{"id":1532,"date":"2012-07-18T18:25:56","date_gmt":"2012-07-18T18:25:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/php7.innershed.com:10000\/virtual-server\/link.cgi\/212.71.245.84\/http:\/\/www.connectafrica\/?p=1532"},"modified":"2012-11-03T13:11:02","modified_gmt":"2012-11-03T13:11:02","slug":"protocols-and-planning-with-a-prince","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.connectafrica.net\/?p=1532","title":{"rendered":"Protocols and Planning with a Prince"},"content":{"rendered":"

A starting point in bringing coverage (ICT) to rural areas in Africa, to where the people who will use the infrastructure are living, is to make sure the key areas, such as Chiefs\u2019 Palaces and surrounding villages have coverage.\u00a0 Then to expand the coverage from those points as the need arises.<\/p>\n

Here in Zambia, although there is a Council of all the 287 Chiefs, there are a number of Chiefdoms that have not been documented, and some that are \u201cmissing\u201d in that their location is unknown.<\/p>\n

This expedition sets out to get a sense of the logistics required to survey the Chiefs\u2019 Palaces in Zambia, and at the same time get a better sense of the expectations and impact \u2013 good and bad \u2013 that technology has when it meets the traditional culture more prominent in rural areas.<\/p>\n

So our planning of the logistics started yesterday.\u00a0 We are aiming to visit three Chiefs next week, and in order to follow protocol and still be as efficient with our resources and time, we\u2019ve had to plan carefully around the order we visit them in.<\/p>\n

Because the areas are not developed, we\u2019ll be camping while we take the\u00a0time between \"Expedition<\/a>visits to follow protocol and ceremonies.\u00a0 So yesterday we started with our sustenance needed, and planned the menus and packed the food.<\/p>\n

Today we met with Georgina, the photo journalist, and our local guide and Connect Africa’s Regional Coordinator, Prince Lloyd. \u00a0Prince Lloyd will be walking us through all the protocols for each Chief, as it\u2019s different for different tribes and Chiefs.<\/p>\n

I learnt from him that there will be a lot of clapping \u201cmoments\u201d as we get there, as that is a sign to confirm we\u2019ve arrived at the Chief\u2019s Palace.\u00a0 Also, that as women, we need to wear skirts when we meet a Chief.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t pack any though.\u00a0 So, Prince Lloyd just gave us girls a great excuse to go shopping to get some chitenges (traditional dress for women).<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve also planned our itinerary for our three visits next week. \u00a0Prince Lloyd\u00a0helped us, with his smile and two cell phones, in liaising with some of the Chiefs’ 2IC’s, or “Gambela’s” to start finalising our plans. \u00a0Now we can set up the required meet and greets, and also get the permission we need to camp and go off-road where needed.\u00a0 Phew, lots to do!<\/p>\n

\"Meeting<\/a>With spending the day planning the logistics, I\u2019m reminded of the interesting conversation we had over last nights braai (BBQ for you non South Africans) of fillet, pumpkin and red peppers with the humorous story-telling friend of Dion and Jane\u2019s.\u00a0\u00a0 She left the UK fourteen years ago to live a more meaningful and exciting life, and found space for that here in Lusaka.\u00a0 Her pearl of wisdom, in amongst the funny stories, is that you can plan to the tiniest detail, but Africa has her way \u2013 and having a spirit of flexibility and adaptability is what you need to embrace her way and get by.<\/p>\n

And with that in mind, we have added to our list of things to pack: Flexibility.<\/p>\n

Written by Telana Simpson<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A starting point in bringing coverage (ICT) to rural areas in Africa, to where the people who will use the infrastructure are living, is to make sure the key areas, such as Chiefs\u2019 Palaces and surrounding villages have coverage.\u00a0 Then … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[3,28],"tags":[39],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.connectafrica.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1532"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.connectafrica.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.connectafrica.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.connectafrica.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.connectafrica.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1532"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.connectafrica.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1532\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1536,"href":"https:\/\/www.connectafrica.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1532\/revisions\/1536"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.connectafrica.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1532"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.connectafrica.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1532"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.connectafrica.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1532"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}