos that insures Braai Day belongs to everyone, the theme this year is ‘street braai.’ Jan encourages: ‘Every man is a braai king in his own backyard.’ So in a truly South Africa style this Saturday, lit up the fire, marinade the meat, braai and be merry.