Pamoja na Salamu za Mwaka Mpya, napenda kuchukuwa fursa hii kuambatanisha kumbukumbu za mkutano uliofanyika kwenye ofisi za Ubalozi wa Tanzania mjini Washington DC mwezi Septemba mwaka jana. Tunaomba radhi sana sana kwa kuchelewesha kuwatumieni kumbukumbu hizi. Hata hivyo Waswahili wanasema "Chelewa ufike". Ni matumaini yangu kwamba utapata muda wa kuzipitia na kujihabarisha kuhusu mipango inayoandaliwa ya kufanyika kwa mkutano mkuu wa CHAUKIDU pamoja na tamasha la ukuzaji wa lugha ya Kiswahili tarehe 23 mwezi April mwaka huu hapa Washington DC.
Kwa niaba ya Kamati ya Maandalizi, natanguliza shukrani zetu kwa ushiriki wako katika shughuli hii.
Wasalaam
Dk. Elias Magembe
Kiambatanisho: kumbukukumbu za mkutano
Minutes of CHAUKIDU Meeting at THE EMBASSY of
tanzania
washington dc, September 26, 2014
The following were present during the meeting:
Mrs Lily Munanka – Representative, Embassy of the
United Republic of Tanzania
Dr. Elias Magembe - American University / Foreign
Service Institute, Washington DC
Dr. Dainess Maganda - University of Georgia, Athens,
GA
Mr. E. Bashonga - Representative, Embassy of the Democratic
Republic of Congo, Washington DC.
Mr. Mugendi Zoka, Embassy of the United Republic of Tanzania
Mr. Omari Kaseko- Representative, KALI TV
Mr. Patrick Kajale- Representative, Swahili
Festival, Washington DMV
Mr. Jacob Kinyemi - Embassy of the United Republic
of Tanzania
Mr. Mubelwa Bandio - Changamoto Blog and Jamii
Production
Ms Asha Nyang’anyi - Swahili Language Teacher, DMV Community
School, Washington DC
Dr. Leonard Muaka – Winston Salem State University, NC
/ Executive Director of CHAUKIDU
1. Opening and Introductions
The meeting started at 1:18pm with remarks by Dr.
Elias Magembe, the MC. He welcomed the Chancery of the Tanzanian Embassy, Ms.
Lily Munanka.
Ms. Munanka explained that she was representing H.E.
Ambassador Liberata Mulamula who was out of town attending to other official
duties. She expressed the Embassy’s support and readiness to collaborate with
CHAUKIDU leaders and stakeholders and noted the significant role Kiswahili plays
globally. She also recognized the efforts of other community members such as
Mr. Patrick Kajale who had organized a successful Swahili Festival in in the DMV
area.
Dr. Magembe thanked Ms. Munanka for her warm welcome
and readiness to support CHAUKIDU.
2.
CHAUKIDU AND THE GROWTH OF KISWAHILI
IN AMERICA
(i)
Dr.
Muaka’s comments on the history of CHAUKIDU, its mission, accomplishments, and challenges.
Dr.
Muaka observed that the idea of forming a Swahili Association in the diaspora
had always been in the works since the early 2000s when a task force comprising
Swahili scholars such as Drs. Charles Bwenge, Katrina Thompson, Mahiri Mwita, among
many others, was formed to articulate the objectives of such an association. In
April 2012, CHAKIDU was officially launched at the University of Wisconsin, Madison
by Swahili instructors and other Swahili stakeholders with the aim of bringing
together not only those who teach Swahili, but all other individuals around the
world who support and promote Swahili language and culture. He then articulated
the main goals and objectives of CHAUKIDU as follows:
-
To
promote Kiswahili language
-
To
disseminate research findings through Kiswahili
-
To
connect CHAUKIDU members with members of other associations interested in the
promotion of Kiswahili.
-
To
educate the public about Kiswahili language and the benefits of knowing and
using it.
-
To
show the important role Kiswahili plays in the USA and East African countries (he
emphasized how study abroad programs bring money to East African countries.
(ii)
Dr.
Maganda’s comments on how Universities and University Professors teaching
Swahili courses have contributed to the promotion of Kiswahili.
In
her presentation, Dr. Maganda spoke about the contribution of Swahili language scholars
in the promotion of Swahili at the university level in the U.S. She made the
following remarks:
a.
Apart
from languages such as Spanish, German, Arabic, French, Russian and Chinese, some
of African languages are also taught such as Yoruba, Zulu, and Swahili.
b.
The
data we have about the teaching of African languages in American universities
indicate that Swahili language leads in terms of enrollments of students
studying African languages.
c.
In
many schools students are required to take at least one foreign language.
Swahili is one of the languages that students can study.
d.
To
continue promoting Kiswahili, learners need to know why they should study the
language. One good reason is that Kiswahili is one of the eight languages
adopted for use by the UN; it is used in broadcasting stations across the world
(Radio Deutsche Welle, VOA, China etc.), and it has been used in popular movies
such as the Lion King .
e.
Knowledge
of Kiswahili can help someone get a job around the world. In the U.S. people
earn money by interpreting/translating in hospitals and courts of law, etc.
She
also noted that in higher education teachers can be hired on either temporary or
permanent basis. Those hired as teaching assistants can get tuition waiver and
could be from disciplines such as literature, linguistics, African studies, or
Education.
f.
In
terms of the curriculum, Dr. Maganda emphasized the need to adopt an
interdisciplinary approach with a focus on a student’s major or program of
study. This will ensure its sustainability for example, literature, Geography,
and even science based degrees, MALL (Minor in African languages and
Literature). Other motivating strategies for students could be study abroad,
cultural activities, listening to Swahili music, reading Swahili texts, and
watching films in Swahili.
(iii)
Ms
Asha Nyang’anyi, a resident of DMV area, talked about her experience in running
a program for teaching Swahili language to the young / youth in DMV Washington
DC.
-
Ms.
Nyang’anyi talked about the challenge of teaching Swahili to children.
-
She
talked about the STARTALK Training and how it can help teachers teach Swahili
better.
-
She
also noted that for now her program does not have a venue to continue teaching children
but she hopes this problem will be resolved soon.
3.
2015 CHAUKIDU ANNUAL MEETING AND OFFICIAL
LAUNCH IN DMV AREA
Dr.
Muaka explained the main purpose and objective of this meeting and how it is
connected with what needs to be done next year to promote CHAUKIDU. He made the
following remarks:
-
CHAUKIDU
will have an Annual Conference in April2015 in the Washington DMV area, and the
current meeting was a great opportunity for stakeholders to meet. He explained
that it was important to collaborate with others to make sure many people get
to know about CHAUKIDU.
-
We
need those people who are working in the media in order to disseminate the news
about the conference and more importantly explore ways through which our
Embassies representing Swahili speaking countries can take part in this
conference.
-
Conference
preparations require finances.
-
We
need to explain to all stakeholders how they can assist us succeed in our
plans.
-
To
request stakeholders to help CHAUKIDU both in terms of ideas and finances
Dr.
Magembe then welcomed participants to offer their views regarding the upcoming
CHAUKIDU conference. He also noted that date for the conference will be April
23rd 2015, and the fact that it coincides with the 51th anniversary
celebration of the United Republic of Tanzania, on April 26th it
would be a good opportunity for the Tanzania Embassy to showcase the growth of
Swahili language.
i.
Mr. Bashonga – DRC Congo
Representative’s Comments
-
Mr.
Bashonga stated that he would inform His Excellency the Ambassador of DRC Congo
about the association and its role and how to join it. He specifically asked Dr.
Muaka what he would like the Ambassador of Congo to be told and also inquired
about the fees to join CHAUKIDU. He was
told that Individual fee is $30 and students $10 and anyone from an African
country is $5.
-
Mr.
Bashonga explained how Congo is promoting Swahili and plans to have a
multilingual passport with Swahili as one of the languages used. He also
mentioned the need to initiate Swahili programs to start teaching the language
not only in EA countries but in countries such as Congo, in areas such as Bukavu.
It would be great for CHAUKIDU to endorse a group of professors to start
teaching Swahili because many universities in Africa (e.g. Congo) do not have
such programs but they need them desperately. Similar to what is done during
study abroad programs, professors could do summer Semester Swahili programs in
such countries.
ii.
Dr. Omar Kaseko, the Kali TV
representative.
-
Mr
Kaseko wanted to know how CHAUKIDU could be promoted to be used as a marketplace
for others. His first question was “if I tell someone to join CHAUKIDU, what
will I tell him/her as the benefits of his/her membership?”
-
His
suggestion was that CHAUKIDU needs to think of services they could offer to
people as an incentive to join the organization. Such goods may be a series of
Swahili classes that could be packaged so that paid up members can have their
course cost reduced as CHAUKIDU members.
-
He
suggested that it is important that the website also include more information
about what is going on in the world about Kiswahili as a language or
culture. He emphasized the need to have
strategies that could create Swahili training online.
-
He
also added that there was need to harmonize all organizations focused on
Swahili under CHAUKIDU. People should pull together and to use CHAUKIDU as a
promotional platform.
-
He
also suggested that CHAUKIDU could offer preliminary Swahili instructional material
that a person needing to go to any African countries can take and ask anybody
who has these services to go through CHAUKIDU as a centralized unit for such
services.
-
Dr.
Maganda elaborated that the online instruction is one of the things to be done
in the future and especially to make KIKO, which is currently available to
become more user friendly- meaning, to have enough supplemental materials and
booklet that will enable Swahili learners to learn the language online. Dr. Maganda
also said that in the near future, she intends to create an interactional
e-book and lessons to cater to such needs but warned that this will take some
time because funding is often needed and time seems to be scarce for many
professors.
iii.
Mr. Patrick Kajale – Swahili
Festival Coordinator
-
He
asked how CHAUKIDU was planning to solicit for funding and whether it is registered.
-
He
explained that the organization needs to be registered for it to get
sponsorship
-
He
explained that there is a lot of funding with regard to cultural outreach programs provided it is clearly
articulated and not just about the language.
-
Funding
should be sought from both East African governments and other organizations.
-
Try
to promote CAHUKIDU as more than a language and make it a cultural endeavor.
This strategy will get more people involved and showcase cultural artefacts. It
should also go beyond Swahili speakers only by involving other countries such
as people in West Africa and elsewhere.
-
Dr.
Magembe noted that countries such as Ghana do teach Swahili.
iv.
Mubelwa Bandio’s Views (Changamoto Blogger)
-
Mr.
Bandio spoke about the need to find teachers recognized and endorsed as
CHAUKIDU Swahili instructors. They can then be sent abroad under the auspices
of CHAUKIDU.
-
The
CHAUKIDU website can be a resource on how people can plan and organize different
Swahili cultural festivals (you can write a short step by step on “how to start
and organize a Swahili festival in your State or town”….Other books or
pamphlets can be made available through CHAUKIDU to explain for example how
to use Swahili to get a job in the USA or in the Military and how to get learn Swahili and get really good at it
like John Mtembezi while living in the USA. Other ideas include how to use
CHAUKIDU to do job networking…
-
We
can also promote literature targeted to the Swahili speaking community
-
It
is critical to start making announcements early and he suggested we make a
short and simple advertisement to start airing soon regarding occasions such as
the upcoming DAIKOTA that will take place next week in Durham, North Carolina.
-
Ms.
Nyang’anyi promised to communicate with Dr. Muaka on announcing CHAUKIDU
conference during the DAIKOTA conference next week in Durham, NC.
-
We
need to use links and social media if we want to succeed, he said.
-
Mr
Kaseko of KALI TV said that we need to find ways to make CHAUKIDU and its
activities such as conferences sustainable and progressive.
4.
QUESTIONS AND GENERAL DISCUSSIONS
-
Mrs.
Munanka asked several questions about the teaching of Swahili:
Are there different levels of Swahili teaching?
Are there different levels of Swahili teaching?
-
Is
there a possibility of having Swahili classes and then encourage people to
learn the language?
-
It
may be helpful to have a standard Swahili curriculum with different levels instead
of having different types of teaching Swahili
-
We
need a centralized way to make standardized Swahili syllabi and teaching
methodology.
-
The
goal is to get parents involved in the activities of the association. We need
to get more ideas on how to get support for CHAUKIDU and strategies to make
this venture successful. .
-
The
association needs to have specific, well defined objectives on how to educate
the masses. We could start at the state level and then expand nationally and
globally.
Cases of parents who do not speak o their children
in Swahili were narrated as well as people who abandoned Swahili even though it
was the language that had brought them great fortune. A case in point is that of a
Congolese artist who got so rich by singing Swahili songs but when he visited
the USA and met Mr. Bashonga he just wanted to speak in English. Mr. Bashonga
said he was very disappointed and told him, “Swahili has made you rich and now
you are pretending that you cannot speak Swahili…!”
Ms. Asha asked – if the association could secure
grants for teaching Swahili to young children.
It is something to be explored for instance through
the STAR TALK program. Dr. Maganda noted that there are funding agencies and
the government does this through Title VI but it is often a grant through a University
system, it wasn’t however clear if an Association like CHAUKIDU can borrow
funds.
6. GENERAL
RECOMMENDATIONS
- The main conference in 2015 will take place at
Howard University including the Annual General Meeting of CHAUKIDU.
- Celebrations (including Dinner Gala) to take place
in a nice and convenient place such as a hotel where other stakeholders can
attend.
- It was suggested that good venues can be found in Silver
Spring area, such as Marriot Hotel, Holiday Inn, Veteran’s Pavilion, Hollywood
Ballroom etc. They are also accessible, safe, parking for guests. Dr. Magembe
and Ms. Nyang’anyi volunteered to research how much such
places would charge/cost? Quotes from three hotels / venues could help make a
decision.
- Members recommended getting the Guest of Honor from
Africa such a Minister of Education and Culture from Kenya, Tanzania or
Zanzibar to show how much CHAUKIDU wants to collaborate with Embassies and
governments of the Swahili speaking region.
- Different groups such as African Clothing Fashion
show groups based in DC Metro area, music and dance groups (such as Leo ni Leo), Swahili
Festival, Safari Restaurant, Private Food Vendors and other entrepreneurs be
encouraged to participate and also be invited to showcase their work.
7. CLOSING
Dr. Muaka thanked everybody who attended the meeting
and encouraged them to continue with the spirit of collaboration.
Mrs. Munanka assured the Director of CHAUKIDU that
she would convey the Association’s wishes to Her Excellency, Ambassador Liberata
Mulamula and she was optimistic that the Tanzanian Embassy would support the Association
as much as it can.
Dr. Magembe also thanked everybody for their
participation and positive contributions to the discussions.
2 comments:
Chaukidu etc etc - why are the minutes in English when all the attendees are supposed to be promoting Kiswahili. It is all constradictions.
Kwa sababu ya wadau kutoka sehemu mbalimbali za dunia, kumbukumbu zilinakiliwa kwa Kiingereza na Kiswahili.
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