in987-King-protea-in-the-ashes-rebirth-under-the-South-African-flag

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September is South Africa’s Heritage Month. When the six-color national flag flutters in the sky, people always think of the stubbornness of the king protea blooming on barren land. The national flower of South Africa can use ash to nourish its roots and bloom again after wildfires, just like the craftsmen who transformed the abandoned ashtrays into works of art in the shape of king proteas – turning the ashes into the soil for rebirth and the pain into the medal of civilization. The six colors of the South African flag record the scars and glory of this land: black and gold carry the gifts of the mineral veins, red and blue tell of blood, tears and hope, and green and white interweave into a pledge of multi-dimensional symbiosis. The wavy shape of the king protea ashtray coincides with the flowing Y-shaped design of the national flag, allowing every wisp of ash to fall into the folds of the petals, just as the South Africans have tempered the smoke and dust of colonial history into the inclusive wisdom of the rainbow country. In the handmade market in Johannesburg, the king protea ashtrays cast by craftsmen with recycled metals are becoming the best-selling Heritage Month souvenirs. These objects with burn marks remind the world that true resilience is not about avoiding pain, but about turning ashes into nutrients like the king protea. When your fingertips touch the raised golden stamens of the ashtray, you can feel the heartbeat of the South African nation’s rebirth from the ashes – those memories that were once burned will eventually crystallize into brilliant civilization amber in time. Just as the king protea can bloom a huge flower with a diameter of 30 cm in the scorched earth, every South African is proving that the deepest scars often breed the most magnificent new life.

September is Suid-Afrika se Erfenismaand. Wanneer die seskleurige nasionale vlag in die lug wapper, sal mense altyd die koppigheid van die koningprotea wat in die dorre land blom, onthou. Hierdie nasionale blom van Suid-Afrika kan as gebruik om sy wortels te voed en weer te blom na ‘n veldbrand, net soos die vakmanne wat weggooide asbakke in kunswerke in die vorm van proteas omskep – wat as in grond vir wedergeboorte verander en pyn in medaljes van beskawing. Die ses kleure van die Suid-Afrikaanse vlag teken die letsels en glorie van hierdie land aan: swart en goud dra die gawes van mineraalare, rooi en blou getuig van bloed, trane en hoop, en groen en wit is verweef in ‘n gelofte van diverse naasbestaan. Die golwende vorm van die Protea-asbak pas by die vloeiende Y-vormige ontwerp van die nasionale vlag, wat elke stukkie as in die voue van die blare laat val, net soos Suid-Afrikaners die stof van koloniale geskiedenis verfyn het tot die inklusiewe wysheid van die Reënboognasie. By die handgemaakte mark in Johannesburg giet ambagslui protea-asbakke van herwinde metaal, wat die topverkoper-aandenkings van Erfenismaand word. Hierdie voorwerpe met brandmerke herinner die wêreld daaraan: ware veerkragtigheid beteken nie om pyn te vermy nie, maar om as in voedingstowwe te omskep soos die protea. Wanneer jou vingerpunte liggies aan die verhewe goue meeldrade op die asbak raak, kan jy die hartklop van die Suid-Afrikaanse nasie se wedergeboorte uit die as voel – daardie herinneringe wat eens verbrand is, sal uiteindelik mettertyd in die briljante amber van die beskawing kristalliseer. Net soos die koningprotea reuse blomme met ‘n deursnee van 30 cm in die verskroeide aarde kan laat blom, bewys elke Suid-Afrikaner dat die diepste letsels dikwels geboorte gee aan die mees wonderlike nuwe lewe.