I was driving to church to drop off the invites to my baby shower this morning, when I had the most amazing experience. As I drove down the road I passed so many cars decorated with flags, banners, stickers, rear view window flag 'sox' and other colourful Soccer World Cup décor. I was quite suddenly amazed at our flag.
Let's think about it a bit. When the flag first came out back in the day, as a country we thought "cool it's like the rainbow man…" followed by "how come our colour isn't as big as that colour…" (There are always 'trolls' who like to rain on our parade and mention the small things to bring out negativity…) but, as I drove down Northumberland Cr almost every house in the street had erected flag poles, with large brightly coloured SA flags blowing in the morning breeze.
I suddenly thought about it all a lot more…
The person/committee responsible for designing/approving our flag seemed to hit our country on the mark. Yes, we have problems – who doesn't? But one thing is true – we are a colourful, dynamic, hearty, humorous, outrageous, loud and proud people.
The SA flag is bright - but I think that the wild colour is directly in line with the people that live here. With stress on the word "wild" we can be out of control, we can embarrass ourselves and our country with our lack of restraint 'touch me on my studio' 'white tendencies' 'bloody agent' to name but a few.
The SA flag is fragmented – this is a puzzle-piece-flag, different shapes, sizes and yes, fragmented, just like the people that live here. We are a broken nation. Every single class, race and culture is still reeling from the effects of our forefathers. There is not one group that has not been tragically affected. Mindsets, reactions, upbringing, inbred feelings are all a part of the "new struggle" we are a butterfly in a cocoon trying to break free from the bonds of history. A fragmented people: Those who were repressed – there is the healing of wounds and the act of constant forgiveness. Those who were witness to the oppression – there is the sadness and ever present guilt that forms the glue between our life experiences. Those who oppressed – there is sadness at the lack of understanding or the anger at not being in a position of power any longer. Those who continue to oppress – there is the self righteousness that comes from ignorance. Those who choose to hate/not forgive/not forget, those who stir up racial hatred in any direction, those who light the smouldering fire of resentment and xenophobia in others – there is an anger that nothing but radical conversion can correct.
The SA flag is all on one page – we can learn a lesson from our flag, there is no colour bleed, no one shape or colour pushes itself onto another shape or colour. Tolerance, understanding and giving one-another space, we need to learn from our flag.
The SA flag is NOT unified – The flag is great as it is, it is great in its diversity. It is inspiring in its wildness, its crazily South African flavour that no one class or culture group can claim. It is a wonderful bright fragmented result of Africa. Just like the rest of us.
Viva South Africa.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_South_Africa
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Vanuatu - closely resembles our flag
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Tuva - closely resembles our flag
