Discussions are held all
over the world in different languages and for different purposes. The evolving
nature of the meeting medium, catalyzed by Technology and Social Media, is
quite interesting.
Social media platforms
have introduced new kinds of discussion forums. Twitter is one such platform
which allows discussions to be held in real time. All one
needs is a good internet connection, ability to remember one’s summary
gimmicks and an idea under 160 characters.
I am
particularly amused by a discussion that is being held every Sunday on Twitter
with the hashtag #Insaka. I had participated in the discussion a couple of
times when my time and schedule allowed. I also go the extra mile to read the
Storify versions of the discussion when I don’t participate.While the Insaka chat
is not exactly industry related, I believe it is a worldwide practice that we
can all adopt.
I took time to interview
Bwalya Chileya, the woman behind Insaka Chat. Ms. Chileya is a Zambian writer and
blogger currently based in the United States of America. She is a project
manager with a background in Economics and was raised in Lilongwe, Malawi and
Lusaka, Zambia. This is what she had to say to my questions:
Hello
Bwalya, how are you doing today?
I’m fine, thanks. How are you?
I am very well, thank you.
Tell me a bit about the pre-planning stage, how did the idea come up, how long
had you thought about it, what were your motivations and who did you work with?
The idea of #Insaka came as a result of various discussions I
had with a handful of other Zambianson Twitter (@writerevolt, @afrosocialite
and @banachibwe) in which we bemoaned the exclusivity of political discussions we
engage in on an almost daily basis almost to the exclusion of other topics. As
the idea came together we loosely dubbed it Sunday Topics with the idea of
doing this once a week on Sundays, and focusing on non-politics. But at point
it was just still just a concept we were throwing around until I decided “just
do it.”
I threw out a topic, and got feedback. And that’s how the
platform was born. I chose the word “Insaka” as a hashtag because it’s an easy
word to remember and really captures the concept well – coming
together/gathering in a place.
We held our first Insaka on May 12 and the topic was “Preserving
our Cultural Heritage.
@LauraMiti, a veteran Zambian journalist, also assists with
moderating as needed.
I am aware that you
decided to exclude political discussions from the chat, is there any particular
reason why?
Yes, since we discuss politics most days it’s nice to take break
and focus on other important issues such as domestic violence, the treatment of
domestic workers, and such. Politics infiltrate just about every platform –
radio, online publications, newspaper, television, and social media – we need a
break, even if it’s once a week.
What
type of audience did you hope to engage?
Insaka is for anyone who has an interest in the topic at hand.
Though targeted at Zambians, it is not exclusive to us, and we welcome participation
for non-Zambians so as not to talk in an echo chamber.
How did you promote the
first Insaka event to this audience and have your promotion modes changed over
the past few weeks?
The first Insaka involved a few targeted tweets to a handful of
people with whom I regularly engage on Twitter. It’s grown through word of
mouth since then. I still use targeted tweets to regular contributors to
announce topics. They in turn share the word with their followers on Twitter.
Our discussions are also curated using Storify which gives
people an opportunity to learn more about what Insaka is, and an effective
means of promotion.
Have you been successful
in engaging the type of audience you hoped for?
Yes. From week to week I’m humbled by the level of engagement
from people. I continue to learn and be challenged. People are also asking
“what can we do offline?” which is excellent because good ideas should not just
live and die online.
Why the name “Insaka” Chat?
The word Insaka comes from the Bemba language (spoken in
Northern Zambia) and means “a place to gather.” It’s derived from the verb isa
“come.”This is what the platform represents – coming together, sharing ideas
and learning from others.
Tell me a bit about two of
your most interesting sessions in terms of engagement and on your own personal
level.
Our series on “Changes in Traditional Marriage Processes” and
“Brand Zambia” have been the most illuminating for me personally.
On the first, people expressed very strong opinions on marriage
ceremonies such as lobola [bride price], icilangamulilo [when the groom is
formally welcomed to the bride’s family by introduction to foods typically
prepared in the bride’s family], kitchen parties [a take on the western-style bridal
shower] and weddings. Much has evolved over time in these various practices and
it was interesting to see what people thought about the changes and the value
they still have today.
On “Brand Zambia” we discussed how to brand and market Zambian
products, customer service, and bribery. During all this, people seem to take
ownership of the deficiencies that exist and also saw themselves as part of the
solutions. So, it wasn’t just about venting behind a keyboard but rather about
being part of the change we want.
What are some of the
challenges that you have faced since Insaka Chat became a weekly event?
Some of the challenges include selecting a topic for discussion
and time spent preparing and moderating on the day. People are encouraged to
suggest topics because this isn’t a platform about me and my friends but about
a larger community, and trying to gauge the timing for certain topics can be
tricky because certain current events may assert themselves.
What are some of the
“high” moments that you have encountered?
The high moments are when people share what they’ve learned on
the platform and share what they did offline as a result.
What would your advice be
to people or organizations who wished to start their own twitter weekly
discussions?
Have a pulse on what issues are interesting to the people with whom
you are seeking to engage. Insaka topics are primarily sourced from our
contributors which means they have ownership in the discussion and it’s not
just one or two people controlling the discussions.
Are there any other weekly
discussions that you attend that you would recommend to twitter users?
I follow #263 chat which was founded by @SirNige of Zimbabwe.
It’s held on Tuesdays at 9 a.m. CAT. I enjoy it because it’s always interesting
to see what others think of some of the same issues we may face as Zambians
such as constitutional reforms, national identity, etc.
What is your favorite
quote (Could be your own quote)?
“Power can be taken, but not given. The process of the taking is
empowerment in itself.” – Gloria Steinem
How
can our readers connect with you?
Readers can find on Twitter, my primary twitter account is
@MissBwalya. I also blog at www.missbwalyawrites.com.
Thank you for your time.
Stella
Mutale Sata
Coordinator-
Zambia,
Young
Journalists and Writers
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