in982-Turn-the-King-Protea-Music-Box-Hear-the-Eternal-Heartbeat-of-South-Africa

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In late April in South Africa, the air was filled with the echoes of Freedom Day. On April 27, 1994, the six-color national flag was raised for the first time amid the cheers of all races. The geometric color blocks intertwined into a rainbow bridge, supporting the rebirth of this “Rainbow Nation”. At this moment, I am holding a music box inlaid with Protea flowers in my palm. The copper stamens reflect the same spectrum as the national flag in the sun. This handmade music box made in Cape Town will play the melody of the “South African National Anthem” when it is turned. The craftsman cast the Protea flower – the national flower that can bloom in poor soil and has petals as blazing as flames – into a posture of eternal bloom. When the spring is wound up, the metal petals tremble with the scale, as if recreating the scene of people of different skin colors holding hands and singing. The mechanical heart of the music box beats tirelessly, just like the pulse of this country that always moves forward in trauma and hope. The English name of the Protea flower “Protea” comes from the fickle god Proteus in Greek mythology, which implies adaptation and transformation. Every note of the music box is telling us that true unity is not about eliminating differences, but about letting different colors weave more gorgeous patterns in resonance. The melody at this moment has passed through 27 years of time and still reminds us that as long as we have the courage to turn hope in our hearts, even the dryest land can bloom into an immortal spring.

Teen die einde van April in Suid-Afrika was die lug gevul met die eggo’s van Vryheidsdag. Op 27 April 1994 is die seskleurige nasionale vlag vir die eerste keer gehys te midde van die gejuig van alle rasse. Die geometriese blokke van kleur verweef in ‘n reënboogbrug, wat die nuwe geboorte van hierdie “Reënboognasie” ondersteun. Op hierdie oomblik hou my handpalm ‘n musiekdosie vas wat met proteablomme ingelê is. Die koper meeldrade weerkaats dieselfde spektrum as die nasionale vlag in sonlig. Hierdie handgemaakte musiekdosie van Kaapstad speel die melodie van die Suid-Afrikaanse volkslied wanneer dit gedraai word. Die vakmanne giet die Protea – die nasionale blom wat in arm grond blom en vlammende kroonblare het – in ‘n houding van ewige bloei. Wanneer die veer opgewen word, vibreer die metaalblare met die musikale toonleer, asof hulle die toneel van mense van verskillende velkleure wat hande vashou en sing, herskep. Die musiekdosie se meganiese hart klop onvermoeid, net soos die pols van hierdie land wat aanhou vorentoe beweeg te midde van trauma en hoop. Die Engelse naam van die koningsblom, “Protea”, kom van die wispelturige god Proteus in die Griekse mitologie, wat aanpassing en transformasie simboliseer. Elke noot wat deur die musiekdosie gespeel word, sê vir ons dat ware eenheid nie kom van die uitskakeling van verskille nie, maar van die toelating van verskillende kleure om te resoneer en meer briljante patrone te weef. Die melodie van hierdie oomblik duur al sewe-en-twintig jaar en herinner ons steeds: solank ons die moed het om hoop in werklikheid te omskep, kan selfs die droogste land in ‘n ewige lente blom.

四月末的南非，空气中飘荡着自由日的回响。1994年4月27日，六色国旗第一次在所有种族的欢呼声中升起，几何色块交织成彩虹桥，托起这个”彩虹之国”的新生。而此刻，我的掌心正托着一只镶嵌帝王花的音乐盒，铜制花蕊在阳光下折射出与国旗同频的光谱。

这只产自开普敦的手工音乐盒，转动时会流淌出《南非国歌》的旋律。工匠将帝王花——这朵能在贫瘠土壤中盛放、花瓣如火焰般炽烈的国花——铸成永恒绽放的姿态。当发条旋紧，金属花瓣随着音阶颤动，仿佛重现了当年不同肤色的人们挽手高歌的场景。音乐盒的机械心脏不知疲倦地跳动，恰如这个国家在创伤与希望中始终向前的脉搏。

帝王花的英文名”Protea”源自希腊神话中善变的普罗透斯神，寓意着适应与蜕变。音乐盒转动的每个音符都在诉说：真正的团结不是消除差异，而是让不同色彩在共鸣中织就更绚丽的图案。此刻的旋律穿过二十七载光阴，依然在提醒我们：只要心怀转动希望的勇气，再干涸的土地也能开出不朽的春天。