- African Proverbs, Sayings and Stories
Saturday, 30 April, 2011
Fine Arts Dept.
Kenyatta University
Nairobi, Kenya
Agenda:
1. Introduction of new members.
2. Matters Arising.
3. Each participant will report on his or her recent research, writing, and publishing. This includes new booklets and books published in the past year.
4. 2012 African Proverbs Calendar on “Women: Relationships, Equality and Rights.”
5. Future “African Proverbs of the Month” and “Update Reports” on New Booklets of 100 African Proverbs.
a. Babunga.
b. Katabarwa.
c. Mukendi wa Mulumba.
d. Muteba.
e. Atido.
f. Nkumbulwa/Durand.
g. Wekesa.
6. Report on plans for the June, 2011 International Proverbs Congress in Paris, France.
7. Promoting our:
African Proverbs, Sayings and Stories Website, Poll and Facebook Page
NOTE: We have a special Poll presently going on between now and 30 June, 2011: My favorite “African Proverb of the Month” since we began in 2007 is… Please go to our website and vote before our meeting.
8. AOB
Introduction of members
Ten members from five different African countries were present
From
Kenya: Seth Wekesa; 0720-890-328; wekesaseth@gmail.com; Present first timer
Kenya/USA: Fr. Joseph G. Healey; 0572522-977; jghealey@aol.com;
Tanzania: Paskali Lubango; 0728-179-326; lubango1@yahoo.com
Uganda: Fr. Thomas Komakech; 0725-795-479; frthomask@yahoo.com
Ghana: Cephas Agbemenu; 0723-307-992; cyagbemenu@yahoo.com
Congo (DRC): Allan Babunga, 0721-749-795
Calvin Chelo Katabarwa; 0734-829-002; ckatabarwa@yahoo.com
Fiston Kongolo
George Atido: 0732-789-712; jpirwoth@yahoo.com
Tyty Mukendi; 0722-885-013; mukendiwamulumba@yahoo.fr
Absent with apology:
Kenya: Kamau Wango; 0722-220-865; kamauwango@yahoo.com— Apologies
Gerald Wanjohi (Nairobi, Kenya) 0717-012-207; 0203-326-652; gerald.wanjohi@yahoo.com
Francis Njuguna ; 0720-434-819; osunjuguna@hotmail.com
Francis Kimani – Kenya
Grace Njau – Kenya
Michael Muasya – Kenya
Simon Rurinja – Kenya
Tanzania: Pascal Durand
Beside that we are sorry to lose one of our members Sim Kilosho who has resigned from the committee.
Report on research:
We are happy to inform you that one of our members Allan Babunga will travel to DRC to seek publication of a French stories book based on two of Father Healey’s books: “Once Upon a Time in Africa” and “African Stories for Preachers and Teachers” published by Orbis and Paulines.
Allan Babunga “I have a problem on how to use African proverbs with words like human genital parts as symbols in biblical teachings.”
Father Healey: “I have posted a proverb from Zambia on our Facebook page and many people click on it that shows that they like it.”
2012 African Proverbs Calendar on “Women: Relationships, Equality and Rights”
A list of proposed twelve proverbs which can fit for this topic to add on this list Paskali gave one in Swahili “Usuri wa mwanamke ni tabia bali si urembo”. Chelo added one which says “Behind every man there is a woman”. Cephas warns us that some of the proverbs on the given list do not reflect a woman at all thus we need to replace them. Members are asked to go back in their booklets and the website to get a proverb on this theme and send to the moderator as soon as possible. The majority of members chose for proverb number two to be our January 2012.
African proverbs of the month and updates on new booklets of 100 African proverbs
a. Allan Babunga: “Working on Lingala proverbs. Almost finished. The only remaining work is the proof reading. His trip to Kinshasa in May will help him solve this problem since he will meet many Lingala speakers there.
b. Chelo Katabarwa: “Work on 100 Orma proverbs had delayed because he got sick in December.
c. Mukendi wa Mulumba: “Am working on the Tshiluba proverbs. I struggle how to get the biblical parallels but I am still working on it. Suggested to use Google reference sources for the biblical parallels
d. Muteba Kazadi: Absent at the meeting but Chelo has volunteered to call him and ask him what is going on with his project.
(The group breaks for Lunch at 1pm at the KUCC and resumed at 2pm. Members contributed 200 Ksh to cater for their lunch).
e. George Atido who was collecting Alur proverbs managed to collect more than 200 proverbs but the remaining work is to translate them and give their biblical parallels. Like other African language, I got a problem to find proverbs related to women. “I hope my work will be ready after my thesis” George added. Discussed and agreed by the committee that George presents his work after his graduation in July 2011.
f. Nkulumbwa and Pascal Durand have completed their booklet of Kara proverbs, now they are requesting for a grant to collect Kerewe proverbs and other languages from Tanzania.
Note that Cephas has agreed to offer illustrations on all forthcoming booklets.
g. Wekesa Seth present proposal to collect 100 Luhya proverbs from the Maragoli and Gabra
Seth Wekesa will have to wait our next meeting in order to be familiar with our standards.
Report on plans for the June, 2011 International proverbs Congress in Paris, France.
Allan “I did everything “I write my paper, I booked both my Hotel and my flight.
Chelo: because I have no hope, I am working to support my friend in India.
Cephas “It’s difficult for us to attend to that meeting since we do not have anything ready for our participation.
J. Healey:”I suggest Chelo and Allan to finish their papers and send them to Bhauvan in India and Phillip in Paris respectively”.
Promoting our website
We encourage our members to frequently visit our website; any member who has any problem to access our website can seek assistance from old members.
Any other business
Our next meeting will take place at the Mazzoldi House in Karen on Saturday 13th August 2011 at 10 o’clock. We expect Allan and Chelo to present their papers on this meeting. Cephas suggested that one meeting would be made to draft a proposal to seek funds to cater for our meetings expenses.
The meeting ends with a closing prayer from George Atido.
Please see the photos below provided by Cephas Agbemenu and Allan Babunga.
The moderator, Father Joseph Healey, shows some members how to use our website.
Allan Babunga from DRC busy taking the minutes.
.
Father Paskali from Tanzania and Father Thomas from Uganda.
Member Tyty Mukendi from DRC and a new member Seth Wekesa from Kenya
Father Joseph Healey shows how to vote on our website poll.
Members Allan Babunga and Fiston Kambale from DRC.
The closing prayer.