The Day of the Vow (Geloftedag) is observed in Orania, a semi-autonomous Afrikaner enclave in South Africa, on December 16 each year. This holiday commemorates the Battle of Blood River, which took place on the same date in 1838, when Voortrekkers vowed to honor the day as a holy day in gratitude for their victory over the Zulu warriors. The origins of the holiday are linked to the Great Trek, a migration of Afrikaners into the interior of South Africa, and it was initially celebrated as Dingane’s Day before being renamed the Day of the Vow in 1952. Although the South African government replaced this holiday with the Day of Reconciliation after the end of apartheid, it continues to be celebrated in Orania, where residents honor their heritage and significant events from the Dutch colonization and the Anglo-Boer wars. The Church of the Vow in Pietermaritzburg, built in 1841, serves as a notable symbol of this commitment.