What happens in Bafa Bafa?

Participants live and cope in a "foreign" culture and then discuss and analyze the experience. There are two cultures in the simulation. The Alpha culture is a warm, friendly, patriarchal society with strong in-group, out-group identity. The Beta culture is a foreign speaking, task-oriented culture.

Once the participants learn the rules, customs, and values of "their" culture they visit the other culture. The visitor is generally bewildered and confused by the strangeness of the foreign culture. Bewilderment often turns to intolerance and hostility once the visitor returns home. "They’re strange, really strange, that’s all I can say. They’re making funny sounds and weird gestures. Just be careful when you go over there." But in the post-simulation discussion they come to understand that there were reasons behind the behavior they observed. With this realization their attitudes change from one of hostility to understanding. Through discussion, this experience is then generalized to attitudes towards other groups in the real world.

Who is it for?

People who must work with people from other organizations, other departments or other cultures. For example: salespersons who must interact with other companies; marketing people who must work with engineers; or managers, students, or volunteers who work in foreign countries. And perhaps, its most powerful application is in mergers and acquisitions. In other words, it is useful for any situation, which requires an experiential understanding of another culture, corporation or department.

Probably the most unique feature of Bafá Bafá is that the interest and involvement reaches a climax in the discussion after the simulation, rather than during the simulation itself. It is during the discussion that the mysteries of each of the cultures are unraveled and the participants compare perceptions of one another’s culture.

What does Bafá Bafá teach?

Bafá Bafá is often used to introduce the concept of cultures then follow up with a discussion and analysis of specific cultures and the way they are formed. Betans speak a "foreign" language made up of a combination of vowels and consonants. It is easy to
learn and use but difficult to understand if one doesn’t know the rules governing its use. When Alphans come to the Beta culture and hear the language, they
are often intimidated by it and withdraw from the culture creating an impossible communications barrier. Others are able to make themselves understood very easily with gestures, sign language and facial expressions. Each of these reactions creates
excellent opportunities to discuss and analyze the particular communication process under scrutiny.

For example, what is the effect of the specialized language used by data processing people, engineers or finance staff when people from all parts of the company come together to achieve a common goal?

Is it possible to work with people from another culture without understanding their language? How should the salesperson react when clients use acronyms, initials and words that he or she doesn’t understand?

Many trainers use Bafa Bafa to help participants understand how stereotypes of other cultures, departments, companies or occupations get formed and perpetuated. "They’re cold, greedy, all they do is work" are some of the words which Alphans use to describe the Betans. The Betans on the other hand, come to believe the Alphans are "lazy, unfriendly to outsiders, and don’t like females".

As in life, such stereotypes make it difficult for people to work together effectively. Unlike life however, the simulation gives participants an opportunity to analyze and discuss how stereotypes are formed as well as methods for overcoming their negative effects.

Who should attend: 
All staff who encounter people who are “different”  
Class size:
12–30 
Duration: 
3 hours – a full day (can be flexed to suit your needs)  

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