China-Africa friendship in full bloom

The African museum of the Institute of African Studies. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The Jinhua Quibin Primary School, meanwhile, has embraced all aspects of African culture, which include face painting, designing of tribal clothing, manufacturing of African musical instruments and designing of thatched huts. There are several African design and architecture in the school yard; the pupil design masks out of cardboard plates and most of the designs are gotten from the different part of Africa. Anyone who visits the primary school will be amazed at what the pupils do with African arts, fabrics designs, hair weaving, sculpting and African musical instruments.

My question was, who was behind these two remarkable ideas? It was not surprising when I found out that the man behind these ideas is Professor Liu Hongwu, the director of the Institute of African Studies, Zhejiang Normal University. He has a degree in African History from the University of Lagos, Nigeria. I was so proud of my country when I knew he studied in Nigeria, above all proud of his accomplishment.

Professor Liu has built his reputation as a passionate scholar on African issues and the primary school and museum are such example. He introduced the African culture and history at the school as well as the African museum because he knows there are more and more people interested in African culture nowadays. The director wish is to see that not only the primary school in Jinhua but other level of the institution in China will in future open more opportunities between China and African nations to bolster more understanding. At the Forum for China-Africa Cooperation in Johannesburg in 2015, President Xi Jinping promised more cooperation between China and Africa in culture and education. And the example of the African museum at the Institute of African Studies and Quibin Primary Schools is to bolster such cooperation consistent with the policy set out at the Johannesburg summit.

Liu asserts that he has forged a long and abiding love for Africa and its people. He hopes to promote communication between China and Africa and use his Africa experience to cultivate interest among more Chinese people in this particular art form through organizing workshops and seminars, and also expand Chinese people’s knowledge of Africa in the aspect of culture. Professor Liu Hongwu hopes through what he has done, he can make African people feel that their Chinese friends respect and appreciate their arts and culture; it may help them boost self-confidence in their cultural legacy. The ultimate aim is to promote China-Africa friendship.

As people from China and Africa idea develop in tandem with economic growth there will be cultural awakening, and the Chinese and African people will soon be able to appreciate great architecture and culture. To put African artefacts in a museum permits more people to learn about African culture and art. I hope this development will attract more Chinese and African young people to embark on the journey of promoting art and cultural exchanges between China and Africa.

The author is a researcher with the Institute of African Studies, Zhejiang Normal University.