2024 marks the 60^th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Tanzania. Two years ago, the heads of both countries jointly announced the elevation of their bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership. For six decades, China-Tanzania relations have stood at the forefront of China-Africa cooperation, serving as a model for both South-South cooperation and China-Africa relations.

country that is 8,000 kilometers away from China, vibrant wildlife is depicted in lively, surrealistic scenes where nature comes to life in bold, simplistic forms. In this diverse and dynamic country, the stories of China-Africa cultural exchanges continue to unfold.

During a visit to the streets of Stone Town in Zanzibar City, a reporter met street artist Kondo Ally Kabongo, whose lacquer paintings represent the iconic "Tingatinga" African Painting Style, one of Tanzania's most renowned artistic movements. Seated in front of his easel on the street, Kabongo shared the story of his decades-long friendship with Chinese art enthusiast Fu Ruiqiang.

Kabongo, in his 30s, operates a semi-open gallery in Stone Town, where he paints and sells his artwork.

"Are you from China? I'm learning Chinese," Kabongo eagerly asked when he spotted the reporter, recognizing an Asian face.

He explained how much he enjoys interacting with Chinese visitors. Early in his career, many Chinese tourists purchased his paintings, making him feel that his work was appreciated and recognized.

When discussing his experiences with Chinese people, Kabongo excitedly introduced his long-time friend "Richard", with whom he has collaborated for over a decade to bring Tanzanian traditional art to China.

"Richard", as Kabongo calls him, is Fu Ruiqiang, an art enthusiast who has spent 17 years in Africa collecting wood carvings, paintings, and other artistic treasures from across the continent. Fu is particularly fascinated by Tanzania's Makonde ebony carvings and Tingatinga lacquer paintings. Through Kabongo, Fu has built connections with traditional Tanzanian artists, learning about their techniques and the cultural stories behind their works.

At the same time, Kabongo has been improving his Chinese language skills and gaining insights into Chinese culture through his friendship with Fu.

Over the years, Fu has brought many African artworks back to China and established the "African Culture Museum" in Shenzhen.

Recalling feedback from visitors, Fu said, "People tell me, 'I never realized Africa is so vibrant—it's nothing like the poor and dangerous place I imagined.' Hearing that makes all my efforts feel worthwhile."

Cultural exchanges between China and Tanzania have deep historical roots. References to interactions can be found in works like Zhao Rushi's "Zhu Fan Zhi" ("Annals of Foreign Countries") from the Song Dynasty and Wang Dayuan's "Dao Yi Zhi Lue" ("Brief Annals of Foreign Islands") from the Yuan Dynasty. Archaeological discoveries in Zanzibar and Bagamoyo have unearthed Chinese ceramics and coins, further evidence of long-standing ties.

The friendship between Kabongo and Fu Ruiqiang represents just one of the many modern-day cultural exchanges between China and Africa. Their bond, formed through a shared love of art, exemplifies the deep connections that continue to grow between the two regions.

Source : Lingnan on the Cloud

当坦桑的街头画师遇到来自中国的艺术爱好者：中非文化在流动

2024年是中国和坦桑尼亚建交60周年，两年前中坦两国元首共同宣布将双边关系提升为全面战略合作伙伴关系。60年来，中坦关系一直走在中非合作前列，已成为中非关系和南南合作的典范。

在8000公里外的坦桑尼亚，奇妙的野生动物们错落地紧挨着，神情天真、色彩跳跃，简单纯粹的大自然以超现实主义的手法在整张画作上铺开。在这片立体而多元的国度，中非文化的故事流动其间。

记者在桑给巴尔的石头城街头，结识了街头画手卡博戈（Kondo Ally Kabongo），他的漆画作品属于坦桑尼亚最具代表性的“廷加廷加”画派。在街头的画板前，他娓娓道来与中国艺术爱好者傅瑞强的数十年友谊。

在坦桑尼亚桑给巴尔的石头城，30多岁的卡博戈经营一个半敞开式的狭长画廊，边画边卖。

“你是中国人吗？我在学习汉语。” 卡博戈看到亚洲人面孔热情地说起中文。

他告诉记者，他喜欢和中国人打交道，最初在街头画画时，许多中国人买了他的画，让他感受到创作受到了认可。

卡博戈谈及和中国人的交往时，兴奋地介绍起一个有十几年交情的朋友“理查德”，两人合作将当地的许多传统艺术作品带到中国。

他口中的“理查德”是在非洲闯荡17年的艺术爱好者傅瑞强，收藏了非洲各国的木雕、绘画等艺术品，其中坦桑尼亚的马孔德乌木雕和“廷加廷加”漆画令他着迷，他通过卡博戈等人接触到一些传统艺术家，与他们深入交流坦桑尼亚的艺术传统和文化背景。

同时，卡博戈也通过与傅瑞强的交流精进汉语，了解中国文化。

傅瑞强在十多年内不断将他欣赏的一些非洲艺术品带回中国，并在深圳开设了一家“非洲文化博物馆”。

他对记者说，一些参观博物馆的人反馈说，“原来非洲这么精彩，远不是想象中的贫穷落后危险”。 傅瑞强听到这样的话，顿时就觉得这些年做的事情值了。

中坦文化交流本就有着悠久的历史。在宋朝赵汝适的《诸蕃志》、元朝汪大渊的《岛夷志略》中都有相关记载，在今天桑给巴尔、巴加莫约等地的考古工作中也发现了中国的瓷器和钱币。

卡博戈和傅瑞强则是如今中非民间往来和艺术交流的一个缩影，他们以艺术为纽带联结起中坦之间的一段友谊。

来源｜羊城晚报·羊城派综合澎湃新闻、中国新闻网、新华社
译｜赵凡
英文审校｜林佳岱