Spent time with the Mwenza Women’s & Men’s Clubs in Sinazongwe. These communities continue to preserve, adapt, and reinterpret knowledge through craft and storytelling. A calabash in our exhibit was recognized — and traced back to lived experience. Powerful moment.

From oral history to symbolism woven into every basket — Gwembe’s clubs shared how craft remains both a creative and economic pillar. We learned about seasonal rhythms, cooperative governance, and the deep significance of patterns. Thank you for your generosity.

A huge thank you to the team at Choma Museum — a key partner throughout this journey. With over 25 years of work alongside craft communities, they helped guide us with care and context. Honored to build on this relationship.

This visit confirmed what we’ve always known: stories live in people, not just places. As SummitShare opens to the public, we move from being just implementers to stewards. The next chapter belongs to those who carry the stories forward.

SummitShare isn't just a platform — it's a living project, evolving with every lesson. our latest blog reflects on what we've built, what we've learned, and where we're headed next. read the retrospective + next steps here → summitshare.co/blog/HyuTqpvygl

We’ve been building, listening, and learning quietly. Now, we want to share more intentionally. 📰 Shared Summit is our new monthly dispatch — stories, updates, and small windows into the journey. Subscribe here and look out for the first issue: shared.summitshare.co

(Tu)Sona—an ancient language invented by Zambian women, was nearly erased by colonialism. Its rediscovery reminds us why preservation and public access to our cultural treasures isn’t optional. It’s urgent. (bbc.com/news/articles/…)

SummitShare V2 is coming. As we wrap our second phase in Gwembe, we’re sharing what we’ve learned. Each week, we’ll post a highlight from Leading Ladies of Zambia, a field report on memory, mechanisms in culture, and restoring value to communities. WomensMuseumZambia

What if culture could give back? In our pilot, 80% of ticket revenue was sent directly to Gwembe communities. This wasn’t aid—it was shared ownership. It proved that digital heritage can be built on equity, not extraction. Culture should uplift, not just display.

2. In the Gwembe Valley, people identified artifacts through oral storytelling and memory. These lived narratives are not secondary—they are provenance. (doi.org/10.6084/m9.fig…)

3. SummitShare used Ethereum smart contracts to handle ticket sales and revenue splits—no intermediaries. Every transaction is public, automatic, and accountable. (doi.org/10.6084/m9.fig…)

4. Choma Museum was more than a partner—it was the bridge. Relationships, not just tech, made SummitShare work on the ground. (doi.org/10.6084/m9.fig…)

5. Communities already had governance: chairpersons, treasurers, rules. SummitShare didn’t impose—it listened and integrated. (doi.org/10.6084/m9.fig…)

6. A $5 ticket pilot generated $354 for communities. Small scale—but proof that people will pay for ethical, community-driven heritage. read the full report here: (doi.org/10.6084/m9.fig…)

7. A woman saw cowry beads. A man spotted a calabash his grandmother carved. Recognition itself is restoration. read the full report here: (doi.org/10.6084/m9.fig…)

8. After Kariba Dam displaced fishers, basketry became survival. Craft isn’t just culture—it’s adaptation, it’s resilience. read the full report here: (doi.org/10.6084/m9.fig…)

9. Palm leaves for weaving? Sometimes a 20km round trip. Every basket carries the weight of physical labor and limited access. read the full report here: (doi.org/10.6084/m9.fig…)

10. Kids start weaving at 11—between school, farming, and chores. Some carry it on; others stop when it stops feeding them. read the full report here: (doi.org/10.6084/m9.fig…)

11. In 1981, Sister Andrea formalized weaving training. It turned basketry from survival to skill—and a generational asset. read the full report here: (doi.org/10.6084/m9.fig…

12. Orange wave patterns in baskets = floodwaters. They tell stories of Nyami Nyami, displacement, and memory. read the full report here: (doi.org/10.6084/m9.fig…)