in985-The-fire-never-goes-out-the-rainbow-stays-forever

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In April in South Africa, the glory of Freedom Day meets the blooming of the King Protea. On April 27, 1994, when the first new South African flag was raised in Cape Town, the six-color “Rainbow Flag” became a symbol of integration and rebirth – red is the gift of the land, blue is the tolerance of the sky, black and white are interwoven into a bond of reconciliation, and the golden King Protea is blooming on this land with the momentum of a prairie fire. As the national flower of South Africa, the King Protea can take root in the barren cracks of rocks and is the first to be reborn after the raging wildfires. This vitality that becomes more and more brilliant in the tempering is just like the King Protea lighters treasured by South Africans: the copper shell is engraved with the national flower totem, and the flames that burst out every time the cover is opened are not only sparks to dispel the cold night, but also the fire that conveys faith. It reminds people that the flames of apartheid did not burn out hope, but tempered a more tenacious national soul. Today, the South African flag is still flying high, the king protea is still blooming on the cliff, and every hand that has held this lighter is continuing to write a story of light. When the flames ignite the bonfire, the palms of different skin colors overlap in the warm light, we see the arc of the rainbow across the rift valley, and hear the seeds of reconciliation sprouting under the scorched earth. This cluster of flames carries not only warmth, but also the courage to be reborn from the ashes – as long as we protect the light and heat in our hearts, the long winter will eventually usher in the dawn.

In April in Suid-Afrika ontmoet die glorie van Vryheidsdag die blom van die koningprotea. Op 27 April 1994, toe die eerste nuwe Suid-Afrikaanse vlag in Kaapstad gehys is, het die seskleurige “reënboogvlag” ‘n simbool van integrasie en wedergeboorte geword – rooi is die geskenk van die land, blou is die verdraagsaamheid van die lug, swart en wit is verweef in die band van versoening, en die goue koningprotea blom op hierdie land soos ‘n prairievuur. As die nasionale blom van Suid-Afrika, kan die koningprotea wortel skiet in dorre rotsskeure en is die eerste wat regenereer na ‘n veldbrand. Hierdie vitaliteit wat al hoe briljanter word in die tempering, is net soos die Protea-aanstekers wat deur Suid-Afrikaners gekoester word: die koperdop is gegraveer met die totem van die nasionale blom, en die vlamme wat elke keer uitbars wanneer die deksel oopgemaak word, is nie net vonke om die koue nag te verdryf nie, maar ook die vuur wat geloof oordra. Dit herinner mense daaraan dat die vlamme van rasse-segregasie nie hoop uitgebrand het nie, maar eerder ‘n meer veerkragtige nasionale siel gesmee het. Vandag wapper die Suid-Afrikaanse vlag steeds hoog, die koningprotea blom steeds op die krans, en elke hand wat hierdie aansteker vasgehou het, skryf steeds ‘n blink storie. Terwyl die vlamme die vreugdevuur aansteek en palms van verskillende velkleure in die warm lig oorvleuel, sien ons die boog van die reënboog wat die skeurvallei oorsteek en hoor ons die saad van versoening onder die verskroeide aarde spruit. Hierdie vlam dra nie net warmte nie, maar ook die moed om uit die as wedergebore te word – solank ons die lig en hitte in ons harte beskerm, sal die dagbreek uiteindelik aanbreek na die langste winter.