CAR: BIG HILLBILLY BLUEGRASS BAND TAKES BANGUI

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BANGUI 000013 SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/C, AF/PD, AND ECA PARIS FOR ARS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL SCUL CT SUBJECT: CAR: BIG HILLBILLY BLUEGRASS BAND TAKES BANGUI ¶1. SUMMARY: The visit of "Bob Perilla's Big Hillbilly Bluegrass Band" (BHBB) to the Central African Republic from January 16 to 21 was a resounding success that enabled post to build good will with the Central African Government and populace and provide an exchange of traditional American and Central African art forms. The highlights of the tour were the normally reserved President Francois Bozize dancing to bluegrass at the Ambassador's residence, a joint concert with local groups at the national stadium that played to a crowd of 4,000,a performance with the Ba'Aka (Pygmies) of the Lobaye rainforest, and a performance for Bangui street children at Voie du Coeur (Voice of the Heart) orphanage. END SUMMARY. HIGHLIGHTS ¶2. After arriving in Bangui from Brazzaville on January 16, the Big Hillbilly Bluegrass Band traveled to Mongoumba in the Lobaye rainforest to perform with the Ba'Aka dance troupe on January 18 at the Ba'Aka cultural center. The Ambassador delivered an impromptu and well received speech in Sango, the national language (and typically the only foreign language understood by the Ba'Aka),before giving the stage to the dance troupe and then the BHBB. The grand finale saw the band play with the troupe. The event ended with a formal donation of soap (highly prized) to the Ba'Aka and books to the other residents of Mongoumba. ¶3. On January 19, the Band performed for a large group of street children at Bangui's Voie du Coeur orphanage. This orphanage, sponsored by Minister of Commerce Biatrice Epaye, is the main gathering place for orphans, children from abusive homes, and children displaced by violence in northern CAR. It is the only place in Bangui for street children to receive free medical treatment for diseases such as malaria and AIDS. After a tour of the orphanage lead by Minister Epaye, the Hillbilly Band were welcomed with songs in English, composed and conducted by a Voie du Coeur resident now a student at the University of Bangui. The Band then played to an enthusiastic crowd - the most popular numbers were sing-alongs and up tempo tunes that brought the crowd to its feet. ¶4. During the evening of the 19 January, the Ambassador hosted a formal reception for senior CARG officials, Central African artists, the diplomatic corps, and all resident American citizens. In attendance were President Bozize, the President of the National Assembly, the Prime Minister, the Minister of Culture, and many other ministers, senior government officials, heads of diplomatic missions, and other notables. Again, the music brought the crowd to their feet. The highlight of the evening was Mrs. Cook's invitation to President Bozize to join a lively dance, which he did with a smile. ¶5. In cooperation with the Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Education, post offered a free concert at the national stadium in Bangui on January 20. The program included performances by the National Ballet, traditional music group Zouy Neti, and the University of Bangui Choir. The Hillbilly Band energized the crowd of 4,000 mostly secondary school and university students (the largest audience in the Band's history) and concluded with a rousing, multi-lingual rendition of "Down the Road." The lyrics, improvised in Sango, stressed themes of peace, reconciliation, and common national identity, major Embassy Public Diplomacy themes in this violence-torn country. RESULTS ¶6. The Hillbilly Band tour created the opportunity for post to connect with its largest Central African audience since the reopening of the Embassy in 2005. The events not only showcased American culture, but also allowed us to build and reinforce ties with the Ministries of Culture and Education, the University of Bangui, and the media, and the reception gave us the opportunity to host the President and senior government officials in a more relaxed atmosphere. ¶7. The television, radio, and print media covered all of the major events noted in this cable. The Band was interviewed by major media outlets upon arrival. They played on live on Radio Ndeke Luka, the largest independent broadcaster, to give listeners a taste of Bluegrass music. The BHBB was also featured on Radio Centrafrique, the government station. Major newspaper reviews branded the reception at the residence and the concert at the stadium as a "true cross cultural success" and described the Ambassador's Sango address to the stadium crowd as "marvelous" and "fascinating." The television station is preparing to air a special program on the BHBB tour in Central Africa in the next few days. The showcasing of American folk music again allowed the Embassy to differentiate itself from the other, larger, and more formal diplomatic missions in Bangui. ¶8. The Central African Republic is an extremely poor country at the bottom of the Human Development Index and our relations with the host government are sometimes challenged and strained due to a number of issues. The Hillbilly Band tour gave us an opportunity to engage with people from all levels of Central African society in a relaxed and fun way, allowing us to improve BANGUI 00000013 002 OF 002 those interpersonal connections that are so important to the successful exercise of diplomacy. ¶9. Embassy Bangui would like to thank ECA, AF/PD, and Embassies Nouakchott, Lome, and Brazzaville for their generous assistance with this major cultural event. COOK