A performance of a traditional Ugandan dance against the backdrop of images of the country’s landscape at a cultural event in Beijing on August 23 (DONG NING)

What happens when the vibrant culture of the Pearl of Africa and the great Chinese civilization meet? At the Uganda-China Cultural Day, which took place on August 23 at the African Cultural Tourism Centre in Beijing, the audience learned the answer. 

A group of Ugandan performers danced together under the lights to upbeat music. The audience was captivated by their dancing and traditional African rhythms. Images from the East African nation, including breath-taking waterfalls, a wide variety of animals, unspoiled highlands, and crystal-clear lakes, could be seen on the screen in the background. 

A Peking Opera performer, on the other hand, employed her skills in acrobatics, singing, dancing, and gesturing to help the audience to understand the features of this traditional Chinese art. While Ugandan models dressed in brightly coloured and geometrically patterned clothing reflected the joy of life and excitement of their people, a group of Chinese models wearing qipao showcased the refinement of the traditional Chinese outfit. 

The in-person and online event, which was organised by the Ugandan Embassy in China in partnership with the centre, was watched by diplomats, members of the Ugandan community, and other local and international attendees. It is one of several events planned to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Uganda this year. 

Defence Attaché of the Ugandan Embassy in China Christopher Bbosa Kiyingi explained that “this event is expected to be purely cultural in nature and portray the real Ugandan tradition.” The performances lived up to these expectations. 

Wang Chunlan, a Chinese spectator at the gala, was impressed by the Pearl of Africa’s breath-taking scenery and its abundance of natural wonders. “A pristine land, a lovely atmosphere, and simple people - that’s Uganda,” she told ChinAfrica. 

Cultural and personnel exchanges between China and Uganda, like this one, are undoubtedly one of the highlights of the strong ties between the two countries. 

Popularity of Chinese culture 

As China-Uganda relations flourish, more and more Ugandans are feeling the need to study Chinese. As a result, Wang Lihong, who moved to Uganda from China more than 20 years ago to join her husband Ayub Sooma, is committed to teaching the locals Chinese language in order to promote communication between the two peoples. In Bweyogerere, Wakiso District, the couple started a secondary school, which has now become the Luyanzi Institute of Technology. Wang, a Tsinghua University graduate with a degree in Chinese language and literature, offers nine-month intensive training for secondary school teachers. Her students are already starting to teach Chinese at schools all around the country. 

In fact, the online performance of a Chinese song by some of her students was among the highlights of the Uganda-China Cultural Day. Zhao Yali, a former Chinese ambassador to Uganda who served there from 2011 to 2016, expressed his admiration for the group’s performance. According to Zhao, the institute had already begun teaching Chinese to Ugandan students during his stay. “These children’s broad smiles and sparkling eyes show how sincere they are. The Chinese people hold a special place in the hearts of these young Ugandans.” 

According to Mugisha Wilberforce Fred, charge d’affaires at the Ugandan Embassy in China, Chinese culture is becoming increasingly attractive in Uganda. According to him, this phenomenon can be seen on the corner of any single road. “If you go to our big cities, you can find many Chinese restaurants. Of the 100 people you meet on the streets, two or three speak Chinese. This is a great achievement,” he said. He also appreciates the efforts of the institute in promoting Chinese language and culture and in setting up vocational training that provides essential development skills that the country needs. 

A group of Chinese models wearing traditional Chinese outfit walk on stage during Uganda- China Cultural Day on August 23 in Beijing (DONG NING)

Ugandan art in China 

There are other ways for the Chinese people to witness the various dimensions of Ugandan culture besides occasions like the Uganda-China Cultural Day. One of them is the African Cultural Tourism Centre in Beijing. 

People can now find animal specimens, African handicrafts like wood and stone carvings and ostrich eggs, as well as jewellery made on the continent using stones like sapphires from Tanzania or emeralds from Zambia, thanks to this facility located in the northeast of the Chinese capital.  

The centre aspires to act as a platform for encouraging cooperation and cultural, tourist, and commercial exchanges between Chinese and African peoples, according to the co-founder Feng Xinxin. Feng worked in the tourism industry in Namibia for almost 10 years before leaving for China after the outbreak of the pandemic.  

With a similar goal, the Ugandan Cultural Park, a joint initiative between Uganda and Hunan Province, was opened in June 2018 in Changsha, the capital of the province. Water bodies surround the park, which covers an area of 40 hectares. Several young Ugandan painters have produced artworks that show African wildlife, such as elephants, giraffes, chimpanzees, mountain gorillas, lions, and a range of other exotic animals in the park. 

The park’s operator Bob Wang said: “We see this park as the entry point to Africa and a window for the Chinese to explore Uganda.” He intends to construct an exhibition space that will include Ugandan goods, crafts, history, art, and, eventually, live animals.