[Irtalk] Africa to get its own Wikipedia | Africa | Africa | Mail & Guardian

[Hilton Gibson]

As a fourth-generation clan chief of a village in rural Cameroon, Gaston
Donnat Bappa’s daily life is steeped in tradition.The 200 residents of the
village have little if any access to electric power, phones, TV or radio –
but the IT engineer, consultant and specialist has been immersed in the
world of technology for the past three decades.

Now Bappa, who insists tradition and modernity can be “collaborators”, is
spearheading a project to create Africa’s answer to Wikipedia, in a bid to
preserve the continent’s customs and beliefs.

“I have tradition deep within me and I want it to be seen everywhere,” said
the chief, wearing traditional robes and sitting behind a PC, after
officially launching  the African Traditions Online Encyclopedia (Atoe) at
last week’s eLearning Africa conference in Uganda.

*“With seven million years of tradition in Africa, what is 500 years of
colonisation and slavery? Nothing,” he said.*

http://mg.co.za/article/2014-06-05-africa-to-get-its-own-wikipedia
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