China Daily Africa Weekly
Date: 06.03.2015
Page 10
Article size: 312 cm2
ColumnCM: 69.33
AVE: 0.0
Suddenly, a continent has caught the bug
ITWAS ONCE LARGELY RESTRICTED TO THOSE IN THE KNOW, BUT MILLIONS ARE NOW FEELING THE CHINESE NEW YEAR SPIRIT
Bob
Wekesa
If ever evidence were needed of
the tightening of Africa­CJiina
cultural ties, the rising popular­
ity of the annual Chinese New
Year, also known as Spring Festival
or Lunar New Year, is it In keeping
with the fact that every subsequent
Chinese New Year is better than the
the Sheep 2015 has
already demon­
strated the deep­
ening infusion of
Spring Festival in
parts of Africa.
Not long ago
have ensured that the Chinese New
known as First Chinatown.
Year now registers with millions M
Visitors wfll be enthralled by
fireworks, dragon and lion dances,
martial arts displays and marching
bands as well as a wide variety of
Africans.
South Africa is a good example
The festival received a boost in the
early 1990s as part of the winding
down of apartheid, which had driven
the event underground. The prepon­
derance of activities marking Spring
Festival this year demonstrates how
it has come of age in the African
country with the largest number of
Chinese who are citizens.
President Jacob Zunia set the tone
of the festivities this year by sending
a traditional message of goodwill to
it seemed that
Chinese New Year
South African Chinese and Chinese
was something
appreciated by just
Besides that message and other
official messages from the Chinese
state and embassy officials, there
have been many do­it­yourself
nationals globally on Feb 12.
a few well­traveled
or well­read African elites or the few
who had had the privilege to live in
China.
The rapid economic, political and
social engagements and the short­,
medium­ and long­term migrations
lo either side of the Indian Ocean
events across South Africa. The
Chinese cuisine. The undercurrent
will be a transcultural one, given that,
as in die past, there will be as many
South African Chinese and Chinese
South Africans as there will be other
South Africans of all races and from
all walks of life. This mirrors the fact
that many Chinese in South Africa,
of no matter what faith, are wont to
join the rest of the country in observ­
ing Christmas, arguably the most
celebrated of all Gregorian calendar
holidays.
In marking Chinese New Year, the
rest of Africa is quickly catching up
wjjh South Africa. Initially Chinese
New Year on the continent was the
initiative of Confucius Institutes
highlight of the celebrations was on housed today in about 36 universities.
Feb 21 when the Chinese Associa­
The institutes continue to play a cru­
tion of Gauteng treated revelers
cial public diplomacy role in re­enact­
to a full menu of activities in Old
ing the Chinese New Year in Africa.
Chinatown in Johannesburg, also
However, this year there has been a
Ipsos Kenya ­ Acorn House,97 James Gichuru Road ­ Lavington ­ Nairobi ­ Kenya
China Daily Africa Weekly
Date: 06.03.2015
Page 10
Article size: 312 cm2
ColumnCM: 69.33
AVE: 0.0
change. Businesses have entered the
strikes a chord with the universal
fray and are now leveraging a cultural nature of festivities that m_trk the
icon in the service of commerce and
passage of time, in some ways it also
vice versa.
resonates with African festivities. For
For instance this year's inaugural
Spring Festival event was held at
Brightwater Commons in Randburg,
South Africa, a shopping mall that
doubdess had an eye on both cele­
every aspect of Chinese New Year, one
can think of a correspondii lg African
one. For me, the one aspect that trig­
gers nostalja'a is the Chinese prac­
tice of thoroughly cleaning houses,
brating the New Year and at the same clothes and oneself in preparation for
time attracting shoppers.
the hig festival. This is very much the
In Kenya, Barclays Bank treated its practice in many parts of Africa — at
customers, many of them either Chi­ least in Kenya — where cleaning up is
nese or Kenyans using the bank to do standard over the traditional 'Christ­
business in and with China, to a din­
ner in late January. Emirates, one of
mas and New Year seasons.
the airlines that flies between China
have deep symbolism in Iwih China
And the acts of cleaning up seem to
and Africa, sold discounted fares over and Africa It indicates the passage
of the old and the welcoming of all
In Ghana, Zenith Bank chose to cel­ things new.
ebrate its 25th anniversary with a tea The author is a PhD candidate at the
tasting event put on to coincide with
Communication, Umversitp of China
Spring Festival. Other examples in
in Beijing and research associate at
Africa of culture and business bridges
the University ofWitwatemrand,
being built or reinforced by drawing
Johannesburg, Smith<¦ Africa. The
on the soft power of the Spring Festi­ views do not necessarily rejlect those
val are legion.
of China Daily.
Even though Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year.
Ipsos Kenya ­ Acorn House,97 James Gichuru Road ­ Lavington ­ Nairobi ­ Kenya