Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

ccafrica - Re: [ccAfrica] ::Urgent:: Creative Commons African Culture Project?

ccafrica AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Creative Commons Jurisdiction Teams in Sub-Saharan Africa

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: Isla Haddow-Flood <islahf AT africacentre.net>
  • To: Alex Gakuru <gakuru AT creativecommons.org>
  • Cc: "ccafrica-oer AT lists.ibiblio.org" <ccafrica-oer AT lists.ibiblio.org>, CC Africa mailing list <ccafrica AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [ccAfrica] ::Urgent:: Creative Commons African Culture Project?
  • Date: Mon, 3 Nov 2014 14:46:39 +0200

Hi Alex

What you are suggesting is a great idea, and one that WikiAfrica is pretty much based around. There are a few projects that are already trying to do what you propose, create a wiki that is dedicated to African knowledge, but they are pretty much one man shows, and I have to ask ... Why create yet another 'portal' that requires developing, marketing, communicating, and driving contributions when Wikipedia already exists? It is the perfect repository for this project, without having to re-invent the wheel. 

It is hard enough driving people to contribute to a globally recognized resource, let alone an entirely new one. Believe me, I know. Having said that, all the eyes are on Wikipedia and the major African languages are set up - just crying out for contributions. Wikipedia is not perfect, but it is established and has all the elements you are looking for. 

Create a project to drive people to contribute their culture to Wikipedia. Feel free to take elements from Kumusha Takes Wiki and Wiki Entrepreneur, mix it up however you want and we will help. But I think a separate portal will be a wasted effort. WikiAfrica is licensed under CC-By-SA. 

Let me know if I can help. 
Warmest
Isla

Excuse the brevity, sent from my iPhone. 

On 03 Nov 2014, at 14:07, Alex Gakuru <gakuru AT creativecommons.org> wrote:

Hi Kelsey,

Would kindly share what the project you referred to is about and who have been driving it? Its certainly the first time I am learning about it and judging from six direct responses from Africa affiliates whom much welcome this project, suspect they too have no idea about it?

Kindly,

Alex  

On Mon, Nov 3, 2014 at 2:38 PM, kelsey wiens <kelseywiens AT gmail.com> wrote:
Hi Alex 

I'm quite sure this project already exists 

 I'd rather see CC Africa's energy and funds put into already supporting working projects with mutually aligned orgs instead of reinventing the wheel. 

My 2c

Kelsey 


Sent from my iPhone

On Oct 31, 2014, at 11:00 AM, Alex Gakuru <gakuru AT creativecommons.org> wrote:

Greetings,

I am writing this email while on my feet, why so? Because there a very small window left to put together a proposal for a project consideration. I am strongly convinced that this project would be embraced across Africa. But before I proceed, take this opportunity as a test for proof of concept.

At the Buenos Aires Global Summit I claimed, “Creative Commons as Africa” – because it is aligned to our common African culture of sharing. But what really is that African culture? Could it merely be historical (that is,“traditional”) thing? Or is it embedded in our genes? If indeed it is alive in us, can we demonstrate it by sharing our diverse rich cultural heritage on the digital realm?

Exactly what do I have in mind? Given a wiki-like platform, would it be feasible to imagine all peoples of Africa would populate sections of the wiki with their oral literal and history and share it under CC license?

For some examples, would our Ghana colleagues populate a page with, say, naming of children? http://irokoheritage.com/2014/05/08/ghana-naming-kofi-annan-kwame-nkrumah-tradition-of-akan-tribe/, Why are so many Kikuyu word in Kenya exactly as in Kinyarwanda? How about our Southern Kwazulu colleagues having a page explaining Idlelo (common grazing grounds)? Nigerians! Educate the world on why Ewe language is spoken in Benin, Togo, Ghana and Ivory Coast. How about Hausa?My Ugandan and Tanzania neighbours – we have a lot of cultural spillage across our borders. Can we share it? But these are but just a few examples from the top of my head. Obviously, the space would be open for our network to be completely open and inclusive to each and everyone in Africa – cognisant of traditional and contemporary cultural settings.

Would this be a project that would be of interest to you? If you feel so, please urgently let me know you would be interested.

Thanks for reading,


--
Alex Gakuru, Regional Coordinator - Africa,
Creative Commons creativecommons.org
e-mail: gakuru AT creativecommons.org

The future is open: http://teamopen.cc/thefuture/
shaping the future of sharing: https://creativecommons.net/donate/
_______________________________________________
ccAfrica mailing list
ccAfrica AT lists.ibiblio.org
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/ccafrica



--
Alex Gakuru, Regional Coordinator - Africa,
Creative Commons creativecommons.org
e-mail: gakuru AT creativecommons.org

The future is open: http://teamopen.cc/thefuture/
shaping the future of sharing: https://creativecommons.net/donate/
_______________________________________________
ccAfrica mailing list
ccAfrica AT lists.ibiblio.org
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/ccafrica



Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page