The number in my pocket: the power of mobile technology for the exchange of indigenous knowledge
Keywords:
indigenous knowledge, mobile technology, Africa, G3, internetAbstract
The last decade has seen the development of online databases becoming an established norm throughout the world for the preservation of indigenous knowledge. However, in the absence of desktop computers and ubiquitous Internet access, Africa is limping behind in this quest for global information, with the digital divide ever widening and the wealth of indigenous knowledge fast disappearing for the people of this continent. In a bid to address these seemingly insurmountable obstacles, Africa is recognizing the potential of the mobile phone to enable the continent to catch up with the global information society. Since 2000 some 316 million new mobile phone subscriptions have emerged on the African continent. For them the cell phone has become an information hub, the primary interface through which to connect to Africa and to the rest of the world. A recent, promising development has been the introduction of browsers on mobile phones. This, combined with the 3G network all cellular providers have migrated to, means that ordinary Africans are accessing the Internet from their phones in ever-increasing numbers. The success of a number of Internet-based mobile applications means that the average cell phone user now associates his phone with more than just the calls he makes or text messages he sends. He can also play music, show video, find out where he is via GPS and access local and global information. This paper describes a concept for the development of user-generated content compiled in an online indigenous knowledge database, making use of current mobile and web technologies. Informed by empirical practice based on a South African case-study, the different tools are discussed, highlighting the interaction between the library, the community and the technologies. The participating role of local communities leading to enrichment of the database is juxtaposed against the library's anchor role as custodian of the knowledge resource. The preservation of context-related local knowledge creates a digital library of relevance to local communities. Technical functionality enables the social interaction that results from knowledge sharing. Short and long-term benefits that the community stands to gain are discussed and the limitations of the model pointed out.References
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Lor, P.J., 2004. Storehouses of knowledge? The role of libraries in preserving and promoting indigenous knowledge. Indilinga: African Journal of Indigenous Knowledge Systems, 3, 1,
45?56.
Lor, P.J., 2008. Digital libraries and archiving knowledge: some critical questions. South African Journal of Libraries and Information Science, 74, 2, 117?128.
Lwoga, E.T. and Sife, A.S., 2006. From collections management to knowledge management practices: considerations for the Sokoine National Agricultural Library in Tanzania. In: Proceedings of the 17th Standing Conference of Eastern, Central & Southern African Library & Information Associationsi, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, 10?14 July 2006. Dar-es Salaam: SCECSAL, 140?155.
Mbaya, H., 2010. Social capital and the imperatives of the concept and life of Ubuntu in the South African context. Scriptura, 104, 367?376.
Mosimege, M., 2005. Indigenous knowledge systems policy in South Africa: development of digital libraries and implications for benefit sharing and intellectual property. Presentation at the Commons-Sense Conference, Johannesburg, May 2005 [online]. Available from: http://www.commons-sense.org/presentation/mosimege/Mosimege.pdf [Accessed 2 June 2006].
Mutula, S., 2008. Local content development projects in Africa. South African Journal of Libraries and Information Science, 74, 105?115.
Putnam, R.D., 1995. Bowling alone: America?s declining social capital. Journal of Democracy (January), 65?78.
Rahman, M., 2007. MediaWiki administrator?s guide. Birmingham, UK: Packt Publishing.
Ritchie, D.A., 2003. Doing oral history: a practical guide. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Rowley, J., 2003. Knowledge management ? the new librarianship? From custodians of history to gatekeepers to the future [online]. Library Management, 24, 8/9. Available from: http://www.emeraldinsight.com/ft/ [Accessed 7 May 2009].
South Africa Department of Science and Technology, 2005. Indigenous knowledge systems: visions and goals for an indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) policy for South Africa. Pretoria:
Government Printer.
Southwood, R., 2010. Africa telecoms in 2010 [online]. Available from: http://mybroadband.co.za/news/general/17427-African-telecoms-2010.html [Accessed 31 December 2010].
Stanoevska-Slabeva, K., 2002. Toward a community-oriented design of Internet platforms. International Journal of Electronic Commerce, 6, 3, 71?95.
Theron, F., 2005. Trends in micro-level development. In: I. Davids, F. Theron, and K.J. Maphunye, eds. Participatory development in South Africa: a development management perspective.
Pretoria: Van Schaik, 104?110.
Thompson, P., 2000. The voice of the past: oral history. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Tsai, M., 1998. The personal computing paradigm [online]. Available from: http://www.atpm.com/4.12/page7.shtml [Accessed 20 February 2011].
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the Recovery and Development Process in Africa, Arusha, Tanzania, 12?16 February 1990.
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Web Trends, 2011. What is social media? [online]. Available from: http://webtrends.about.com/od/web20/a/social-media.htm [Accessed 20 February 2011].
Wenger, E., 1998. Communities of practice: learning, meaning and identity. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
World Bank, 2001. World Development Report 2000/01: Attacking poverty [online]. Available from: http://www.worldbank.org/poverty/wdrpoverty/ [Accessed 12 February 2011].
WSIS, 2003. The Geneva Declaration of Principles and plan of Action. World Summit for the Information Society Executive Secretariat, Geneva. Available from: http://www.itu.int/wsis/
docs/geneva/official/dop.html [Accessed 18 July 2011].
WSIS, 2005. Tunis Agenda for the Information Society. WSIS-05/TUNIS/DOC/6/rev.1 [online].
Available from: http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/files/20687/11327453881tunis_agenda_En.doc/tunis_agenda_en.doc [Accessed 21 September 2006].
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