Chapter 1 Introduction

This is an attempt to collaboratively curate the knowledge and practices of the Gĩkũyũ people. By applying relevant technologies like version control, translation, and knowledge management tools, this project seeks to create a home for a truly free and open way of documenting our knowledge systems. This is in form of its practices which carry with them ideas, technics, beliefs, and institutions.

There are numerous digital efforts out there to document Gĩkũyũ knowledge systems. That is a good thing, because the more people are doing it, the more chances we create to document widely and deeply. However, there exists concerning trends and more is not necessarily translating into better. One, significant conflicts of interest exist, with individuals pirating, plagiarizing, and stealing from the commons to make quick immoral money from existing curation projects. Two, as much as kĩrĩra nĩ ng’ongo, there is also a concerning trend around misinformation in digitization of Gĩkũyũ knowledge systems. No peer review efforts are in place or at the very least, a verification model during this critical spring of interest in Gĩkũyũ ways of life. Taken together, commercial interests and misinformation combine to create a vulnerability in our collective social learning, and may easily poison the new found interest in Gĩkũyũ knowledge systems.

This project hopes to address these two concerns. One, by creating an open source project licensed under permissible licences so that anyone can propose topics, edit existing entries, and request compete deletions based on demonstrable authority. This, we hope, will minimize parasitic commercial interests, since the content is available in non-commercial and openly accessible ways. Two, being in the open and open to edits implies a commitment to accuracy. Citations, especially, will hopefully help improve the quality of Gĩkũyũ knowledge we curate on this repo.

This is not a quick project. We will be intentionally slow, if only to be grounded in quality curation. As more people join in adding and editing, the pace might get even slower as the review system will take longer. But that is fine. We are willing to go slow as a badge of honor. This project also hopes to document in both Gĩkũyũ language and English, out of pragmatic considerations. Translation into other languages will be supported.

1.1 How can you help?

There are many ways you can help, even without any specialized techniques (like advanced git commands).

  • Read and give feedback.

    • Add onto strong content.
    • Fix copy (facts, typos, and cultural sensitivity).

  • Fork repo and add new content. PRs are always welcome.

  • Spread word of this project.

  • We are on the fediverse. Come and hang out at baraza.africa.