CAPE TOWN, May 31 (Xinhua) -- The rhythmic beat of drums and the splash of paddles echoed beneath Table Mountain over the weekend as Cape Town celebrated the Dragon Boat Festival, bringing together local communities and Chinese culture in a vibrant display of people-to-people exchange.
Also known as Duanwu, the traditional Chinese festival commemorates Qu Yuan, a patriotic poet and statesman from more than 2,000 years ago. Today, it is celebrated around the world through dragon boat races and the sharing of zongzi, or sticky rice dumplings.
The two-day event, held at Battery Park at the V&A Waterfront in South Africa's legislative capital, marked the fourth consecutive year that the festival has been celebrated in Cape Town.
According to Dong Gang, a leader of the Chinese community in Cape Town and one of the organizers, this year's festival, which received financial support from the city government for the first time, featured 12 teams and more than 200 participants competing in 100-meter, 200-meter and 1,000-meter races, as well as the popular water tug-of-war, attracting about 2,000 local residents and international visitors.
As this year is also the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges, the festival offered not only traditional races but also cultural booths showcasing Chinese cuisine, tea art, traditional medicine, handicrafts and interactive games, providing visitors with a richer cultural experience.
Dong said one of the most distinctive features of the Cape Town Dragon Boat Festival is that local people have translated their love for Chinese culture into action.
"The dragon boat tradition in Cape Town has a history of nearly 30 years. Local residents have a deep affection for Chinese culture, and out of that passion they have voluntarily formed various dragon boat teams," he said.
"That love for dragon boat culture gradually evolves into a deeper understanding of Chinese culture and, in turn, strengthens mutual understanding between Chinese people and local communities," he added. "I believe this is exactly what we often refer to as mutual learning among civilizations, fostering greater integration and understanding between peoples."
During Saturday's event, Consul General of China in Cape Town Ren Faqiang and Cape Town Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth James Vos each took part as drummers on their respective dragon boats during the 100-meter sprint.
After the race, Vos told Xinhua it was his first time attending a dragon boat race, describing it as "a wonderful experience."
He said the festival is more than just a competition on the water, but also a platform for showcasing Chinese culture and promoting people-to-people exchange.
"Now when you look at the relationship between South Africa and China, it has been a relationship spanning decades, built on mutual cooperation, people-to-people exchange, arts and culture," he said. "That is why I make a very important point around people-to-people exchange, because economies cannot work if there is no sharing of values, if we do not find common ground."
The Chinese consul general echoed Vos' remarks.
"As the saying goes, state-to-state relations thrive when there is friendship between peoples. Only through exchanges between our peoples can the friendship between our two countries truly take root in the hearts of the people," he said.
Among the teams participating in this year's Cape Town Dragon Boat Festival, only one came from the Chinese community. The others represented various sectors of Cape Town society, including schools, government institutions, companies and clubs.
"They compete together and experience Chinese culture together," Ren said. "This helps ensure that the friendship between China and South Africa truly resonates with the people, which is exactly what the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges is all about."
"We feel that dragon boat culture is no longer just Chinese culture. It has become part of global culture and also part of the local culture of Cape Town and South Africa," he added.
Among the participants was Maxine Hullenhagen, a local high school senior who competed in both the 100-meter race and the water tug-of-war on Saturday.
She told Xinhua she has been practicing dragon boat racing for four or five years and was initially drawn to the sport out of an interest in different languages and cultures. She said it is "super cool" to gain insight into a culture through sport.
"Even if I don't have any personal connection to Chinese culture, I do gain a connection through the sport."
This year marked Maxine's third participation in the Cape Town Dragon Boat Festival. She said she has made many friends through previous editions of the event and believes the cultures and peoples of China and South Africa share many similarities.
"We share the same interests and values, like a sense of family and community, even if we don't know each other personally," she said.
"I think that especially the Chinese team and the South African teams, we have lots of connections. South Africa and China -- we become one team," Maxine said. ■