Focusing on Africa: Chinese community increasingly integrated into "rainbow nation"
25/9/2006 17:12
The Chinese community in South Africa, which has come into being since the
early 20th century, is increasingly integrated into the "rainbow nation" of
diverse ethnic groups and cultures.
A China Town in Johannesburg on Sunday
for the first time in its history celebrated the Heritage Day of South
Africa.
"Our function revolves around mainly the celebration of the Chinese
culture and heritage, however, we also welcome other cultures of our rainbow
nation which we will share through dances and songs," said Maureen Lok Fat,
chairwoman of Transvaal Chinese Association, during the opening ceremony of the
celebration in the China Town on Commissioner Street.
Former President and
anti-apartheid hero Nelson Mandela coined the phrase "rainbow nation" to
describe South Africa's diverse cultures, customs, traditions, histories and
languages, and the Heritage Day that falls on September 24 every year is a
celebration of that diversity.
"One thing I hope that we can all keep in mind
is that we should all work together for the general betterment of all our fellow
citizens," the chairwoman added.
The celebration function was started by a
Kung fu show by Francis Muthakhi, a 53-year-old local South African who has been
practicing martial arts for 30 year.
Muthakhi told an audience which included
black, white, colored and Asian people that by practicing Kung Fu, he has
remained very healthy without seeing a doctor for once in his life.
Setting
up a Kung Fu club in 1979 in Soweto, the most populous black urban residential
area in the country, Muthakhi has since taught martial arts to many South
Africans. Fifteen of his club members attended the function in China Town on
Sunday.
Muthakhi's performance was followed by the Scottish bagpipe show,
Chinese dragon boat dance and traditional African songs and dances.
Hundreds
of people of all colors went to the China Town for the event, enjoying
performances and snacks of diverse cultures.
"The Chinese culture is
penetrating into the life of South Africans," said Janine Bock who works for a
Johannesburg TV station.
"The traditional Chinese food is enough to take me
to the China Town, not to speak of Kung Fu and the Chinese culture as a whole,"
Bock said.
The Chinese community in South Africa is mostly descended from
migrant workers who came to work in the gold mines around Johannesburg in the
late 19th century. China dispatched the first consul general to Johannesburg in
1905.
Compared with their grandfathers and fathers, young Chinese- South
Africans are better integrated into the African nation. Along the Commissioner
Street, many young people, possibly the fourth or fifth generation of the first
Chinese migrants in early 1900's, speak very good English, Afrikaans as well as
Cantonese.
However, many of them do not speak the national standard spoken
language of China, since their ancestors were from south China's Guangdong
Province and spoke only Cantonese.
Gomolemo Mokae, noted South African
academician who was invited to the celebration, said that the Chinese community
should be encouraged to contribute more to the rainbow nation.
Xinhua News
|
