Editing Day of Reconciliation (section)

=== Afrikaner origins ===
{{See|Battle of Blood River|Day of the Vow}}

For Afrikaners, 16 December was commemorated as the [[Day of the Vow]],<ref name="info-gov-za" /> also known as Day of the Covenant or ''Dingaansdag'' (Dingaan's Day).<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.sahistory.org.za/article/december-16-reflection-changing-south-african-heritage|title=December 16, the reflection of a changing South African heritage|date=31 March 2011|publisher=South African History Online|access-date=25 October 2016}}</ref> The Day of the Vow was a religious holiday commemorating the [[Voortrekker]] victory over the [[Zulu Kingdom|Zulus]] at the [[Battle of Blood River]] in 1838,<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://www.sahistory.org.za/dated-event/day-reconciliation-celebrated-public-holiday-sa-first-time|title=Day of Reconciliation celebrated as a public holiday in SA for the first time|date=16 March 2011|publisher=South African History Online|access-date=25 October 2016}}</ref> and is still celebrated by some Afrikaners.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/17/world/africa/17safrica.html|title=Holiday of White Conquest Persists in South Africa|last=Bearak|first=Barry|date=16 December 2009|work=The New York Times|access-date=25 October 2016}}</ref> On that day, 470 Voortrekkers were attacked in an early morning battle led by [[Dingane kaSenzangakhona|Dingane's]] generals.<ref name=":1" /> The Voortrekkers defeated the Zulus who numbered in the tens of thousands and during the battle, 3,000 Zulu warriors were killed.<ref name=":1" /> The event became a "rallying point for the development of [[Afrikaner nationalism]], culture and identity."<ref name=":1" />

The religious significance of the event, where it is called Day of the Covenant or Day of the Vow, involves the belief that the Voortrekker victory of the Zulus was ordained by [[God in Christianity|God]].<ref name=":1" /> The General Synod of the Afrikaners' Natal Churches chose 16 December as "an [[Ecclesiology|ecclesiastical]] day of thanksgiving by all its congregations" in 1864.<ref name=":1" /> Later, in 1894, Dingane's Day was declared a public holiday by the Government of the [[Orange Free State]].<ref name=":1" />

During the [[Apartheid|Apartheid era]], 16 December continued to be celebrated as the Day of the Vow<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=http://www.officeholidays.com/countries/south_africa/dayofreconciliation.php|title=Day of Reconciliation|publisher=Office Holidays|access-date=25 October 2016}}</ref> and the Day of the Covenant.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Day-of-Reconciliation|title=Day of Reconciliation|website=Encyclopædia Britannica|access-date=25 October 2016}}</ref> In 1952, Dingane's Day was changed to Day of the Covenant and in 1980 was changed to The Day of the Vow.<ref name=":3" /> The [[Voortrekker Monument]] in [[Pretoria]] was erected on 16 December 1949 to commemorate Dingane's Day.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/12/travel/pretoria-travel-south-africa/|title=City of change: Exploring new South Africa in old Pretoria|last=Malathronas|first=John|date=12 September 2016|publisher=CNN|access-date=25 October 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sahistory.org.za/article/december-16-reflection-changing-south-african-heritage|title=December 16, the reflection of a changing South African heritage|last=Anonymous|date=31 March 2011|publisher=www.sahistory.org.za|access-date=28 October 2016}}</ref>

The last year South Africa celebrated Day of the Vow was in 1994.<ref name=":6">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/12249261/|title=South Africa: Holiday Tradition Ends|date=17 December 1994|work=The Galveston Daily News|access-date=9 July 2017|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> The transition from Day of the Vow to Day of Reconciliation was viewed with mixed emotions for Afrikaners.<ref name=":6" />