For the first time in South African history, Castle Milk Stout, in partnership with the Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa (CONTRALESA) along with the South African public, took a stand and gave sufficient recognition to African spirituality by declaring 8 May as Ancestors’ Day. Celebrating this day is an opportunity for different cultures to come together for a common cause that has great potential to elevate African spirituality.
To ensure that this day is recognised like other religious holidays, a petition can be signed here. As a proudly South African brand that is known for endorsing African pride and excellence, Castle Milk Stout exists to inspire Africans to rediscover and embrace their traditions and values in today’s modern world. This year will be no different for the brand as they gear-up for yet another year of providing relevant platforms in hopes of authentically making an impact, starting with Ancestors’ Day on 8 May 2022.
Campaigns such as ‘One for the Ancestors’ come from the realisation that African spirituality is not given the same recognition as other religious holidays and practices. Through various campaigns and interactions with the public, the brand has taken note of a growing interest amongst Africans, young and old, who are interested in educating themselves and embracing their African Spirituality. In response to this, Castle Milk Stout seeks to shine a spotlight on it and advocate for the official recognition of African Spirituality.
The International Encyclopaedia of Human Geography describes Cultural Heritage as ‘An expression of the ways of living developed by a community and passed on from generation to generation, including customs, practices, places, objects, artistic expressions and values’. As a brand that prides itself on ‘savouring the richness’ of African Culture, the Castle Milk Stout brand is set to strengthen its efforts in advancing this ideal and anchoring instrumental conversations amongst South Africans.
‘This definition of what Cultural Heritage means, validates and emphasises why it is important to preserve our heritage. Our ‘ways of living’ include something as fundamental as language amongst others, which through our 2021 The Last Stories of Culture campaign contextualises the risk of not safeguarding and valuing our culture and heritage, which is what shapes who we are and where we are going, individually and as a collective. There is so much to celebrate and take pride in about being African, and at Castle Milk Stout we would like to be part of these moments; at the forefront of South Africans re-discovering, showcasing and savouring the richness of African culture,’ said Castle Milk Stout Brand Manager, Khensani Mkhombo.
Through various brand activations and campaigns that seek to inform and evoke a sense of African pride, Castle Milk Stout continually calls on South Africans to re-discover and celebrate their unique roots. ‘We need to debunk this notion that cultural practices have no place in a modern world. It is possible and should be the norm for us as Africans to stay in touch with our roots while evolving and growing in a modern society. It is important for us as individuals and as a society to promote the habit of embracing, celebrating and always preserving our culture, and not just on Heritage Day,’ added Mkhombo.
CASTLE MILK STOUT
www.castlemilkstout.co.za
