[Oe List ...] [Dialogue] Facilitation challenge

[marilyncrocker]

Hi Jim,

I know that stories and symbols were key when we worked with the
aboriginal people in Australia, and also when I worked with the Pueblo
peoples in New Mexico and Southern Colorado.  Our early Aboriginal
colleague, George Winnigudj taught the RSI papers in his pedagogy guild
at the Singapore ITI in 1969 via those two modes, plus music (digeridoo)
and song, having thoroughly grounded himself in the theology and content
of the written paper simply by listening to his "literate" colleagues who
preceded him in the practice teaching process.

I'm ccing our family's dear friend, Dr. Belinda Forbes (whom your
daughter Jenny has met on occasion in Nica) whose husband, Dr. Gerardo
Gutierrez, led several major baseline research efforts around water and
other health related issues with the Atlantic Coast residents of
Nicaragua. If I recall correctly, Gerardo trained many indigenous people
who were grounded in the oral tradition to gather significant data for
the project.  His insights might be very helpful to your friend.  He
could respond directly to Belinda with inquiries.

Clearly your friend's sensitivity that the qualities/behaviors of honor
and respect for the wisdom of non-English speakers is critical.  It may
be that "whispered" interpretation is itself a form of separation --
quite different from simultaneous translation via earphones used by the
UN and many large NGOs, as it singles out one group.  It might be that
Amharic is a more user friendly language to many more than just the
farmers, and so translation could be done publicly.  Just a thought.

Marilyn


Marilyn R. Crocker, Ed.D
Crocker & Associates, Inc.
123 Sanborn Road
West Newfield, ME 04095
(207) 793-3711
  


On Mon, 15 Feb 2010 11:46:05 -0800 (PST) James Wiegel
<jfwiegel at yahoo.com> writes:
 I have an event coming up next week with some unique challenges and I
would be 
> grateful for your thoughts and experience.
I got this request from another list, looking for wisdom on how to engage
participants who don't read or write.  Wondering if some on the list
might have experience to share


Jim Wiegel
> 
> The event will be held in Addis Ababa for Oxfam and it concerns
designing 
> baseline research for an 11-year program to develop water rights in 
> moisture-stressed regions. It is based on an innovative approach to
measuring 
> impact using so-called Theories of Change.
> 
> 
> The facilitator challenge (apart from the difficulty in getting my head
around 
> all this) is that among the participants there will be several
illiterate 
> farmers. Looking at most of the design ideas I am working on, there is
always 
> the assumption that our participants can read and write. Furthermore,
they 
> (and a few of the other participants) don't speak English and
simultaneous 
> whispered interpretation will be provided.
> 
> 
> Have you had events with illiterate participants? How did you manage? I
think 
> the challenge is both inclusion and ensuring that we are not
patronizing.
> 
> 
> Any thoughts or ideas would be most welcome.
> 
> 
> Thanks in advance,
> 
> Dan
> 
 
Jim


"If you really want to succeed, then you have to have the big heart,
heroic will, tenacity, courage, and commitment to fearlessly engage with
the evolutionary process until something profound, mysterious, and
extraordinary happens that cannot be undone." Andrew Cohen



Jim Wiegel
401 North Beverly Way, Tolleson, Arizona 85353-2401
+1 623-936-8671 +1 623-363-3277
jfwiegel at yahoo.com www.partnersinparticipation.com
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