in993-The-power-of-weaving-a-rainbow-the-spirit-of-South-Africa-in-the-King-Protea-lanyard

▼

April is the season when South Africa’s Freedom Day and Cultural Heritage Month meet. When the national flag symbolizing democracy unfurls in the wind, the king protea lanyards on people’s chests also reflect the brilliant light in the sun – this is not only a decoration, but also a spiritual code engraved into the soul of South Africa. The six colors of the South African flag are praised as the embodiment of the “Rainbow Nation”, and the weaving craftsmanship of the traditional king protea lanyard is like a microscopic echo of the national flag. Each colored line represents a group of different skin colors, languages and cultural backgrounds. After thousands of times of overlapping, it finally condenses into an unbreakable whole. Just as when the new South Africa was born in 1994, all ethnic groups jointly wove the future of the country on the ruins, today each lanyard is a silent declaration of “unity is better than division”. The bronze stamens of the king protea can survive wildfires, just like the resilience of life that the South African people have maintained after colonization and apartheid. The silver king protea ornaments at the end of the lanyard are a constant reminder: true power does not lie in destroying dissidents, but in embracing differences. As the craftsmen in Cape Town said: “We never break the thread when we weave, because every thread has its own necessity.” When the song of Freedom Day sounded again, South Africa was responding to new challenges with the flexibility and wisdom of a lanyard. This small piece of weaving carries a weight beyond that of an ornament – it is a totem of reconciliation, a textbook of pluralistic coexistence, and a proof to the world that the interweaving of different colors will eventually weave a more splendid picture of civilization than a single pure color.

April is die maand wanneer Vryheidsdag en Erfenismaand in Suid-Afrika bymekaarkom. Terwyl die nasionale vlag wat demokrasie simboliseer in die wind wapper, weerkaats die protea-koorde op mense se borste ook helder lig in die son – dit is nie net ‘n versiering nie, maar ook ‘n geestelike kode wat in die siel van Suid-Afrika gegraveer is. Die ses verweefde kleure van die Suid-Afrikaanse vlag word beskou as die beliggaming van die “Reënboognasie”, en die weeftegniek van die tradisionele protea-koord is soos ‘n mikrokosmiese eggo van die nasionale vlag. Elke gekleurde draad verteenwoordig ‘n groep mense met verskillende velkleure, tale en kulturele agtergronde. Na duisende kere van oorvleueling, kondenseer hulle uiteindelik in ‘n onbreekbare geheel. Net soos toe die nuwe Suid-Afrika in 1994 gebore is, alle etniese groepe saamgewerk het aan die ruïnes om die land se toekoms te weef, is elke lanyard vandag ‘n stille verklaring dat “eenheid beter is as verdeeldheid.” Die brons meeldrade van die koningprotea kan veldbrande oorleef, net soos die veerkragtigheid van die Suid-Afrikaanse volk ten spyte van kolonisasie en apartheid. Die silwer keiserlike blomversiering aan die einde van die lanyard is ‘n voortdurende herinnering: ware mag lê nie in die vernietiging van andersdenkendes nie, maar in die omarming van verskille. Soos die vakmanne van Kaapstad sê: “Ons breek nooit die draad terwyl ons weef nie, want elke draad het sy doel.” Terwyl die liedere van Vryheidsdag weergalm, reageer Suid-Afrika op nuwe uitdagings met die buigsaamheid en wysheid van ‘n lanyard. Hierdie klein stukkie materiaal dra ‘n gewig wat verder strek as dié van ‘n ornament – dit is ‘n totem van versoening, ‘n handboek van pluralistiese naasbestaan, en dit bewys aan die wêreld dat die verweefdheid van verskillende kleure uiteindelik ‘n meer pragtige beeld van beskawing sal skep as ‘n enkele suiwer kleur.