Goodday to my "family" members. Our blog does not look like anything special now as I created it during the course on Friday BUT once back in office I will definitely include your PPT introductions for a starter.
We will discuss the theme of our project later today (Friday 7 November, 2008) and I think it will be interesting to follow our progress through the coming year until the final completion date - 30 June 2009.
The Group members:
Marina Greyvenstein
Librarian: Legal Deposit Serials
Mangaung Local Municipality, Library Services
Ria Groenewald
Digitisation Co-ordinator
Department of Library Services
University of Pretoria
Mapula Mokgele
Branch Head
Polokwane Branch Library
University of South Africa
Florence Molebatsi
Principal Librarian: Acquisitions
Botswana National Library Service
Farhana Yunnus
Librarian
VEGA, The Brand Communication School
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This blog will be used by a task group of the "Thinking outside the Borders Library Leadership Institute", November 2008. This group need to post progress reports to the blog on a monthly basis. The URL of our blog should be posted to the wiki: http://wiki.up.ac.za/index.php?title=%22Thinking_Outside_the_Borders%22_Leadership_Programme
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11 comments:
Hello Ria,
I am so excited. I have already spoken to storytellers and poets and they are keen to contribute to our project. Cant wait to get started.....ciao
Thank you Farhana
Will you please try and see if you can edit the blog from your office.
Ria
My first step was to place an ad in a bi-weekly e-paper(www.word-of-mouth.co.za) that goes online to 7000 addresses.
I had two people contact me when they say our advert posted on the the e-paper.
A reporter for a local newspaper took keen interest in our project and she wanted to do a article for the paper. This newspapers reaches out to the greater Durban area. The response was overwhelming.
The response from the advert in the newspaper was amazing. I had over 50 people phoning me with stories. Of course, I could not choose every story. I had to be selective about the stories, poems chosen.
I also had two students from Vega who contributed to our project.
Our copyright document is at last completed (16/02/09). My sincere apologies for the delay. I was busy writing exams, then I was involved in Orientation programs at campus.
Anyone submitting stories, poems, etc will have to fill out this document to pledge that their work is original and no monetary gain will be achieved by any party.
YESTERYEAR MEMOIRS by Ronald V Augustine
We can’t go here, We can’t go there
Years of hardships, we had to bear
Those before us lived strictly to rule
The terms dictated were OH! So cruel
We played our games on fields of stone
Many a fall caused a broken bone
Our homes were small with candlelight
Whilst privileged had comfort and lights so bright
In work and sport we’d qualify
But due to dermis were simply passed by
The ocean was created for all mankind
To go near there would cause a huge fine
The suffering lasted for a number of years
It brought on sadness and many tears
In spite of all this, we always smiled
We produced much talent, man woman and child
It was tough to endure, we had no choice
Very little to say, without much voice
Along came a saviour to set us free
A wonderful man from an island and sea
The prosperous and ambitious left the land
Refusing to link with new formed bland
The tide had changed, time moved fast
We won our race, justice at last
Now we go here, there and everywhere
Mr Augustine was born and bred in District Six Cape Town. He since moved to Durban. He is retired and widowed.
I AM A YOUNG BLACK MALE IN SOUTH AFRICA by Luvo Guzana
I may look similar yet different
Judged for everything I do
For being smart at school
“Bathi ndizenza ngcono” (they say I’m a cheese boy)
For being clean
“Bathi ndili danon” (I think highly of myself or I think I’m better than everyone else)
I stand at the robot, the white man locks his car
Do I look like criminal?
I walk into an office, they start translating
Who said I don’t understand English?
I clean my suburb home they think I’m a gardener
Can’t Black people live in suburbs?
I walk into a clothing store they follow me around
Not all Black males are criminals……
Luvo was born on 6 June 1985 and is a fine art artist and poet. His art always tells a story about his experience. Luvo finds inspirations from everyday life as well. Luvo is a student at Vega the School of Brand Innovation.
The late Hajee Sultan was born in Quillon, Malabar District, South India on 15 February 1873 and died at Escombe, Natal on 6 September 1953. Mr Sultan , aged 14, decided to emigrate to Celon. The ships engine broke down and a passing ship for the recruitment of Indian immigrants brought him to Natal.
His first job was a porter at the Berea station. When his contract expired he went to Transvaal and worked as a waiter in a well know Johannesburg hotel. He made enough money to enable him to return to Natal to take up farming near Bellair. He later became a banana farmer at Escombe where he spend the major part of his life. Mr Sultans long experience of hardships and difficulties made him a hard businessman. First he tried tobacco, this was disappointing and he suffered loss. Realising the advantages of commercial endeavour, he opened a retail produce business at 106 Victoria Street, while at the same time growing beetle leaf at Stamford Hill. He prospered considerable returning most of his profits to the business, whilst making shrewd investments in property. He was intrigued by the property market and concentrated on this type of business. He also launched into soft goods trade and quickly developed what is know as M L Sultan and Sons (Pty.) Ltd.
He married Mariam Bibi in 1905 and they had 4 sons and 6 daughters. His wife died in October 1933.
He was an orator in Tamil, read widely and as a Moslem prayed five times a day. Whenever a decision was to be made or in doubt he would say “El wa’d din” A promise made is an obligation”
His word once given became a bond stronger than devised by any lawyer. At age 80 he was know to have walked 12 miles to keep an appointment because the train service had become dislocated due to a landslide. Such was a man who had earned hundreds of thousands of pounds. He was unaffected by wealth yet he knew its value and power. In the name of God he gave back to the poor all that he possessed. He joyed in the nearing of his final call and steadfastly and faithfully divested himself of all that men hold to be valuable. When the call did come Malukmohammed Lappa Sultan was possessed of his burial robes and the unquenchable faith which had sustained him throughout all vicissitudes.
He game thought for all Indians throughout South Africa and hoped that all would share in the benefits he helped to establish. Let us remember him as the hour of prayer drew nigh, his lips murmuring…
“ Ana faquir, el hamdu li-ilah”
(I am poor, Praise be to God)
Sobantu Township
There were death street
Where people were being killed
There were enemies
People were bearing grudges
The gathering were only about harming and killing
People were full of hatred
Hatred that created too many deaths
People were killing one another for no reason
Usage of drugs was very high
Stealing from neighbours was normal
Shooting was a normal scene
It was like in the movies
There was no life
There was no hope
Life was hard for everyone
People were living in fear
Lots had happened
Everything happened so fast
There was no peace in our township
And now it is over
We say “it was”
I think people have to move on
And stop blaming the inequalities of yesterday
Things have changed at Sobantu
Sobantu is the wonderful township
Peaceful township
Nonjabulo Dladla
I never thought I was a racist but this year I have been proven wrong by the powers that control the existence of flesh driven bums that take pleasure in cheap red wind and good music (preferably jazz, if not jazz then let it be hip-hop beats, not just any beats but the type of beats that we take pleasure in drowning the loud screams of family expectations with). In truth I have a lot of issues with l lot of people who perceive success as achieving what white people believe as being good.
This statement made me realise it is not white people I hate, but how we as the other races perceive ourselves in accordance with the “superior” race.
Olwethu Bandezi
Olwethu is a student a Vega. He is passionate about poetry and writing. He recently enrolled in a creative writing course.
My TOB experience
It was with great anticipation I awaited my response from Ujala to confirm I was accepted to attend the” Thinking outside the Borders” workshop.
Attending the workshop was an eye opener. It opened doors that lay dormant within me. I can now say without a doubt “I am a Leader”.
The project we were expected to work on, I tackled with great enthusiasm. “Capturing and preserving indigenous knowledge in the form of stories, poems and life experiences”. I thoroughly enjoyed collecting my share of the stories.
My first task was to put and advert in an e-newspaper that reaches 7000 addresses. “ Word of Mouth” is a publication that is managed by a colleague. I had three people contact me, Blou Leask who put me onto a student at UKZN PMB, Bev from a local newspaper which reaches the wider Durban population and an email from Niall McNulty who is co-ordinator of Ulwazi Project.
Bev from the newspaper did and interview with me. She wanted to know all about our project, who was involved, how I got involved, etc etc. I received so many calls from this advert in the newspaper. People were interested in imparting with stories and poems and life experiences. The response was humbling.
I had a call from a young lady who wanted me to interview a 110 year old lady from Kelso. The lady was 6 year old when she came with her parents from India to work in the sugar cane plantations. This dynamic lady worked on the sugar cane plantations, she helped deliver babies, she treated the sick with home- made remedies, she founded one of the two temples in Kelso among the many other chores she did. It was unfortunate that when I went to interview her she suffered a massive stroke and died a few days later.
It was a privilege to interview the grandson of the late Mr M L Sultan. He regaled me with many stories about his dad and grand-dad.
In the interim I drew up our copyright document for the group. Each person who contributed stories/poems had to fill in a document.
I had a student from Vega designing the cover for our book. Everything was working according to plan.
It was with great disappointment when Ria and I tried and failed to get in contact with the rest of our group members. The two of us still worked on putting this project together.
Ria was instrumental in designing our blog and creating google talk so the group can interact. Her enthusiasm was contagious. She also approached our benefactor SWETS for donations of voice recorders which they very kindly donated.
Attending the “Thinking outside the Borders” was a great experience and working on our group project was fulfilling. The project gave me a idea for my master which is an off spin from our group topic. I am glad to say that I am now officially a student at University of Pretoria and attending the workshop prompted me to pursue my masters.
To the dynamic team who put together the workshop, thank you for allowing me the opportunity to share in the synergy of great leaders.
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