A Chinese teacher from Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU) who studies in South Africa organized teachers and students from both countries at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg to sing Together for a Shared Future, a song for promoting the slogan of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, in the Zulu language.

They performed the song at the online Spring Festival celebration platform launched by the Chinese embassy in South Africa. The show was presented by the South African Broadcasting Corporation and was well received by audiences.

The Zulu version of Together for a Shared Future is performed at the online Spring Festival celebration platform launched by the Chinese embassy in South Africa. [Photo provided to bfsu.edu.cn]

Huang Lizhi, a BFSU teacher who studies the Zulu language at Wits, was the initiator of the event. At her invitation, Innocential Maseko, a lecturer from Wits, translated Together for a Shared Future into Zulu, and with Huang added local styles and South African elements to the song. Chinese students studying in South Africa and South African students who are interested in Chinese culture were invited to participate in the performance.

Sibambene sizophumelela, the Zulu version of Together for a Shared Future, features concise lyrics and a good combination of Zulu syllables with the melody, and has been widely acclaimed.

According to Huang, the Zulu version enables the general public in South Africa to understand the spirit of the Beijing Winter Olympics in a tangible way while reflecting Chinese people’s respect for their language and culture. South Africans have a strong sense of national pride and they welcome communication and compositions in one of their local languages. 

Huang added that the initiation of this performance also conforms to her original intention of learning African language and culture and promoting cultural exchanges between the two countries. 

Chinese and South African students who performed the Zulu version of Together for a Shared Future gather for a group photo. [Photo provided to bfsu.edu.cn]

Huang went to Wits to study Zulu in 2018. During the four-year study, she has achieved excellent academic results and won the JSM Khumalo Award with the top performance in her department. She is the first foreigner in the department to receive this honor. Huang is currently serving as the chairperson of the Chinese Students and Scholars Society in South Africa. She has played an active role in promoting cultural communication and her stories have been reported by several media outlets in both South Africa and China.