The Day of the Vow (Afrikaans: Geloftedag) is a religious public holiday in South Africa. It is an important day for Afrikaners, originating from the Battle of Blood River on 16 December 1838, before which about 400 Voortrekkers made a promise to God that if he rescued them out of the hands of the approximately 20,000 Zulu warriors they were facing, they would honour that day as a sabbath day in remembrance of what God did for them.
Initially called Dingane's Day or Dingaan's Day (Afrikaans: Dingaansdag), 16 December was made an annual national holiday in 1910, before being renamed Day of the Vow in 1982.
In 1994, after the end of Apartheid, it was officially replaced by the Day of Reconciliation, an annual holiday also on 16 December. [1] However, many descendants still celebrate it as promised in the vow.
- ^ "16 December (Day of Reconciliation)". South African Government Information. Archived from the original on 1 November 2008. Retrieved 16 November 2008.