Bridging Borders: Central Africa’s Cultural Convoy Connects Continental Creativity

In an ambitious move that seeks to champion the fluidity of artistic exchange, a convoy of Central African artists has embarked on a journey to showcase their craft and embrace the spirit of regional integration. Departing from a coastal start in Pointe-Noire, in the Republic of the Congo, this group of creatives makes their way to the bustling streets of Libreville, Gabon, in pursuit of the grandeur of the FITHEGA festival with Espace Yaro.

These artists are part of a broader endowment known as the RAAC grant – the "Route de l'artiste en Afrique centrale" – which celebrates and underpins the Central African artist community. Their travels are not merely a tour but a testament to the perseverance and passion that runs as deep as their shared cultural roots.

Actor Arnaud Dimitri Makaya offered insights on the journey that brought these artists across vast distances, speaking to both the journey’s challenges and collaborative nature. This trail has seen performances from Kinshasa to Dolisie, and now onward to the anticipated destination in Gabon.

Arriving at the Institute Français du Gabon in Libreville, these artists find joy equal to their exhibitions—an emotional correlation that solidifies the importance of their travels. This caravan symbolizes more than physical mobility; it is the embodiment of Central Africa’s cultural heartbeat and the expression of the RAAC project's foundational goals.

Pierre Claver Mabiala, coordinator of RAAC, acknowledges the pivotal role this project holds: a beacon of hope for Central Africa’s cultural sector. The RAAC project serves as both a framework and a facilitator for cultural practitioners, establishing a network of routes and connections that empower artists to transcend geographical and administrative boundaries.

However, heartening as these efforts may be, the path is lined with bureaucratic brambles that threaten to stall the cultural caravan. Not all artists experience the ease of passage one might expect in such an integrative venture. Shella Nzutisa, Artistic Director from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), highlights the obstacles presented by different passport regulations within the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC).

To achieve the seamless interplay of art and culture envisioned by these initiatives, calls have been made to sub-regional states to alleviate the checkpoint pressures faced by traveling artists. Cameroon dancer Clémence Patricia Beyite argues for eased administrative processes, suggesting that states engage in efforts to prioritize cultural movement.

The aspiration is not just for a project that works but for a cultural reawakening that harkens back to an era where borders were not barriers, and storytellers and minstrels traversed the continent unhindered by the checks and chains of bureaucracy. The RAAC journey is about reclaiming that legacy.