Present

1. Joseph Healey – The Moderator of www.Afriprov.org website, jghealey@aol.com +254 572 522 977 — Directing the meeting.
2. Cephas Agbemenu– cyagbemenu@yahoo.com +254 723 307 992 – Assistant Moderator. Chairing the meeting.
3. Elias Bushiri Elie – e.bushiri@yahoo.com +254 701 391 149 – Assistant Secretary
4. Margaret W. Ireri – margwireri@yahoo.com +254 722537 774 – Secretary

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1. Alimas Kaluta Adrien – +254 706 360 250
2. Angelique Chelo – angelcheylo@yahoo.com +254 707 367 671
3. Cikuru Bishangi Devotha – devothac200@gmail.com +254 718 227 541
4. Elysee Meta – elizemeta@yahoo.com +254 722 705 778
5. Francis Njuguna – osnjuguna@yahoo.com +254 720 434 819
6. Gabriel Odhiambo – gabrielodhiambo1@gmail.com+254 726 369 593
7. Hondi Muhimanyi Placide – hondimuhimanyi@gmail.com +254 701 408 731
8. John Mbiti Mbuvi – mbiti.john5@gmail.com +254 721 124 661
9. Kevin Namatsi Okubo – kevinnamatsi@gmail.com +254 715 307 874
10. Laur Mwepu Luiza – laurjudithmwepu@yahoo.fr +254 725 806 611
11. Ricardo Benon Benjamin – ricardobenon1@gmail.com +254 701 606 345
12. Sikitoka Mboni – sikitoka@yahoo.com +254 721 925 624
13. Sr. Grace Njau – annegracenj@gmail.com +254 722 260 078
14. Etoka Malusise – etokae@yahoo.ca +254 714 695 659
15. Joseph Kai Kariuki – josephkaikariuki@gmail.com +254 700 446 884
16. Boniface Musyoka – boniface1914@gmail.com +254 724 598 615
17. Jeanclaude Mboka – mjhonclaude@yahoo.com +254 713 132 104
18. Fr. Nelson Mwaka –nelmwaka@yahoo.com +254 788 642 646

Apologies

1. Roger Akouete Adjomayi – akouete4@gmail.com +254 725 932 201, +254 731 580 461
2. Patricia Nderitu – pnderito@gmail.com +254 711 580 942
3. Judy Maina – judy.mainaw@gmail.com +254 724 207 998
4. Evans Nyakundi — evansnyakundie@yahoo.com +254 722 566 445
5. John Mbondi.

Opening
The Assistant Moderator welcomed the members to the meeting.

 

Introductions
Two new members, Jeanclaude Mboka and Boniface Musyoka introduced themselves. The most important requirements for membership were outlined.

1. Payment of the annual membership fee of one thousand Kenya shillings (Kshs 1,000). The African Proverb Working Group (APWP) is an African proverbs and stories family/small community. They paid their membership fee during the meeting.
2. Attendance and participation at meetings.  New members are required to attend two full APWP meetings before presenting any research proposals.

The members also received a set of African writings (books) to read. Alimas Kaluta was also presented with them.

 

Internet User Workshop
Ricardo Benon assisted with the training. The members were reminded and practiced how to vote for their best proverb of the month on the Afriprov website, and how to the use the Ethnologue to obtain information on a specific ethnic language.
The members confirmed that they had been using the www.afriprov.org website.

 

Reading the minutes of the previous meeting held on 27th February 2016
The members had already read the minutes on the website and therefore, they were not read at the meeting.

 

Matters arising from the previous minutes

a) The second half grants were given to the members who had completed their projects fully and met all the requirements:

1. Margaret Wambere – Digo proverbs (Kenya)
2. Elysee Meta – Tetela proverbs (DRC)
3. Kevin Okubo – Nyala proverbs (Kenya)
4. Gabriel Odhiambo – Turkana proverbs (Kenya)
5. Devotha Cikuru – Nyaturu proverbs (Tanzania)

b)The first half grants for new projects were given to three members.

1. Kevin Namatsi Okubo – Chiga (Uganda)
2. Angelique Chelo – Chonyi (Mijikenda – Kenya)
3. Hondi Placide – Kele (DRC)

 

Presentations of new research proposals
As required by the new guidelines, the members presented their proposals verbally to the meeting. This facilitated a voting by members, questions and clarifications about the content, and also to confirm that 2 examples of the proverbs were included in the document. If supported, then the member would proceed with the research of the new ethnic language.
The layout and imagery was also encouraged in the work, to improve the appearance, understanding and contents of the proposal.

The executive committee would later recheck the proposal to ensure it met all the requirements.

Name Ethnic language Country
1. Elias Bushiri Bangubangu DRC
2. Margaret Wambere Duruma Kenya
3. Alimasi Kaluta Nyankore Uganda
4. Gabriel Odhiambo Teso Kenya/Uganda

Two proposals would be handled administratively by the committee to determine whether to allow the members to proceed with the research or not. These proposals had technical issues, such as distance of original ethnic group from the researcher, poor layout and the need for editing, among others. Sikitoka had presented his Nyanga proposal at the APWG meeting held at the Kenyatta University on 30t January 2016. He had been requested to edit the document and use the appropriate layout.

1. Sikitoka Mboni Nyanga DRC
2. Ricardo Benon Shona Zimbabwe

 

Migration of the website from Joomla to Word Press
The Moderator explained that the content management system had changed. The new installation was mobile telephone compliant, and that it would be effective in two weeks from the date of the meeting.

 

Promoting the African Proverbs, Saying and Stories Website, Poll and Facebook Page and WhatsApp
The Moderator continued to emphasize the importance of using the website to source for information, updating members on various issues, participating in the poll for a proverb choice, posting statements on the Facebook Page, and the importance of using the smartphone.

Proverbs of the Month 2016
It was confirmed that most members had already submitted their proverb of the month early.

June 2016 – Tembo (DRC) – Sikitoka Mboni
July 2016 – Nyaturu (Tanzania) – Cikuru Devotha
August 2016 – Turkana (Kenya) – Gabriel Odhiambo
September 2016 – Nyanga (DRC) – Sikitoka Mboni – not received yet
October 2016 – Chiga (Uganda) – Kevin Okubo
November 2016 – Kele (DRC) – Hondi Placide
December 2016 – Gusii (Kenya) – Evans Nyakundi

 

2016 Annual Membership Contributions

Further contributions were received from three members:

Boniface Musyoka Ksh.1,000.00
Jeanclaude Mboka Ksh.1,000.00

Hanna Hannah Rasmussen Ksh.3,026.00 – African Study Bible

Total: Ksh.5,026.00 – TOTAL

 

Any Other Business

1. APWG Productions: The moderator informed the meeting that apart from writing proverbs, short stories, songs, art and dances were part of the activities. He encouraged members to venture into some of these activities. However, some guidelines will be prepared to facilitate the production. Cephas explained the concept of African Art in the Christian setting. He referred to the image of the Black Jesus on Facebook and the photos for the April Proverb of the Month. The members would visit the Kenyatta University chapel during the next meeting at KU.
2. Use of the Media: Ricardo Benon reminded the group about the request to present the proverbs on the TV using various forms of presentations such as plays, songs & dance. He would get enough information to bring to the committee.
3. The members requested a list of all the African languages already researched since its foundation to ensure they did not repeat the projects.
4. The members requested a list of the “Ten Activities of African Proverbs Working Group.”

 

Closure
The members appreciated Fr. Nelson Mwaka for hosting the meeting and for the sumptuous lunch provided at the Mazoldi House in Karen.