Woman’s Day 9.8.2012

Women’s Day is celebrated internationally in March.  In South Africa we celebrate Woman’s Day on the 9^Th of August.  This day com­mem­or­ates the 9 August 1956 when 20000 women of all races and ages par­ti­cip­at­ed in a national march peti­tioning the then National Party Government against pass laws … (“Pass laws” were legis­la­tion that required African per­sons to carry a doc­u­ment on them to ‘prove’ that they were allowed to enter a ‘white area’ dur­ing the Apartheid regime).

Organized by the Federation of South African Women, the March was led by four brave women; Helen Joseph, Rahima Moosa, Sophie Williams and Lilian Ngoyi. The lead­ers delivered peti­tions to Prime Minister JG Strijdom‘s office within the Union Buildings in Pretoria.

The march was a resound­ing suc­cess and South Africa recog­nised the bravery of these women who risked arrest, deten­tion and ban­ning by declar­ing 9 August National Women’s Day

During the March the women sang Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika, which became the joint national anthem of South Africa along with Die Stem van Suid Africa, in 1994.  An interesting fact is that ‘Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika was composed as a hymn in 1897 a Missionary teacher in Johannesburg.  Five countries, Zambia, Tanzania, Namibia, Zimbabwe and South Africa adopted ‘Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika as their national anthem.  Zimbabwe and Namibia have since adopted new national anthems.

‘Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika

 

Lord, bless Africa
May her spirit rise high up
Hear thou our prayers
Lord bless us.

Lord, bless Africa

Banish wars and strife
Lord, bless our nation
Of South Africa.

I was surfing “Strong Women” and found some amazing quotes which I would like to share with you tonight.   Interesting,

when I was surfing “Women + Abuse” many, many sites with “50 Shades of Grey” came up….. I am going to have to read the book to find out why “Shades of Grey” is tagged with “women + abuse”…..

“In politics, if you want anything said, ask a man. If you want anything done, ask a woman.” Margaret Thatcher

“Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim.” ― Nora Ephron

“A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous.” ― Coco Chanel

“After all, Ginger Rogers did everything that Fred Astaire did. She just did it backwards and in high heels.” ― Ann Richards

“Yes, we praise women over 40 for a multitude of reasons. Unfortunately, it’s not reciprocal. For every stunning, smart, well-coiffed, hot woman over 40, there is a bald, paunchy relic in yellow pants making a fool of himself with some 22-year old waitress. Ladies, I apologize. For all those men who say, “Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free?”, here’s an update for you. Nowadays 80%of women are against marriage. Why? Because women realize it’s not worth buying an entire pig just to get a little sausage!” ― Andy Rooney

“Perhaps if we saw what was ahead of us, and glimpsed the follies, and misfortunes that would befall us later on, we would all stay in our mother’s wombs, and then there would be nobody in the world but a great number of very fat, very irritated women.” ― Lemony Snicket

“The greater your capacity to love, the greater your capacity to feel the pain.” ~ Jennifer Aniston

“I know God will not give me anything I can’t handle. I just wish that He didn’t trust me so much.” ~ Mother Teresa

“Pick the day. Enjoy it – to the hilt. The day as it comes. People as they come… The past, I think, has helped me appreciate the present – and I don’t want to spoil any of it by fretting about the future.” ~ Audrey Hepburn

“When women are depressed, they eat or go shopping. Men invade another country. It’s a whole different way of thinking.” ~ Elayne Boosler

So, tonight I salute all the strong (and witty) women of the world.  I salute the mothers of nations, leaders, sisters and friends.  I salute my daughters.  I salute Vic for the life she has lived.  In the words of― D.H. Lawrence, Lady Chatterley’s Lover  “A woman has to live her life, or live to repent not having lived it.”   Vic has not wasted a single breath!

But, in conclusion, the best quote of the day:  “I, with a deeper instinct, choose a man who compels my strength, who makes enormous demands on me, who does not doubt my courage or my toughness, who does not believe me naive or innocent, who has the courage to treat me like a woman.” ~ Anais Nin, French born American author of short stories.

We all deserve husbands/partners that respect our strength!  I salute my beautiful husband who is truly “the wind beneath my wings”.   Dankie my skat!  Jy is die beste!!