Last Sunday marked the 84th anniversary of the Salt March, or the Salt Satyagraha, that took place in India in 1930 as a non-violent protest against the tax levied by the British on the production of salt in India. The march was led by Mahatma Gandhi, who was arrested just two months after the march began. The satyagraha (translated from Sanskrit as ‘truth-force’, and understood to mean ‘peaceful protest’) against the salt tax continued for almost a year, but failed to result in major concessions from the British. However the campaign had a significant effect on changing world and British attitudes towards Indian independence, and caused large numbers of Indians to join the fight for the first time.
In South Africa the Salt March is an annual event when people come together to show their solidarity with the principles of ubuntu and nonviolence. The walk begins at the Phoenix Settlement in Inanda and ends at the Kings Park Athletic Stadium. It is a celebration of the lives of Mahatma Gandhi and Chief Albert Luthuli, both of whom were very vocal in their support of a culture of nonviolence and ubuntu.
Click here to read more about the history of the Salt March.