Phase One Nearing Completion: Unveiling Swahili Coast Histories Through Community Co-Design

We are approaching the final stages of the first phase of this transformative project, and we are thrilled to share key updates.

In our collaborative mission to bring untold stories of resistance against slavery on the Swahili Coast to life, we have forged impactful partnerships with SOAS, UNESCO, and Pwani University. Together, we have made remarkable progress in creating an interactive historical game designed to illuminate these powerful narratives.

Our goal is to deliver an engaging experience that not only benefits local communities but also serves as a vital resource for educational institutions and deepens our collective understanding of Swahili Coast history.

Walk with us as we continue this incredible journey to preserve and share these stories with the world!

Progress Highlights

Partnerships

We are proud to have established impactful partnerships with Pwani University in Kilifi, the University of London SOAS, UNESCO, and KNATCOM. These collaborations are vital to the success of our mission, and we remain open to exploring new partnerships with organizations eager to contribute to the implementation and growth of this transformative project.

Community-Led Data Collection and Story Documentation

Since September, our team has been working closely with local community representatives across four villages to uncover and document stories of resistance. This phase involved:

• Workshops and Village Visits: Through scheduled visits, we facilitated storytelling workshops and captured narratives from community members in each of the four villages.
• Story Selection and Preparation: With the collected data in hand, we prioritized compelling stories and began preparing them for further documentation, including transcriptions and translations.

Visual and Cultural Documentation

As part of our commitment to authenticity, we’ve also started identifying locations and cultural artifacts for 360-degree scans. These visuals will enrich the immersive experience of the game, ensuring the preservation of cultural details.

November Updates: Revisits and Detailed Documentation

Building on the stories collected in September and October, our team has revisited the villages to conduct in-depth documentation of selected narratives. Through this process, we’ve:

• Captured audio and visual elements of the stories, ensuring the depth and richness of the narratives to be preserved.
• Begun technical preparations for integrating these elements into the game environment, setting the stage for an immersive and educational user experience.

What’s Next?

As Phase One concludes, we shift our focus toward the following milestones:

1. Finalizing story transcriptions, translations, and digital preparations.
2. Sharing updates via social media and archiving these narratives for online accessibility.
3. Kickstarting Phase Two: Game script development and co-creation through a community-led Game Jam in early 2025.
4. Progressing into Phase Three: Full-scale game development.

Community-Driven Co-Creation: A Shared Vision

This phase underscores the heart of our mission: empowering communities to actively contribute to the preservation of their history. The stories and insights shared by locals from the foundation of this initiative, fostering cultural pride and intergenerational knowledge sharing.

We are immensely grateful to our partners, including SOAS, Pwani University, UNESCO, KNATCOM for their unwavering support. Together, we continue to honor the resilience of those who resisted slavery while using the power of storytelling and gaming to inspire future generations.

Stay tuned for more updates as we move into the next phases of this exciting journey.

If you would like to partner with us to participate in the program please reach out to us at rock@jiwe.io