In the early spring, a gentle breeze is caressing Changsha, and the sunlight is as golden as ever. At the Hecun African Cultural Park in Shaping Town, a lively African drum performance is underway.

The sunlight, the blue sky, the white clouds, and people with black and yellow skin are swaying freely to the rhythm of the drums, fully unleashing their passion and vitality.

What a harmonious scene it is.

"Let's all join in!" comes a voice from the crowd.

It is hard to believe that the invitation in Chinese is from Victor, a young man from Uganda. Led by him and another young man, Edward, the tourists quickly grasp the rhythm of the African drums and start playing

Not far away, their companion Ronald is standing in front of a thatched cottage he has designed and built. He is earnestly introducing it to the people who come to take pictures, saying, "This cottage is almost completed. It's an absolutely authentic African - style building. You rarely see something like this elsewhere!"

At the Hecun African Cultural Park, a bridge of friendship and cultural integration has been built between Africa and Changsha. Victor, Edward, and Ronald have not only spread African culture here but also found a sense of home in Changsha.

African Crafts Beautify Changsha's "Little Africa"

Strolling through the Hecun African Cultural Park, African drums, African-style dances, thatched cottages, chief's chairs, and graffiti paintings are all in the authentic African style, making people feel as if they have traveled to the African continent thousands of miles away.

"I'm very glad that my first trip to China brought me to a place with African elements," Victor says, smiling shyly in front of the camera.

This young man from Uganda, who came to Changsha in May last year, is a singer with excellent Chinese-singing skills. He won the first place in the Chinese-singing competition at Makerere University in Uganda, which attracted the attention of Wang Senbo, the founder of the cultural park, and was invited to settle in the park.

Out of his love for Chinese songs, Victor started learning Chinese and getting to know Chinese culture. "The melodies of these songs are beautiful, and understanding the lyrics can make my singing more infectious."

What's even more infectious is the warmth of the people in Changsha.

"I've been to many places in the world, but only here, only in China, do I feel as warm as at home," says Ronald, the eldest of the three, who has adapted to life in Changsha in half a year.

Ronald tells the reporter that he and Edward are both "craftsmen." In the cultural park, the two are committed to vividly presenting the real, rustic, and mysterious African art.

From the original-style thatched cottages, bold-colored graffiti to lifelike animal sculptures, as they gradually get to know Changsha and China better, while creating freely, they have also developed an interest in Chinese culture and Hunan culture. "We are really looking forward to having the opportunity to communicate and cooperate with Chinese artists in the future," Edward says.

Since the park opened in July 2018, more than 50 artists from countries such as Uganda, Ethiopia, and Kenya have come to the cultural park. Iron-working, wood-working, sculpture, oil painting, song and dance, musical instruments... These African friends from afar have their own unique skills each. Not only in the cultural park, but also on the walls of the surrounding villages, African-style graffiti can be seen. When villagers run into these artists on the road, they greet each other with smiles, just like old friends who have known each other for years.

Cultural Exchanges Facilitate Changsha-Africa Interactions

Hecun African Cultural Park is the first farm in China featuring African-style scenery. It was founded in 2017 by Wang Senbo, a native of Changsha.

Wang Senbo says that the original intention of building the park was to further expand and deepen cultural exchanges between China and Africa, and truly build a bridge of friendship and culture between the two sides.

The China-Africa Friendship Pavilion is a key area of the cultural park. Here, there are a large number of African works with unique styles and rich colors. Many of these works bear the influence of Hunan culture, and some incorporate forms of expression such as ink-wash paintings and Hunan embroidery.

As African artists gradually gain a deeper understanding of Changsha and China, while spreading African culture, they have also developed an interest in Chinese culture and Hunan culture.

In 2019, Darlin, a dance artist from Uganda, came to the cultural park to learn the art of tea-making. Here, she got familiar with the entire process, from the preparation and cleaning of tea utensils, to the techniques and steps of making tea, and then to the tasting and appreciation of tea.

Daphine, who has a passion for Hunan embroidery, went to the Hunan Embroidery Museum to learn the craft. Besides learning Hunan embroidery, she also learned quite a few Chinese songs and daily Chinese expressions. "The people in Changsha are very friendly. They love to watch me dance," she said.

After finishing his work at the cultural park, Brian, an artist from Uganda, returned to his home country and built an art park, where Chinese elements such as Chinese characters and Chinese knots can be seen everywhere.

Victor says that his relatives and friends back in his hometown are very interested in Chinese culture and are looking forward to more opportunities for cultural exchanges between China and Africa in the future. "I believe that cultural exchanges between the two places will surely spark more wonderful inspirations."

Love and Understanding Nurture Flower of Friendship

"Changsha is a very modern city, and I want to know more about it. I've heard that the Hunan Museum and the Changsha Museum are well worth visiting. I'll definitely go there if I have the chance," Edward expresses his expectations for life in Changsha in front of the camera.

Ronald says that he welcomes more people from Changsha to Uganda to experience a life closely connected with nature and spread Hunan culture on the African continent. "We're true friends when there are exchanges both ways!"

"Friends walk with you through life. Those days are gone, but a word lasts a lifetime. A lifetime of affection is in a glass of wine...." At the end of the interview, Victor sings the song "Friends". He says, "This song represents my deepest feelings in China. It's like my home here. The kindness and tolerance of the people in Changsha make me feel so warm and touched."

At this moment, although Africa and Changsha are thousands of miles apart geographically, people's hearts are connected and their emotions are intertwined.

There are countless stories of friendship between Africa and Changsha. The protagonists of these stories include pioneers like Wang Senbo who went deep into Africa to build the bond between Hunan and Africa, African artists and craftsmen like Victor, Ronald, and Edward who are committed to cultural dissemination, as well as the Chinese and African people who, starting from curiosity about different cultures, have come to accept them with an open heart.

Currently, Changsha is committed to building a demonstration high-ground for in-depth cooperation with Africa, actively exploring new models and paths for cooperation with Africa, and carrying out all-round and multi-level cooperation with Africa in various fields. In this friendly sentiment that transcends mountains and seas, more inspiring stories of mutual assistance and warmth between Africa and Changsha will continue to be written and performed.

Source: en.changsha.gov.cn