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YOUR STORY
SA flag flies proud
12/06/2007 14:00 - (SA)
Reza Bodiat, News24 User
As a South African UB40 fan and friend of the band for the last 20 odd years, I am looking forward to my friends touring South Africa in July.
I am also personally interested in another aspect of their third visit to SA - that involves UB40 and the South African flag.
During January of 2006, UB40 toured Mozambique for a one-off show. I attended the show and stayed with the band at the posh Polana hotel. During the few days spent there, I said to lead singer Ali Campbell that I was going to get a South African flag to make its way with the band throughout their world tour.
So I contacted a friend in Adelaide, Australia, where UB40 were next to perform, and aksed her to make sure she takes a big SA flag to the show where she could wave it to the band.
I also asked her to scribe the words "Mirry Yaar" - which in an indian dialect means "Hello brother". This being a greeting Ali and I have used on one another for the last 20 odd years or so.
Suffice to say, people all over have asked "what does Mirry Yaar" mean?
My Australian friend did what I asked, went to the gig, got to the front of the stage and hung the flag over the security rail. The band and in particular, Ali noticed it and said "I know who put you up to that".
This created a bit of a frenzy as UB40's worldwide fans who are members of their popular website all requested the flag be sent to their destinations for when UB40 tours their country.
The flag has made an appearance at every Australian show and on its way picked up signatures of the fans as well as members of the band. The flag was soon flying off to every destination UB40 appeared at, making its way throughout the world - Europe, the Americas (including Hawaii) and a number of Pacific island destinations.
In the process it picked up the signatures of UB40's worldwide fan base.
The band themselves helped out on a few occassions and took the flag with them to their next destination and passed it on to the next waiting fan.
The flag has finally returned to Australia where it has been carefully tucked away inside a cupboard. But, it's making its way back to South Africa to be displayed at the South African gigs.
The flag has become synonymous with UB40 and the band themsleves now look out for it where ever they tour. There are still two band members who have not signed it and this will no doubt get done when the flag and the band meet each other again - on 4 July in Durban, 6 July in Joburg and 9 & 10 July in Cape Town.
This flag has travelled the world and now comes back to its rightful home in South Africa.
UB40 have bene fantastic about it and have, as a result made it possible for many fans to meet them as they participated in the SA flag making its way from one destination to another, covering almost the entire globe.
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