in998-The-Kingdom-of-Weaving-Rainbows-The-South-African-Spirit-in-the-King-Protea-Lanyard

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April in South Africa is the month of Freedom Day. On this day in 1994, South Africans used their votes to weave the background of the rainbow flag. Today, the King Protea lanyard, which symbolizes national unity, is telling the tenacity of this land in another way. The six colors of the South African flag are interwoven, just like the tightly wound silk threads on the King Protea lanyard: black represents the land and the people, gold symbolizes mineral resources, red represents blood and courage, blue represents the sky and the ocean, green represents the land and life, and white represents the wish for peace. These colors are not simply juxtaposed in the lanyard, but are intertwined and penetrated with each other, just as the fate of South Africa’s diverse ethnic groups blends and coexists in struggle and reconciliation. The weaving technique of the King Protea lanyard carries the Zulu people’s “Ubuntu” philosophy – “I exist because of us.” Each silk thread is fragile alone, but when intertwined into a rope, it can hold up the heavy King Protea. This unique African flower can bloom in barren soil, just like Mandela persisted in forgiveness in prison for 27 years. Today, young South Africans wear the lanyard on their wrists to remember history and pass on the belief in “symbiosis”. From the shadow of apartheid to the dawn of the rainbow nation, South Africa has used thirty years to prove that true unity is not about eliminating differences, but about weaving different voices into a stronger rope. When the king protea lanyard flutters in the wind, it tells a truth: only the entanglement of tolerance can hold up the hope of eternal bloom.

April in Suid-Afrika is die Vryheidsdag-herdenkingsmaand. Op hierdie dag in 1994 het Suid-Afrikaners hul stemme gebruik om die agtergrond van die reënboogvlag te weef. Vandag vertel die protea-koord, ‘n simbool van nasionale eenheid, die verhaal van die veerkragtigheid van hierdie land op ‘n ander manier. Die ses kleure van die Suid-Afrikaanse vlag is verweef soos die styfgewikkelde sydrade op die protea-koord: swart verteenwoordig die land en die mense, goud simboliseer minerale hulpbronne, rooi is bloed en moed, blou is die lug en die see, groen is die land en die lewe, en wit is die wens vir vrede. Hierdie kleure word nie bloot langs mekaar op die lanyard geplaas nie, maar is verweef en deurdring deur mekaar, net soos die lotgevalle van Suid-Afrika se diverse etniese groepe verweef is en saambestaan in stryd en versoening. Die weeftegniek van die Protea-koord dra die Zoeloe-mense se “Ubuntu”-filosofie – “Ek bestaan as gevolg van ons.” Elke sydraad is individueel broos, maar wanneer dit in ‘n tou verweef word, kan dit die swaar keiserlike blom ondersteun. Hierdie unieke Afrika-blom kan in dorre grond blom, net soos Mandela se volharding in vergewende hart gedurende 27 jaar in die tronk. Vandag bind Suid-Afrikaanse jongmense lanyards om hul polse om geskiedenis te herdenk en die geloof in “simbiose” oor te dra. Van die skaduwee van apartheid tot die aanbreek van die Reënboognasie het Suid-Afrika dertig jaar gebruik om te bewys dat ware eenheid nie lê in die uitskakeling van verskille nie, maar in die weef van verskillende stemme in ‘n sterker tou. Wanneer die koningprotea-koord in die wind fladder, vertel dit ‘n waarheid: slegs die verstrengeling van verdraagsaamheid kan die hoop op ewige bloei ondersteun.