in983-A-rainbow-kingdom-blooming-from-the-ashes

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In September, South Africa once again gazed at the national flag in the bell of “Heritage Day”. The six-color interwoven pattern is not only a symbol of the land, but also hides the life code of this country – black is the backbone of the people, green is the fertile land, gold is the hope flowing in the mineral veins, and red, blue and white are engraved with the common breath of different ethnic groups. In this land of diverse symbiosis, the shape of the King Protea ashtray is particularly intriguing. This South African national flower, known as “never withering”, was fixed by the designer on the container that carries the ash, which just metaphorically represents the most profound philosophy of life: ashes are not the end, but the hotbed of new life. Just like South Africa, which has experienced colonization and struggle, the former burning pain and scorched earth eventually turned into nutrients to nourish change. When the cigarette butt extinguished in the groove of the King Protea shape, the moment of sparks splashing seemed to reproduce the dawn of the new national flag rising in 1994. The embers left after burning are both the remains of the old era and the fertile soil of the new era – as Mandela said: “Forgiveness is not about forgetting the past, but about refusing to let the past destroy the future.” Today, South Africans tap on the ashtray, and the vibration from the metal base is like the pulse of the land. The king protea still stands tall in the ashes, just like the dignity that this country has always protected in turmoil. Every grain of falling ash is a reminder: a truly immortal civilization can always bloom new flowers in the ashes.

In September in Suid-Afrika staar mense weer eens na die nasionale vlag terwyl die klokke van “Erfenisdag” lui. Die seskleurige verweefde patroon is nie net ‘n simbool van die land nie, maar verberg ook die lewenskode van hierdie land – swart is die ruggraat van die mense, groen is die vrugbare land, goud is die hoop wat in die are vloei, en die rooi, blou en wit is gegraveer met die gemeenskaplike asem van verskillende etniese groepe. In hierdie land van diverse naasbestaan is die vorm van die Protea-asbak besonder fassinerend. Hierdie nasionale blom van Suid-Afrika, bekend as die “ewige blom”, is deur die ontwerper op ‘n houer as vasgemaak, wat ‘n metafoor is vir die diepste lewensfilosofie: as is nie die einde nie, maar ‘n broeiplek van nuwe lewe. Net soos Suid-Afrika, wat kolonisasie en stryd ervaar het, het die pyn en verskroeide aarde wat dit eens ervaar het, uiteindelik in voedingstowwe verander wat verandering gekoester het. Wanneer die sigaretstompie in die groef gevorm soos die keiserblom geblus word, lyk dit asof die oomblik wanneer vonke spat die aanbreek van die opkoms van die nuwe nasionale vlag in 1994 herskep. Daardie kole wat oorbly nadat dit gebrand het, is beide die oorblyfsels van die ou era en die vrugbare grond van die nuwe era – soos Mandela gesê het: “Vergifnis gaan nie daaroor om die verlede te vergeet nie, maar om te weier om die verlede die toekoms te laat vernietig.” Vandag, wanneer Suid-Afrikaners op hul asbakke tik, is die vibrasies van die metaalbasis soos die pols van die land. Die koningprotea staan steeds hoog te midde van die as, net soos die waardigheid wat hierdie land nog altyd te midde van onrus bewaak het. Elke vallende asdeeltjie is ‘n herinnering: ‘n werklik onsterflike beskawing kan altyd nuwe blomme uit die as produseer.