WinterABC2025
If you were having coffee with me, I would welcome you to my tangle words. While its technically autumn until the winter solstice on the 21st of June, the dropping temperatures indicate its winter. Forecast predicts that this winter will be colder than the previous ones, even though our winter temperatures might match summer temperatures of some places.
Our late former president, while very articulate was notorious for not mincing his words and would tell other statesmen to go to hell particularly Britain’s Prime Ministers. He once told Tony Blair to keep his England and he would keep his Zimbabwe and added that he didn’t care much for the cold country.
I was thinking of this as I watched a train wreck of a state visit when the South African President was “ambushed” at the White House over the genocide of White South African farmers. A story which plays out very differently when seen from Africa and South Africa’s side.
I felt embarrassed on behalf of the South African president, imagine being summoned by another president and being treated like a class prefect who has not been keeping the students in order. Although he tried to address the issue diplomatically, it felt like he was throwing some of his people under the bus than stand up for his country. I am sure that had it been Robert Mugabe that meeting would have played up very differently.
If you were having coffee with me I would tell you that as the days get shorter and the nights get colder this side of the hemisphere its time once to gather around a digital fireplace for a digital storytelling winter festival we call the WinterABC — an African Blogging Challenge hosted by Afrobloggers.
One of the reasons behind starting this digital storytelling festival was because if one were to search the internet for a blogging challenge or blogging prompts they would find some generic prompts which are tailored more for the Global North. The other reason was to dispel the notion that blogging is a frivolous activity, glorifed diaries and gossip tabloids, which is how the majority of people view blogging, but when you call it digital storytelling, people pay attention; words have power.
The other reason behind this digital storytelling festival was to show the versatility of bloggers and blogging and the different narratives and perspectives from our lived experiences shaping stories, so many differences yet so much similarities in our stories. What you think is a unique experience might be more common than you realise. So do check out the various bloggers participating in this edition of WinterABC to get a slice of Africa from different bloggers in different countries.
If you were having coffee with me, I would ask what the deal with politicians and ribbon cutting is, can one not complete a project and just soft launch it without turning it into a theatrical performance, or its all part of the politricks. Anyhoo our president officially opened the 88 million dollar Trabablas Interchange which was initially projected to be complete by the 31st July 2024 and is finally done a year later.
From the right angle it looks impressive but a closer look makes you wonder how managed to gobble up 88 milllion dollars…
If you were having coffee with I would tell you that sometimes the power of storytelling is in keeping us accountable and our narratives accurate and truthful.
Whats been happening in your neck of the woods?
~B
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