Ideas that Impact
  • Ideas that Impact
  • SE101: Socent

Ubuntu meets Wabi-Sabi

30/4/2013

0 Comments

 

While I was traveling in Southern Africa in February,  I experienced ubuntu ... a beautiful ethic/humanist concept of people coming together to help each other out... Read more about ubuntu philosophy (Wikipedia). 

Picture
I learned about ubuntu when our van broke down in Botswana... we spent 4 1/2 hours by the side of the road waiting for help-- the help that came was abundant! From the South, the manager from Elephant Sands Lodge heard about our situation and built a tow then came with a truck to tow our broken van...  At the same time from the North, the lodge in Chobe, where we would spend the night, sent a van for the passengers to ride in.  Another lodge sent a van and guide to assist us in crossing the border, while our guide stayed behind to look after the vehicle.  A few days later when we had a long drive back to Johannesburg, a couple of guides delayed their return home for a week's vacation to take us, because they thought it would be nicer and safer for us to ride in their van.  They explained ubuntu as the reason that they helped out our guide who had encountered a "matata" (a problem).   Matata are fairly common, and mostly people approach them with a smile and say with determined ease, "we'll make a plan."  


Picture
Recently, I experienced ubuntu personally while preparing for my first TEDx talk for TEDxBarcelonaChange: Positive Disruption in Global Health, part of TEDxChange sponsored by the Gates Foundation.  

I received incredible insight, wisdom, and tips from from my community.  Under the attentive eye of the magnificent event organizer and social innovation catalyst Aurelie Salvarie among other dedicated readers, 20 drafts of the script and many practice sessions later, I had a masters-level crash course in storytelling and public speaking.  

People shared their talent and time to assist in crafting an effective message.   From TED worth presentation guru Brooke Estin on visuals to Florian Mueck of the 7 Minute Talk as speaker coach, I was immersed in awesomeness with one single aim: to make a message that would touch and inspire people.  Less than 36 hours before, I had a raging fever and no voice.  Ironically, it was April Fools Day (April 1) and I thought if I call Aurelie to tell her, she will think it is a mean joke. It  was the participation of so many people in getting to that moment that buoyed my recovery.  When it was game time, I gave it my all. 

Wabi-sabi is a Japanese concept about perfection in imperfection.  This TEDx is raw rather than polished. I barely had my voice back and was desperately trying not to cough.  Wabi-sabi also underpins the idea.  Sometimes we have to step out, before we are fully prepared with all of the rehearsals that we need.  We have to experiment and improvise.  We go forward before perhaps things are perfect. Perhaps we don't feel ''ready.'  Yet we step out into life anyway, imperfect, unpolished. We are open to learning.  We are vulnerable and honest. it's that authenticity that makes the beauty that is wabi-sabi.  

May we meet each other in the beauty of authentic vulnerability and generous ubuntu.  Thanks to all who contributed to the experience of ubuntu both in Botswana and in Barcelona - what a blessing!

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    part of Kate's Mural

    idea incubator & 
    prototype lab 
     . . . architecting hope . . .  


    Featured
    Guest Posts
    101
    21st Century Career
    Changemakers
    Creative
    Design
    Ethics
    Learning
    Leadership
    Life Lessons
    Social Impact

    Sectors
    Aging
    Education
    Health
    Macroscope
    Social Enterprise

    Themes
    Wildflower (thoughts)
    Idea (seeds)
    Prototype (experiments)

    Failures
    Fun
    Future/Innovation

    About this blog
    About Kate
    View my profile on LinkedIn
    Picture
    All writing licensed by
    Kate Michi Ettinger and guest contributors under a
    Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    April 2016
    March 2015
    January 2015
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    October 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    February 2013
    November 2012
    August 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    March 2011
    September 2010
    August 2010
    June 2010
    November 2009
    October 2009
    July 2008
    May 2008
    April 2008
    March 2008
    February 2008
    October 2007
    July 2007
    June 2007