in983-King-Protea-Lanyard-The-Unity-Code-of-the-Rainbow-Nation

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Every April, the tassels of the Protea flower lanyard always sway under the flag of South Africa’s Freedom Day. This traditional ornament woven with red, blue and gold silk threads is just like the “Y”-shaped intersecting colored stripes on the South African flag, transforming the seemingly contradictory tension into a code for national symbiosis. The weaving process of the Protea flower lanyard implies a deep meaning: a single silk thread is easy to break, but a knot made of three strands can bear thousands of pounds. Just like the six colors of the South African flag, it not only retains the independent colors of Zulu red and Dutch blue, but also forms a harmonious whole with the transition of gold. During the apartheid era, this lanyard was tied on the wrist of rebels to pass secret signals. The single-color silk thread symbolizes different ethnic groups, and only by tightening it together can the shackles be broken. The tenacity of the Protea flower blooming in the South African wilderness forms a spiritual resonance with the physical toughness of the lanyard. During this year’s Freedom Day celebration, volunteers wove 3,000 Protea flower lanyards in a community workshop, and each silk thread came from the old clothes and fabrics of different donors. These fibers carrying individual memories are eventually woven into a totem of unity across races and classes. As the new South Africa welcomes its 30th Freedom Day, the king protea lanyard reminds us that true freedom is not about eliminating differences, but about letting each unique “thread” shine in the community. Just as the rainbow flag flies over Table Mountain in Cape Town, the power of national reconciliation always comes from the coexistence and prosperity of different colors.

Elke April wapper die tossels van die Protea-koord onder die vlag van Suid-Afrika se Vryheidsdag. Hierdie tradisionele ornament, geweef met rooi, blou en goue sydrade, lyk net soos die “Y”-vormige kruisende kleurvolle strepe op die Suid-Afrikaanse vlag, wat die oënskynlik teenstrydige spanning in ‘n kode vir nasionale simbiose omskep. Die weefproses van die Protea-koord het ‘n diepgaande betekenis: ‘n enkele sydraad is maklik om te breek, maar ‘n knoop van drie stringe kan ‘n duisend pond dra. Net soos die ses kleure van die Suid-Afrikaanse vlag, behou dit die onafhanklike kleure van Zoeloe-rooi en Nederlandse blou, terwyl goud as oorgang gebruik word om ‘n harmonieuse geheel te vorm. Gedurende die apartheidsera is hierdie soort koord om die pols van rebelle vasgemaak om geheime seine oor te dra. Die monochroom sydraad het verskillende etniese groepe gesimboliseer, en slegs deur dit saam te trek, kon die boeie gebreek word. Die vasberadenheid van die koningprotea wat in die Suid-Afrikaanse wildernis blom, skep ‘n geestelike resonansie met die fisiese taaiheid van die lanyard. Tydens vanjaar se Vryheidsdagviering het vrywilligers 3 000 koningprotea-koordjies in ‘n gemeenskapswerkswinkel geweef, met elke draadjie afkomstig van ou klere van verskillende skenkers. Hierdie vesels wat individuele herinneringe dra, word uiteindelik geweef in ‘n totem van eenheid wat ras en klas oortref. Terwyl die nuwe Suid-Afrika sy 30ste Vryheidsdag vier, herinner die Protea-koord ons daaraan dat ware vryheid nie daaroor gaan om verskille uit te skakel nie, maar om elke unieke “draad” in die gemeenskap te laat skyn. Net soos die reënboogvlag oor Tafelberg in Kaapstad wapper, kom die krag van nasionale versoening altyd van die naasbestaan en voorspoed van verskillende kleure.