- Chinese brought Beijing to Nairobi and Kilimani is where it feels like so. China Town
- Cuisine is one tool that the Chinese are spreading their culture not only to Kenya but across Africa and the world
Image: Xinhia
Prior to travelling to China for further studies in May last year, I got an invitation in February to a Chinese restaurant in Kilimani, Nairobi.
The set up was on a Lazy Susan, a Chinese circular tray made of wood that is placed on the table, from which people can pick the food they want to serve.
This is part of Chinese culture of sharing food, a virtue recommended by philosopher Confucius some 2,500 years ago to ensure even distribution of wealth. It is also the idea behind the Chinese hotpot dining.
Another bit I took note of the separate rooms in the restaurant, which are often used for family and/ or friends gathering and business meetings.
All the foods served were Chinese and on the table was Baijiu, a favourite liquor.
When I got to Beijing and sampled a few restaurants, it felt as if I had been to some before: It was almost if not exactly the same interior design, same set up (Lazy Susan and hotpot) and the exact Baijiu I had seen in Nairobi, of course with more varieties.
Chinese brought Beijing to Nairobi and Kilimani is where it feels like so. China Town.
The growth of China's global influence has come with the export of its culture as a strategic soft power tool.
Novelist Paulo Coelho says culture makes people understand each other better. And if they understand each other better in their soul, it is easier to overcome the economic and political barriers. But first they have to understand that their neighbour is, in the end, just like them, with the same problems, the same questions. It is exactly what China has done.
Their cuisine, which is one area I have had to answer many questions on and demystify narratives, is very different from what, for instance, is common in Kenya.
While it is mainly the same products/ produce – beef, mutton, pork, chicken and fish, vegetables and potatoes and sweet potatoes, the preparation and cooking is very different.
I particularly found it too oily and sweet (like candy). It is mainly served with bread, rice and noodles. Corn is also popular for breakfast. And no, I never had or come across snake or dog meat.
Cuisine is, however, one tool that the Chinese are spreading their culture not only to Kenya but across Africa and the world.
The Chinese are also spreading their culture through the language.
Among the people I met at the Chinese restaurant in Nairobi was a lecturer at the University of Nairobi Confucius Institute, and who we later linked up with in Beijing as he arrived for his PhD in teaching Chinese as a foreign language on a scholarship.
As he engaged with the Chinese friends, I couldn’t fail to notice how fluent he was in the language.
Confucius Institute, which first established in Kenya at UoN, has seen mandarin become a popular language of study at several Kenyan universities and institutions.
Through the institute, UoN and Tianjin Normal University have established a collaborative link that includes a student and lecturer exchange programme. Chinese lecturers teach Chinese at UoN, whose lecturers in turn teach Swahili at Tianjin Normal University.
According to the institute’s website, more than 200 Kenyan students have studied in China on scholarship since 2006.
Another Confucius institute was launched at Kenyatta University in December 2008 and more 1,526 students have completed various Chinese certificate courses there.
Due to the popularity of Chinese actors Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee among the Kenyan households, China, through the Confucius Institute, has organised film festivals.
To demonstrate how critical Chinese language is for China, it hosted the World Chinese Language Conference at the China National Convention Center, Beijing, in December last year.
Themed “Chinese for the World, Openness into the Future,” the meeting brought together prominent academics, Chinese language experts, government officials and educators from across the globe to discuss the role of the Chinese language.
About 2,000 Chinese and foreign delegates, high-level government officials, representatives from international organisations and heads of language and cultural institutions attended the conference.
Various bilateral agreements on language exchanges were signed by different universities from among other countries Kenya, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia.
China also facilitates this exchange of culture through the popular cultural events at various universities every year around May-June, where students from across the world showcase their dressing, music and dance, drinks and food, among other aspects of culture.
As an international student or as a visitor, chances are among the trips you’ll make is to a Chinese Opera, among the honours. Other visiting sites are the Great Wall of China, the Forbidden City, Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven and Beijing Zoo, all holding an important part of the Chinese history, tradition and culture.
It goes without saying that infrastructure development has been one of the key tools in its global influence and cooperation. With it comes a distinct design and architecture that captures distinct aspects of China.
For instance, the Nairobi expressway is exactly the same as an expressway in China looks like, save for the signage language.
This article was updated on July 31, 2024.