Austria Zimbabwe Friendship Association / Argezim is proud to present and invite you to celebrating

BINGA ! ! TONGA.ONLINE !

On Wednesday, 5th December 2001, 6 p.m.at the DEPOT "Kunst und Diskussion / art and discussion" series

Breite Gasse 3, 1070 Vienna / Austria

TONGA.ONLINE is part of an ongoing cultural exchange programme between Austria and Zimbabwe. From April to November this year, the Tonga.Online project room was established within (and challenging the concept of)  the exhibition "Tracing the Rainbow" at Schlossmuseum in Linz / Austria. 

Since March 2001, the website www.mulonga.net is providing a platform for information and communication.

In the afternoon of 5th December, the project will receive the "Special Award for Communication with Museums" from the Austrian Federal Minister for Education, Science and Culture in Vienna. The project was selected by a jury "as a remarkable and exemplary combination of internet technology and communication with a new target group, using direct communication within an exhibition".

What is even more important is the fact that the project managed to facilitate at first temporary and later on permanent access to the Internet for the Tonga community in the remote Binga area of Zimbabwe.

The domain name "MULONGA", created by Dominic Muntanga, refers to the Tonga history as the "People of the Great River" and their forced removal some 45 years ago from their ancestral homes to make room for the modern Kariba dam. It is a saga of "massive but unshared technology, of plentiful water but perpetual drought. This word MULONGA is deeply significant in our lives".
Relating to this concept, the project has initiated a flow of communication and concentrated its energy to overcome obstacles and difficult circumstances both in Austria and in Zimbabwe. Its attempt to bridge existing gaps has finally been successful – while at the same time it makes general divides and imbalances between North and South more visible. Contrary to present tendencies of xenophobia and exclusion, the project is calling for respect and tolerance, for inter-cultural dialogue and solidarity.

There is every reason to celebrate these achievements! You are kindly invited to join in! See you at the DEPOT or online at www.mulonga.net

Thanks for your support! Twalumba!
Peter Kuthan
Chairman AZFA

Die Linzer ARGE Zimbabwe hat im Rahmen der Ausstellung "Spuren des Regenbogens - Leben im Südlichen Afrika" (4. April bis 18. November im Linzer Schlossmuseum) das Medien- und Kommunikationsprojekt Tonga.Online realisiert. Jenseits des ethnografischen Blicks in die Vitrine wurde ein Zugang zum Volk der Tonga in Zimbabwe über Internet geschaffen und ein Computerzentrum im entlegenen Binga eingerichtet. Die Website www.mulonga.net spiegelt nicht nur die Begeisterung vor Ort wieder, sondern auch den größtenteils fehlenden Zugang Afrikas zum Internet. Durch das Projekt sind interkulturelle Kontakte - zum Beispiel zwischen Schulen in Linz und in Binga - entstanden, die über den Rahmen der Ausstellung hinaus Bestand haben. Die ARGE Zimbabwe, die seit vielen Jahren Kulturaustauschprogramme durchführt, erhält für das Projekt am selben Tag den "Spezialpreis für Kommunikation mit Museen". Das Standbild ist also Grund zum feiern.

Die verschiedenen Zugänge zum Projekt präsentieren: Sabine Bitter & Helmut Weber / webdesign; Barbara Denscher / Jury Spezialpreis; Bert Estl / Silverserver; Peter Kuthan / ARGEZIM; Ingo Lantschner / VUM; Martina Lindorfer & Petra Seyer / HAK Linz Auhof; Thomas Schneider / Projektraum + screenings