Africa in 140 characters

Africans are talking! Yes in 140 characters. Many have noticed the rise of Africans bloggers and interesting tweets about Africa recently. I love it! Why this is happening, asked Top Bloggers from the Twitter community… Well African has stories to tell I replied. For decades Africa story has interested millions of individuals. The real stories have not been told or 30% of them were reported inaccurately. For the African people, the oral tradition they are used to is linked to their way of life. Most African societies place great worth in oral tradition because it is a primary means of conveying culture. It is also a mode of transmitting feelings, and attitudes. For centuries, African people depended upon oral tradition to teach the listener’s important traditional values and morals pertaining to how to live. Oral tradition delivers explanations to the mysteries of the universe and the meaning of life on earth. In African religion, it is the guiding principle in which to make sense of the world. Oral tradition is non-written history, its spoken word only. Historically, most African societies did not have an invented alphabet. Before the invention of written language, and before the advent of widespread literacy, oral tradition was much more of a daily presence in people’s lives than it is in our world today. Nowadays, popular forms of storytelling in Western culture include movies, television and Social Media (Twitter, Facebook etc…)

West African storytelling, the Griots are the keepers of the culture, as their amazing memories and storytelling abilities allow them to keep alive the culture, history, and genealogies of their people.

We know that in Africa a voice was the vehicle in which knowledge was passed on from one generation to another. A single Voice unified a family, clan, or community. Enforcement of customs depended on voice. When a person died…his or her voice was no longer to be heard, it was as if a whole library had been destroyed. Voice is important in Africa. …Most African people did not invent an alphabet for the art of reading and writing. Therefore they could not keep written records of their history. Instead they passed on information form one generation to another, by word of mouth.

Not only Social media is encouraging African people to write, tell and share more stories that can be archived for the next generation it is also one of the vehicles of the Rebranding of Africa™.

I have seen the rise of excellent news site like AllFrica and Africa news.

Some of the African bloggers I have noticed in recent days are: @tmsruge @Ethnicsupplies, @directassist, @ajmunn @KengeGunya @HillsofAfrica @planyoursafari @thebestofzambia @schoelink @AcaciaAfrica @PinkSafaris @ontdeksafaris @InkosiAfrica @Mnashy, @mjamme

Keep blogging… @mjamme

Tuttle Club in London

The Tuttle Club attendees really do have fun; I was one of them this morning and I did enjoy it. The Breakfast extended to lunch and took place at the InnPark- St James Park, I met really nice people with plenty of ideas. The ideas that can change our world; The Tuttle club was founded by Lloyd Davis who is a popular figure on the London Social Media Scene. Lloyd created the Tuttle club couples of years ago so people can get together, randomly, almost spontaneously, meet, discuss and share ideas. The meeting is very informal and its over a coffee or muffin, ideas flow literally instantaneously. People are relaxed, cool and friendly. Techno Bloggers, Journalist, techies, investors, PR experts, entrepreneurs and creator are amongst the attendees. Lloyds has created a new way of networking and clearly giving power to the people, the events is run by itself, “people get together and run it themselves literally” said Lloyd. They make their owns plans and choose a emplacement in London for meetings.

The Tuttle club is the modern networking, with thousand of networks out there; it has differentiated itself from the normal networking we are all use to.

The TedxTutle http://twitter.com/TEDxTuttle will take a place on the 17th of September 2009 and more events are planned in Europe. The First Tuttle club Africa will be announced very soon and will have its first event in Senegal.

Short Bio of Lloyd Davis.

Lloyd Davis is a popular figure on the London Social Media Scene. Lloyd has been blogging and podcasting since 2004 and with a diverse background that includes theatre, information management and public service he has acquired a unique, in-depth and practical understanding of how to use media and social networks on the web to build and sustain rich relationships online and off-.
In the last year, Lloyd has written and produced blog content for clients as diverse as BP, the World Health Care Congress and Surrey Primary Care Trust and worked regularly with Policy Unplugged as a Social Reporter at corporate and public un-conferences. Lloyd also has a talent for facilitating Open Space events holding workshops for ORG, Online Information and VNU’s Blogs and Social Media Forum.
Lloyd runs the London chapter of Social Media Club. He has recently spoken at Web2Open in Berlin, the 3rd London BarCamp and BarCampUKGovWeb. Lloyd is the also founder of the Tuttle Club, a community-based effort to create a physical space for people in Social Media to come together for social, learning and work activities.

Please Follow Tuttle and Llyod Davis

Thanks

Marieme