I was intrigued by the themes raised in the video with Ben Okra about storytelling being the oldest technology in the world. I initially balked at that idea, then found myself becoming more convinced as he tied together scientific discoveries and narrative. Indeed, as science strives to ask “why” and “how,” those questions get answered through story. It was a complete reframing for me that brings together two things that had previously seemed disparate. 

It did not surprise me to learn from the Henry Louis Gates Jr. video that even though Turkey is credited with being the first place to discover and use iron, evidence shows several places in Africa also seized on this technology at the very same time. The lasting impact of iron in Africa specifically and around the world are profound, ranging from weapons and hunting tools to agricultural production and currency.

There are several opportunities in our curriculum to talk about technological advances in Africa. We discuss the Lake Turkana Wind Farm in specific, and the push for renewable energy sources throughout Kenya more generally, as a model for using technological innovation to improve sustainability in Kenya. The book “Lion Lights,” which we read when we take our matatu “stop” at the Maasai Mara, showcases the impact one technology has on the Maasai’s livelihood and way of life. I’d like to build more curriculum around clean water and technology in Africa as part of our water unit in science (we touch on this briefly but don’t really delve into the ways new technologies are helping to solve the issue of access to clean water).