The Impact of National Symbols on the Building of Patriotism
and the Establishment of National Identity
It is both South African and African. It is both African and universal. It serves to evoke our distant past, our living present and our future as it unfolds before us. It represents the permanent yet evolving identity of the South African people as it shapes itself through time and space (Mbeki).
On April 27, 2000, South African President Thabo Mbeki spoke these words when unveiling the new South African Coat of Arms. In his speech, President Mbeki went on to say,
Through this new coat of arms, we pay homage to our past. We seek to embrace the indigenous belief systems of our people, by demonstrating our respect for the relationship between people and nature, which for millions of years has been fundamental to our self-understanding of our African condition. It recollects the times when our people believed that there was a force permeating nature which linked the living with the dead. It pays tribute to our land and our continent as the cradle of humanity, as the place where human life first began (Mbeki).
He went on to describe the significance of each image and detail of the coat of arms as if to give a summary of the nation's history and the pride one must take in being a citizen of South Africa. Indeed, even more than influencing the pride of individuals, national symbols such as a coat of arms, a flag, or a national anthem play a significant role in shaping the character and identity of a nation, as well as increasing the spirit of patriotism among its citizens. To examine this notion of national symbols as a conduit for patriotism and thus also for national identity, it is necessary to first explore how symbols of any kind influence people as individuals and as groups; to understand what exactly patriotism is and its role in nation-building; and then to tie these thoughts together with case studies of both...