Hello, all... I shared a message from this thread with a correspondent who lives in South Africa...and who has been intrigued by OST. I thought you might enjoy what he shared with me:
----- Original Message ----- From: AM de Lange <[email protected]> To: Richard Charles Holloway <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, August 12, 1999 5:59 AM Subject: Re: OST in Africa > Dear Doc, > > If the word "baraza" is Swahili, it literally means "verandah" or > "porch". It is structure which provides a shade to the sun. > > It is rather difficult to sit in full sun in Kenia to have an "Open > Space". > > Swahili is one of more than a thousand Banthu languages. It is > spoken in the northern part of Southern Africa. The various Banthu > peoples migrated southwards over centuries, displacing the much > older San (Bushmen) people. There are many correspondences > between all these Banthu languages, pointing to a proto Banthu > language. > > Interesting enough, the word "baraza" does not occur anymore > in the more than ten Banthu languages of South Africa. The word > or variants which they use for "Open Space", is "indaba" -- to > discuss an important topic. But it has other meanings also, many > of them directly related to what we now know of "open spaces". > > The root "daba" is even more interesting -- to stir opinions. It seems > that somewhere along the migration route "baraza" became "indaba" > because of someone stirring opinions too much. > > Best wishes > > At > > > >----- Original Message ----- > >From: Michael M Pannwitz <[email protected]> > >To: <[email protected]> > >Sent: Thursday, August 12, 1999 1:16 AM > >Subject: OST in Africa > > > > > >> Dear Andrew, > >> in 1998 I did a leadership training for Anglican Bishops in Nairobi > >> in open space. > >> While I was into my introduction one of the older bishops > exclaimed, > >> hey, I know this, its baraza. > >> An immediate discussion ensued in which several remembered that it > >> had been a key element in their village culture. > >> All noted that it is no longer used except perhaps in some very > >> remote places. > >> So open space is deeply imbedded in African Culture, at least in > >> Kenya. > >> I heard of a number of open space events in South Africa, maybe > >> Harrison knows more on that. > >> I will forward this mail also to my colleague Hans Walker in > >> Zimbabwe, I would think he would know about open space facilitators > >> there. > >> What part of Africa are you talking about? > >> greetings > >> michael > >> > >> > >> > >> Michael M Pannwitz > >> Draisweg 1 > >> 12209 Berlin, Germany > >> FON: +49 - 30-772 8000 FAX: +49 - 30-773 92 464 > >> www.michaelMpannwitz.de > >> www.we-open-spaces.de > >> > > > >
