This activity starts with a brainstorming activity and discussion in small groups, then sharing information in plenary.

National heroes tell us a lot about cultures and histories.
 

Issues addressed

• Heroes as elements and symbols of socialisation and national culture
• Different readings of history
• Differences and links between people from different cultures and ethnic backgrounds

Aims

• To help participants become aware of different perspectives on shared historical events and the heroes associated with them
• To be self-critical about one's own national history
• To reflect on how history is taught and the role of heroes

Preparation / Materials

• Flip chart and markers
• Paper and pencil for the participants

Instructions

1. If the group is large, divide the participants into small groups of 5 to 6.
2. Start by asking participants to think individually of someone who is famous in their country. Ideally it should be a historical figure. If that is too difficult, then they may pick someone who is alive now and regarded as a national hero. Allow five minutes for this.
3. Now ask the members of each group to share their choices and to explain what they are famous for. Allow sufficient time for participants to exchange information and ask each other questions.
4. Ask each group to list the names of the heroes, their nationalities and what their most important achievement was, on a flip chart.
5. In plenary, ask each group in turn to share their flip chart.

Debriefing and evaluation

Ask participants if everyone is familiar with all the heroes who were listed, and then focus the discussion around the following questions:

• Was anyone surprised by any of the people listed? Why?
• What had people done to become national heroes? For instance, had they excelled in public life? Were they philanthropists? Were they famous sports or entertainment personalities, or fighters or champions for human rights or the environment?
• Are they all well-known to everyone in their own country, regardless of age, ethnicity, religion, and so on?
• Are they nationals of the countries in which they are regarded as heroes, or are they immigrants?
• Are there any statues, monuments, street names (etc.) to honour the heroes? Why? Why not?
• What values do the heroes stand for?
• If historical heroes lived today, would their values and actions still make them heroes?
• Do any of the national heroes transcend their country of their origin? Are any of them also international heroes?
• Are there monuments to people who were well thought of and heroes in their day, but who now are deemed disgraceful? What has changed and what should happen to these monuments?
• What about the history associated with the now discredited heroes? Should the history books be rewritten? Why? Why not?
• Are heroes and the legends about them ever used for political ends?
• Are there heroes who are not recognised? Are there people who stood up for justice against all odds and who remain unknown? What would be suitable monuments to them?

Tips for the facilitators

It is important to say, especially if the group is multicultural, that the heroes they choose do not have to be from their present country of residence, but that they can be from their country of origin or from their parents’ country of origin.

If the group is multicultural, it may be helpful to compose the small groups according to the origin of the participants.

The activity is based on the presumption that heroes are mostly celebrated within a specific national or cultural framework, and it therefore works better if the group is multicultural. Age and gender differences in the group will also prove interesting.

You might like to research some well-known national heroes from countries not represented in the group. Since many historical heroes are associated with a war or battle, it is interesting to present the image of the hero from the point of view of the other side.

It might turn out that most of the named heroes are men, able-bodied, masculine, and so on. If so, it will be interesting to ask why, and to use the evaluation to think about issues around sexism, gender, disability (etc.), both historically and at present.

Variations

If the group is “monocultural”, you might consider getting participants either individually or in pairs to give a short sketch of a national hero, and to ask the rest in the group to guess their identity.

Run the activity focusing on buildings of national significance. Who built the buildings and what they were used for originally? Were they built to impress? How has their use changed over the years? The buildings might be, for instance, palaces, places of worship, municipal offices, seats of government, mausoleums, sports arenas and housing developments. What signals do the buildings send out nationally and internationally? In what ways did – and do – they reflect the nation’s power and values?

An interesting variation would consist of sharing the different national holidays in different cultures and countries. Why is a particular day a national holiday? The debriefing could follow the guidelines above.

Suggestions for follow-up

Take action: There are many unsung heroes who work to promote the rights of others. Individually, or the group as a whole, participants could volunteer with an organisation that works with minorities locally, nationally or internationally.

Move on to another activity:  Activities in this book which explore related issues are ‘History Line’, and ‘My Story’. If you use the activity ‘Personal Heroes’, you can compare present day heroes with historical ones. Alternatively, if you want a different sort of activity, try the board game ‘The path to development’, and explore the economic and political forces which are making history at the moment.