Cultural Fusion

　　Linguistics Professor S a Dequan sits behinda huge hardwood desk in front of a shelf groaningunder the weight of books on Chinese history, Chineselanguage and several photographs of Chinese leaderswho have visited Kenya over the last decade.

　　Originally from Beijing, and now teaching at theUniversity of Nairobi in Kenya, Sa’s office is staffed bymultilingual, multiracial colleagues. He is a classic exampleof using language as a cultural bridge to improveChina’s relations with Africa.

　　“It is now very important, not just to Africa, but tothe whole world, to learn the Chinese language. As youknow, it is one of the official languages at the UN,” Satold ChinAfrica.

　　“We had an initial problem of how people [globally]can learn Chinese and so in order to promote thelanguage, the Chinese Government initiated languageteaching around the world.”

　　He said the Chinese Government, realizing thatlanguage could break down barriers, set up ConfuciusInstitutes worldwide - first in South Korea, then Europe,and then in 2005 in Nairobi. Sa said this first Africaninstitute marked the rapid strengthening of culturalties between China and Africa. Currently, there are 21Confucius Institutes in Africa, resulting in thousands ofAfrican students now speaking fluent Mandarin. At theUniversity of Nairobi alone, 300 students have earnedscholarships to pursue further studies in China throughthe institute.

　　To celebrate China’s ever-growing tieswith Africa,September 2013 marked the hosting of “ExperienceChina” events in the Nigerian capital Abuja and theKenyan capital Nairobi, in order to expand culturalexchanges between China and Nigeriaand to celebrate the 50th anniversary ofChina’s diplomatic relations with Kenya.“Experience China” is a series of cultureevents and authentic Chinese activities, undertakenby China’s State Council InformationOffice in foreign countries.

　　Spreading culture

　　So why is China involvedin language andculture education across Africa? One reason,Sa said, is that it is no longer a matter of choice buta basic need.

　　“There are lots of business opportunities betweenChina and Africa. It would be difficult to utilize themif people don’t know about each other’s language orculture,” Sa said.

　　He said that after learning the Chinese languageand getting new information about China, most of thelocal people he has taught are encouraged to use theirnew knowledge to do something positive for their owncountry.

　　That Chinese culture is increasingly influentialin Africa is undeniable. Chinese media, movies, signs,fashion, kungfu, food, along with the language, have allbeen growing in popularity in the recent past.

　　From a media perspective, China RadioInternational, Chinese news agency Xinhua,China Central Television (CCTV), China Dailyand ChinAfrica magazine have all expandedtheir reach into Africa. According to Dr. EliasMokua, a director at the Hakimani Centerin Nairobi, this shows the intent of Chinato make its mark as a culturally significantpartner in Africa.

　　“Chinese culture has often lookedforeign to us because there were no intensifiedinteractions with Africa,” said Mokua,whose center often conducts research oncultural, political and economic issues onthe continent. But he believes that withperseverance and increased interaction,Removing cultural barriersChina is determined to help erase these cultural barriers.

　　This year alone, there have been three major culturalevents aimed at introducing Chinese culture. The firstwas a congress in Hangzhou, China, called “Culture: Keyto Sustainable Development,” which brought togethergovernment officials from Africa, China and around theworld. As mentioned previously, the second was in Abuja,dubbed “Experience China” where media professionalsfrom China and Nigeria discussed the media’s role inpromoting cooperation between the two countries. Thethird event, also in the “Experience China” theme, tookplace in Nairobi last month and featured Chinese dance,music, poems, literature and food.

　　Writing in the Coalition Pour Diversite Culturelle afterthe Hangzou event, Professor Yang Gangfu said that itis no longer possible to separate culture from economicinteractions. “Clearly, culture is increasingly seen as animportant driver and enabler for economic growth, environmentalsustainability and social inclusion. Seekingunity between human beings and nature is one of thepivotal cultural values of the Chinese people,” he wrote.

　　Yang said that since ancient times, China has had thisecological idea that “man and nature are integrated,”which is also called “Nature and Humanity ideology,”a valuable philosophy he feels needs to be shared inAfrica.

　　Historical links

　　Sino-African relations have deep historical links, as wasshown in the discovery of an ancient Chinese gold coinat Lamu Island off the coast of Kenya in 2012.

　　Dr. Ngari Gituku, a cultural analyst at the KenyaLeadership Institute and Culture Editor of Diplomat EastAfrica, who bases his reflections on the story of ZhengHe, a famous Chinese explorer who sailed the coastlinesof Africa in the 15th century, said that the only thingthat has changed in modern times is the pattern ofinteraction.

　　“Chinese cuisine, which for a long timehad beenconsidered as only being for the more sophisticatedtastes of discerning folks in the middle and uppersocial classes, is a cultural adoption,” Gituku said, addingthat this cuisine is now being prepared in many Africanhomes. On another historical note, he said few peoplein Africa remember that tea and silk are both Chinese inorigin and that these products have produced an entirecultural industry of their own.

　　Gituku, also vice chairman of the Kenya-ChinaFriendship Association, said an important aspect ofcultural influence is China’s industriousness. “Therehas been the embracing of the Chinese work ethic, andmany agree that the diligence of the Chinese is worthemulating,” he said, pointing out that there is a possibilityof the two cultures merging in the future because ofever-increasing interaction and strengthened economicand cultural ties.

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