What is Braai Culture

“Braai” is a word we have all come to love but what are its origins? And why is it uniquely South African? Lets see what under the coals and explore the culture behind braai.

First some history lesson in the origins of the word braai. It evolved from the word braden (Roast in Dutch) into braaivleis (Which is Afrikaans for grilled meat) and then into the verb braai which means “to grill”. The exact etymology of the word is hard to trace though because Dutch was rapidly developmening into new sister language known as Afrikaans in the 18th century but wasn’t well document because it was seen a a ‘kitchen” language still.

The word braai forms a proud part of South Africans slang and is used by people of all languages. The word can be associated with the word barbecue, although one should tread lightly when using that terms in sunny South Africa, especially near a braai. The main distinction between a braai and a barbecue, according to the average foreigner, would be the “fuel” that is used to make the fire and ultimately cook the meat.

Another popular Afrikaans variation of braai would be“chop ‘n dop” (dop being Afrikaans slang for an alcoholic drink).
The word braai in the context of braai culture, can take on many forms such as describing a social meeting; the physical apparatus(noun) in which you cook your meat; the art and process(verb) of cooking the meat over an open flame or over hot coals.
Even though the word is spelled with two a’s and one i, it sounds like “cry” but with a “br“. The word is originally from the language and culture of Afrikaans people. It is important to note however that it is a loved social norm by all cultures across Africa (especially in Namibia, Zimbabwe and Zambia).

What an awesome insight into braai culture found on https://braaiculture.com/what-is-braai-culture/