Sisi Tambala, a band from Tanzania, plays traditional African music in Beijing, Friday, October 30, 2009. [Photo: CRIENGLISH.com/ Liu Donghui]

by Liu Donghui

As China-Africa cooperation has been strengthened during past decades, many African people choose to seek opportunities to promote African culture in China. Sisi Tambala, a musical group from Tanzania, is one of them.

Bandleader John Masuka says he and his team aim to promote both traditional culture and tourist attractions of Tanzania.

Since their arrival in Beijing in June, they have done a series of Africa-style performances. But Friday's collaboration with a Chinese group gave them a fresh taste of Chinese culture as the two groups managed to blend their styles together, to celebrate the relaunch of ChinAfrica Magazine.

"It gives us an opportunity to play Chinese songs, and allows us to blend with another kind of music. As artists, we found common ground in spite of some differences," Masuka said the combination "sounds good and marvelous."

He added his group has plans to invite some Chinese musical groups to Tanzania for exchanges. "Currently we have a lot of Chinese in Tanzania, they would be happy to see some of their own people play here."

The China trip is not only about cultural promotion, but also gives Masuka an opportunity to better understand the position of African culture here.

"When we live in a country, we don't think our own culture that much. It is when we travel, we can see other people, like the Chinese, evaluate Tanzanian culture closely. So when I go back home, one of the stories I will tell is that our traditions are worth preserving. Wherever we go, we should be ambassadors of our traditions, our music, and our style."

Zhang Ming, Director-General of the African Department of China's Foreign Ministry, said "Chinese and African people can easily get closer through cultural exchanges. We will make more efforts in this field to promote our two peoples."

China and more than 40 African countries will discuss how to further China-Africa cooperation during the fourth ministerial meeting of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Egypt on November the 8th and 9th.

A member of Sisi Tambala, a band from Tanzania, playing an African drum in Beijing, Friday, October 30, 2009. [Photo: CRIENGLISH.com/ Liu Donghui]