Have you ever wondered what ‘ubuntu’ means? I first came across this word when upgrading our office PCs to the Ubuntu operating system about a decade ago! Little did I know, that the origin of the word, which inspired the name of the free OS, was a philosophical term from Africa.
Ubuntu is a Nguni Bantu term meaning “humanity”. It is often also translated as “humanity towards others”, but is often used in a more philosophical sense to mean “the belief in a universal bond of sharing that connects all humanity” – Wikipedia
Like the term in Bahasa Malaysia, ‘bantu-membantu’ or ‘gotong-royong’ are terms that were derived from the community, meaning to help one another or to work together.
Recently, I stumbled upon another African inspired teaching, made known to the public by two Dutchmen Thomas Roebers and Flortis Leeuwenberg who directed and produced an 11-minute documentary on ‘Foli’.
“Foli” is the word used for rhythm by the Malinke tribe in West Africa. But Foli is not only found in Malinke music, but in all parts of their daily lives. Directed by Thomas Roebers, this short film portrays the people of Baro, a small town in eastern-central Guinea, and gives you a glimpse inside their culture of rhythm. As the Malinke man says, “Tous les choses, c’est du rythme.” (“Everything is rhythm.”) What makes this film even more beautiful is the fact that it was edited so as to reflect Malinke rhythms. – Everyculture.com
And this, is truly the DNA of the vision of GoInternationalGroup.com. It is my goal to steer the company towards making a positive impact in our immediate community and society where we participate as citizens of the world. Ubuntu + Foli both helped form our inspiration. Our vision in 2018 is to simplify our business to deliver Creative Event Technology solutions for our clients, and produce signature festivals that embody all that we love; rhythm and movement.
A company is the sum of its people, a country its citizens, as man was made to mirror God. My resolution for this New Year is to provide a working environment for my team such that we nurture greatness through freedom of creative innovation. Simply put, a corporate culture that stimulates people to Be Amazing. Email your resume to KL@gointernationalgroup.com if you’d like to join us on this journey. Happy New Year!!!
Sincerely,
Jasmine Low
CEO, GoInternationalGroup.com