Playing A Part
A play reflecting the reality of the Chinese community in Africa helps deepen mutual understanding between peoples
Wang Shuangyin is one of many Chinese who have worked and lived in Africa for several years. He also took advantage of his time on the continent to travel to a dozen countries. Upon his return to China, however, he noted that Africa remained a topic of interest only to those invested in Sino-african cooperation. To his regret, knowledge about Africa remained insufficient and superficial for most Chinese. The idea came to him that a play will help more people in China become aware of the many facets of African society in an entertaining and accessible way.
After two years of preparation, his play premiered in Beijing in July 2021. Wang has picked a series of archetypes to portray Chinese nationals in Africa, based on his personal background: expatriate employee of a state-owned company, owner of a private company, independent businessman, and freelance translator, to mention a few. Some have spent more than 10 years in this distant continent, while others have just arrived to try their luck.
In the play, these guys from across the world gather at a Chinese restaurant in Tanzania to tell their personal tales and collaborate to overcome problems. Despite their disparate socioeconomic backgrounds, they share a love for Africa’s wide and peaceful continent. This is reflected in the name of the play, Hujambo, Afrika!, which is a cordial and affectionate greeting from Chinese nationals to their host country.
For Gou Haodong, former chargé d’affair of the Chinese Embassy in Tanzania and Deputy Head of the Chinese Mission to the African Union, the tales portrayed in the performance brought back memories. The diplomat has spent 14 years working in Africa and knows the region and its people like the back of his hand.
“Africans and Chinese share a lot of commonalities in terms of moral values and mentality, such as altruism, sharing and the importance of family,” he said. He hopes that this creation will allow the Chinese public to discover a dynamic and multidimensional Africa and make it their own.
Percy Kanala, a Ghanaian musician based in Beijing, likes the work as well. He regarded it as a “rare jewel,” while at the same time lamenting the paucity of Chinese creations that honor African cultural identities. He acknowledged that the Chinese presence in Africa has aided local economic growth. “All can see the effects of Sino-african cooperation,” he argued. “The friendship between China and Africa has a bright future.”
In his video of the same name which won second prize at last year’s China-africa Video and Photo Competition, Li Haobo, a student at the Communication University of China’s Swahili Department, recounted the play’s behind-the-scenes story. He gained a greater knowledge of the significance of cultural exchange in improving mutual understanding amongst people by speaking with the production crew and attending dress rehearsals.
“The play has piqued the imagination of people who have never visited the African continent,” Wang remarked. “I believe that this type of communication would elevate Sino-african human and cultural contacts to a greater level.” The drama will be staged around the country and, eventually, in Africa.