In Kenya, a lion dance team has become a new force in China-Africa cultural exchanges. The team was established by the Guangdong General Association of Fellow Townsmen in East Africa in 2018, recruiting local Kenyan residents and dragon and lion dance enthusiasts for training.
The team is led by Zhan Li, an overseas Chinese from Chancheng, Foshan, who serves as the president of the Guangdong General Association of Fellow Townsmen in East Africa. The team members learned from the Wong Fei-hung Lion Dance Troupe from Chancheng, Foshan, the "birthplace of southern lion dance," and have extensive experience in lion dance performances.
"Although local residents have no background in lion dance, they have a strong understanding of musical rhythms and body movements," said Zhan Li. Under the guidance of Foshan lion dance instructors, local Kenyans have mastered the most authentic lion dance skills. The lion dance team has also become a vibrant symbol of non-governmental cultural exchanges between China and Africa.
At the beginning of 2025, the Overseas Chinese Federation of Chancheng District presented a full set of traditional lion dance equipment to the Kenyan Guangdong Lion Dance Team.
Today, more and more local Kenyans are captivated by the charm of lion dance. Kennedy Otieno, a 36-year-old local artist, has thus become a Chinese lion dance performer. Otieno said, "At first, I thought lion dance was just about jumping, but Chinese masters taught me to understand the joy, anger, sorrow and happiness of the lion, which made me feel the vitality of art." He believes that this art can be successfully promoted in Africa.
Author: Lu Haoneng
Photo: Zhan Li, Li Yanling
Editor: Wei Shen, James Campion, Shen He
