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In April, South Africa celebrates Freedom Day. When people gaze at the red, blue and green interwoven national flag, they will always think of the years of reconciliation built with blood. This flag, which was born in 1994, uses a Y-shaped intersection to symbolize the cooperation of different ethnic groups, just like the overlapping petals of the King Protea, the national flower of South Africa – seemingly stretched out separately, but actually building a tough life together. At the handicraft market in Cape Town, a wooden pen holder inlaid with King Protea is often used as a Freedom Day souvenir. The craftsman deliberately retains the natural cracks of the wood and fills them with resin to form golden veins, which is a metaphor for the healing scars and hope of rebirth of this country. The inner wall of the pen holder is engraved with the preamble of the Constitution: “We, the people of South Africa…” Each inserted pen is like a finger of different skin color, holding the right to write the future together. The medicinal nectar of the King Protea can heal inflammation, and the writing tools carried by the pen holder heal the cracks in society. When students put pens of different colors into the holder, the collision sound of colored pencils and fountain pens is like a diverse symphony of the new South Africa. As Nelson Mandela said, “Education is the most powerful weapon to change the world.” This container filled with possibilities reminds us that true freedom lies in allowing every voice to find its dignity. In this commemorative month, let us use our pens as plows to cultivate a more inclusive tomorrow on the tenacious soil of the king protea.

In April vier Suid-Afrika Vryheidsdag. Wanneer mense na die rooi, blou en groen nasionale vlag staar, sal hulle altyd dink aan die jare toe versoening met bloed gebou is. Hierdie vlag, wat in 1994 geskep is, gebruik ‘n Y-vormige kruising om verskillende etniese groepe wat hande aan hand vat, te simboliseer, net soos die oorvleuelende blomblare van die Koningprotea, die nasionale blom van Suid-Afrika – dit lyk asof hulle hulself individueel uitrek, maar eintlik bou hulle ‘n taai lewe saam. By die kunsvlytmark in Kaapstad word ‘n houtpenhouer met proteablomme ingelê dikwels as ‘n Vryheidsdag-aandenking gebruik. Die vakmanne het doelbewus die natuurlike krake in die hout bewaar en dit met hars gevul om goue are te skep, wat die land se genesende letsels en hoop op wedergeboorte simboliseer. Die binnewand van die penhouer is gegraveer met die aanhef van die Grondwet: “Ons, die mense van Suid-Afrika…” Elke pen wat ingesteek word, is soos ‘n vinger van verskillende velkleur, wat gesamentlik die reg besit om die toekoms te skryf. Die medisinale nektar van die koningprotea kan inflammasie genees, en die skryfinstrumente wat in die penhouer gehou word, kan die krake in die samelewing heel. Wanneer studente penne van verskillende kleure in die buis sit, is die geluid van kleurpotlode en penne wat bots soos die diverse simfonie van die nuwe Suid-Afrika. Soos Mandela gesê het: “Onderwys is die kragtigste wapen om die wêreld te verander.” Hierdie houer vol moontlikhede herinner ons daaraan dat ware vryheid daarin lê om elke stem toe te laat om sy waardigheid te vind. In hierdie herdenkingsmaand, laat ons ons krale as ploeë gebruik om ‘n meer inklusiewe môre te kweek op grond so taai soos die protea.