INFLUENCE OF CHINESE MOVIES IN EAST AFRICA ON LEARNING CHINESE LANGUAGE

Abstract

China’s recent developments in media and film in Africa have changed over the last decade. Chinese Movies have become increasingly popular in African media and Chinese-based television networks in Africa like CCTV (rebranded as CGTN in 2016). The viewership numbers of Chinese movies remain uncertain and the influence of Chinese movies on African Chinese cultural interactions and learning of Chinese language remains unknown. Chinese movies are a major source of China's soft power in Africa since they act as conveyors of Chinese cultural values to African Nations. They are an unofficial and formidable source of China's global influence on the adoption of Chinese culture in African nations. Chinese movies have been noted to add diverse sources and voices for African perspectives. There is also increased interaction between Chinese and local African media staff who are working together on a daily basis. A recent Chinese movie for 2017 was “Wolf Warrior 2” which was filmed in parts of South Africa, the movie centered on a war hero who defends medical aid workers in a fictitious African country. The movie reflected the increasing influence of Chinese presence in Africa, including the aspect of language. China’s role in the African film industry is increasing in various ways. One is the establishment of shared film festivals, such as the China–Africa International Film Festival launched in 2017. Second, South African filmmakers are being awarded scholarships to study in China, for instance at the Beijing Film Academy. Finally, Chinese films are providing platforms for developing China-Africa narratives. Against this background, it is evident that China is slowly but surely becoming a noteworthy player in the African film industry. However, what remains to be seen is whether its engagement in the film can motivate deeper interaction between Chinese and Africans and mostly influence African communities to learn the Chinese language, thereby expanding its soft power. The main objective of this paper is therefore to determine the influence of Chinese movies in East Africa on learning the Chinese language. The paper will specifically determine how Chinese movies influence Chinese African cultural interactions, and how these influence the learning of the Chinese language amongst East African communities. The study adopted an in-depth literature review analysis. This involved reviewing and compiling information from past reference materials such as journals, media, books and other published materials on Chinese movies, Chinese and African cultural interaction and learning of the Chinese language. Literature has shown that Chinese movies are becoming an integral part of daily television content among many households in East Africa. Popular Sino dramas and movies have dotted East African screens, having Chinese subtitles or Chinese narrations supported by the local (Swahili) language. Customization of Chinese martial arts films has also helped the spread of the Chinese language. Chinese media needs to be marketed and content re-engineered to the daily lives of Africans to gain more attention. Through the available Chinese movies, Africans have gained knowledge and comprehension of Mandarin.

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