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National symbols inspire the elite of style and fashion,
globally.
 The much
celebrated House of Simon Rademan is proud to announce
that Mr Rademan has been awarded the elite honour of
becoming the official South African member of the first
ever "International Designer Collection". This
Symbol of Global Unity was hosted by the Prime
Minister of New Zealand, Rt Hon John Key, and Style
Pasifika, with 19 other
countries, including… France, Canada, Japan, Argentina,
England, Scotland, Romania, Ireland, Australia, US,
Italy, Russia, Wales and New Zealand.
If you missed the South African exclusive
of this prestigious global event in Sarie Magazine, read this.
What inspired
this?
South Africa's national symbols
Artists,
creative people and, in this case, international fashion
representatives, are often asked to find encouragement
from their country’s national pride, symbols that are
the prosperous heritage citizens can be proud of:
National flag
The national flag of the Republic of
South Africa was adopted on Freedom Day, 27 April 1994,
and first flown 10 May 1994 - the day Nelson Mandela was
inaugurated as President. The central design of the
flag, beginning at the flag-pole in a V form and flowing
into a single horizontal band to the outer edge of the
fly, can be interpreted as the convergence of diverse
elements within South African society, taking the road
ahead in unity.
National coat of arms
South Africa's coat of arms, or state
emblem, is the highest visual symbol of the state. Its
central image is a secretary bird with uplifted wings, a
sun rising above it. Below the bird is the protea, an
indigenous South African flower, representing the
aesthetic harmony of all cultures and the country
flowering as a nation.
The ears of wheat are emblems of the
fertility of the land, while the tusks of the African
elephant symbolise wisdom, steadfastness and strength.
At the centre stands a shield signifying
the protection of South Africans, above which are a
spear and knobkierie.
These assert the defence of peace rather
than a posture of war.
Within the shield are images of the
Khoisan people, the first inhabitants of the land. The
figures are derived from images on the Linton Stone, a
world-famous example of South African rock art.
The motto of the coat of arms - !ke e:/xarra//ke
- is in the Khoisan language of the /Xam people, and
means "diverse people unite", or "people who are
different joining together".
National orders
National orders are the highest awards
that a country, through its President, bestows on its
citizens and eminent foreign nationals. The President,
as the fount of honour in the country, bestows these
orders and decorations, assisted by the director-general
in the Presidency, who is the chancellor of national
orders.
The Order of Mapungubwe
is awarded for excellence and exceptional achievement.
The Order of the Baobab
is awarded for distinguished service in business and the
economy; science, medicine, technological innovation;
and community service.
The Order of the Companions of OR Tambo
is awarded to heads of state and other dignitaries for
promoting peace, cooperation and friendship towards
South Africa.
The Order of Luthuli
is awarded to South Africans who have made a meaningful
contribution to the struggle for democracy, human
rights, nation-building, justice and peace, and conflict
resolution.
The Order of Ikhamanga
is awarded for excellence in arts, culture, literature,
music, journalism and sport.
The Order of the Mendi Decoration for
Bravery
is awarded to South African citizens who have performed
extraordinary acts of bravery.
National animal – the Springbok
The country's national animal is the
springbok, which also gives its name to the South
African rugby team - fondly known as "the Boks".
The springbok (Antidorcas marsupialis)
gets its common name from its characteristic jumping
display - pronk in Afrikaans. The animal stands 75cm
high and weigh about 40kg.
Both sexes have horns, but those of the
ram are thicker and rougher. The species has adapted to
dry, barren areas and open grass plains, and so is found
in the Free State, North West and Karoo up to the west
coast. They move in small herds during winter, but often
crowd together in bigger herds in summer.
National bird – the Blue Crane
The national bird of South Africa is the
blue crane (Anthropoides paradisia), the distribution of
which is almost entirely restricted to the country.
Standing about a metre tall, the bird is a light
blue-grey, with a long neck supporting a rather bulbous
head, long legs and elegant wing plumes which sweep to
the ground. Blue cranes lay their eggs in the bare veld,
often close to water. They are common in the Karoo, but
are also seen in the grasslands of KwaZulu-Natal and the
highveld, usually in pairs or small family parties.
Although usually quiet, the blue crane can emit a
distinctive high-pitched and rattling croak which can be
heard from some distance.
National flower – the Giant, or King
Protea (Protea Madiba)
The South African National flower, the King Protea, has
been renamed after former South African President, Nelson Mandela
and is now called the "Protea Cynaroides Madiba". Simon
Rademan has decided to draw inspiration from this for the First
ever International Designer Collection of which he is the
national representative.
The giant or king protea (Protea
cynaroides) is widely distributed in the south-western
and southern areas of the Western Cape, from the
Cedarberg up to just east of Grahamstown. South Africa's
national flower is the largest of the proteas, which
make up an important part of the Cape Floral Region, a
major global biodiversity hotspot and a Unesco World
Heritage site. The proteas also give their name to South
Africa's national cricket team.
National fish – the Galjoen
South Africa's national fish is the
galjoen (Dichistius capensis). The galjoen was chosen as
the country's national fish because of its endemism - it
is found along the coast from Namibia to Durban, and
nowhere else in the world - fighting qualities,
abundance and popularity. It keeps to mostly shallow
water, is often found in rough surf, sometimes right
next to the shore, and is known to anglers as a game
fighter. Near rocks, the colour of the galjoen is almost
completely black, while in sandy areas the colour is
silver-bronze.
National tree – the Yellowwood tree
The yellowwood family is ancient, having
grown in this part of Africa for over 100-million years.
The real yellowwood (Podocarpus latifolius), South
Africa's national tree, is found from Table Mountain,
along the southern and eastern Cape coast, in the
ravines of the Drakensberg up to the Soutpansberg and
the Blouberg in Limpopo.
In forests, the trees can grow up to 40m
in height with the base of the trunk sometimes up to 3m
in diameter. But trees that grow in unsheltered places
such as mountain slopes are often short, bushy and
gnarled. The bark of the real yellowwood is khaki-coloured
to grey when it is old, deeply split and peels off in
strips. The crown is relatively small in relation to its
height and is often covered with grey lichen.
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NZ women's weekly
Fashion
Bridal
Nelson Mandela
Flowers
Colour
Style
Services
Fame
A Fun Trivia
We have compiled a fun trivia around
South Africa's national symbols that mr Rademan could
draw inspiration from:
National flag:
How many colours are there in our
national flag?
...
National coat of arms:
Name any of the emblems portrayed in our
national coat of arms?
...
National orders:
What do you have to do to receive any of
these awards?
...
National animal:
Is the Springbok really our national
animal?
...
National bird:
How tall is the graceful Blue Crane?
...
National flower:
Where is this majestic flower found in
South Africa?
...
National tree:
The base of its trunk can reach around 3m
in diameter, but how high can it grow?
...
What was Mr Rademan’s National symbol of
choice?
(Read now)
With special thanks to our main source, the government of South
Africa, for this valuable information:
www.info.gov.za
The flag
!ke e: /xarra //ke
Rock art
National orders
Wildlife wonders
SA's wildlife
SA's bird life
SA's plant life
Aquatic Biodiversity
SA's plant life
Fashion
has always been here. It is yours … IF you want it!
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