KENTE&SILKHaveyoueverwantedtoknowhowtotieanAfricanheadscarfaroundyourhead?WhataboutmakingAfricanbraceletsandotheraccessories?Andwhynotlearnhowtomixbrightcolorsandtryyourhandatpainting?ThesearesomeofthemanypossibilitiesthatwereofferedtoalargeinternationalaudienceduringArtAfrik,aneventheldonMay23atCaravanRestaurantinBeijingaspartofAfricaWeek,twodaysaheadofthisyear’sAfricaDay.
WhileAfricaDayisusuallyconfinedwithinthelimitsofBeijing’sAfricancommunity,thisyear,agroupofyoungAfricanstudentswantedtodothingsdifferently.TheytookthisopportunitytobringtogetherpeoplefromallwalksoflifeininteractingwiththecultureandartsofthediverseAfricanpeople.ThisishowAfricaWeek,aseriesofeventsorganizedacrosstheChinesecapital,rangingfromdance,musicandartstogastronomy,cametobeheldonMay18-26.
AfricaWeekorganizerZahraR.Baitie,aGhanaianinternationalaffairsstudentatTsinghuaUniversity,saidshehopesthattheseactivitieswillinspireapositivedialogueanddeepertiesbetweenlocalChineseandAfricanexpatriatesinBeijing.Whileshesaidshehas“hadagenerallypositiveexperienceinChina,”theconversationsshehaseverydaywithherChinesefriendsremindherthat“thereisstillalackofunderstandingandempathytowardtheAfricancommunityhereinChina,despiteourclosetiesandthedepthofoureconomiccommitment.”InordertochangeAfrica’sperceptioninChina,Baitietooktheinitiativeofcoordinatingthisseriesofculturaleventsasaneffectivewaytoengagewiththepublic.
“Artscaptivatepeople,asdodanceandmusic,”shetoldChinAfrica.“Therefore,wewantedtoshowthedynamismoftheAfricancontinentthroughculturalprogramsthatgobeyondthenationalframework.”
Itisalsoforthisreasonthatshechosetheijinle,whichmeans“root”or“source”intheYorubalanguage,astheevent’stheme.“WeaimtohighlightAfricaasasourceofrichculturesandexperiencesofthepast,presentandfuture.”
HeatherLi,a24-year-oldChineseeventmanagerinatechnologymediaorganization,wasamongthehundredparticipantswhotookpartintheevent.ShesharedwithChinAfricaherenthusiasmforthisinitiative:“Iliketolearnaboutdifferentculturesbecauseforme,it’saprocessofidentifyingpeoplefromothercultures.”Forher,theeventbroughtunitytothepan-AfricancommunityandenthusiastsofAfricanculturesofallorigins.ChristelleDdayaMbaya,aCongolesejournalistatChinaRadioInternational,vieweditthesameway.ShebelievedthatyoungAfricanstudentsinBeijinghaddone“wonderful”things.“It’saveryniceinitiativethatshowedthedifferentfacetsofthecontinent.ItallowedAfricanexpatstomeetagainandtoshareourdailylifewithothercommunities.”
ArtAfrikwashostedbypaintersJamesSserwaddaandMikkaKabugo,illustratorChisomOnyishiandartistAnimaOparespecializinginmakingAfricanjewelryandaccessories.Whilecreatingmodernworksofartonthespot,theyalsoorganizedinteractiveworkshopstoenableparticipantstodiscoverAfricanartthroughvariousmeans,includingpainting,photographyandcrafts.
“Havingthepublictakepartinthecreativeprocessseemstousaneffectivewaytocreatepartnershipinanintangibleway,”explainedBaitie.
AnimaOparetooktheopportunitytoteachhowtotieanAfricanscarfaroundtheheadandhowtomakeAfricanbeadedbracelets.Forher,ArtAfrikrepresentsarewardingopportunitytogetclosertoherpublic.“Oncetheydiscoverthisformofart,theyarereallyimpressed,surprisedandcurious,andstartaskingmorequestions,whichgivesmeanotheropportunitytotellmystories.So,artisapowerfulmediumthroughwhichwecanshowtheworldwhatwehave.”
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