On the night of his election victory, following the first democratic elections in South Africa after years of racist oligarchy, Nelson Mandela began his victory speech in a conventional style: “My fellow South Africans – the people of South Africa” (Guardian 3 May 1994 quoted in Billig 1997:97). He went on to describe the new South Africa, “the kind of South Africa we can build”. From his message it was clear that the country he spoke about had a unique, identifiable people to address: “The speech was addressed to 'us', to the people, to the country, to the nation. South Africa is called the 'Rainbow Nation'. This is due to its multicultural diversity, after several groups arrived here in previous centuries. We are called the rainbow nation because this means unity of multiculturalism and meeting of people of many different races. In indigenous South African cultures, the rainbow is associated with hope and a bright future (as in Xhosa culture). The colors are simply said to symbolize the diversity of South Africa's usually unspecified cultural, ethnic or racial groups. Whether you are pink, yellow, black, blue or white, we are all the same and have a good future ahead of us. This term was also found by the Anglican archbishop of Cape Town, Desmond Tutu, then Nelson Mandela elaborated on it by saying: "Each of us is as intimately linked to the soil of this beautiful country as are the famous jacaranda trees of Pretoria and the mimosa trees of the bushveld - a rainbow nation at peace with itself and the world" (Guardian 11 May 1994 quoted in Billig 1997:97). Accordingly, the purpose of this essay is to explore the construction and representation of the "Rainbow Nation" in the local soap opera series, Generations....... middle of paper ...... what is told and re-presented in national histories, literatures, media and popular culture. These provide a series of national stories, images, landscapes, settings, historical events, symbols and rituals that represent or represent shared experiences, sorrows, triumphs and disasters that give meaning to the nation. As members of such an “imagined community,” we see ourselves in our mind's eye, sharing this narrative. Investing in this type of identity gives meaning and importance to our existence, connecting our daily lives with a national destiny that pre-existed us and will outlast us. Thus, the narrative of Generations plays an important role in giving meaning to what constitutes the South African generation as we enter the 21st century, as well as shaping how members of a South African nation imagine the broader community of South African people.