I Genius – Session Two (pm)

Ben Keene gave one of the best presentations I have ever seen on the ideas behind Tribe Wanted. I had read about TribeWanted a little while back, and had actually heard Ben telling some of the story on local radio in London a number of weeks ago. It was good to meet him in the flesh and hear his story. Ben started of telling us how he met his colleague Mark Bowness and wanted to see if they could join a travel community with a social network. The idea was spawned as to whether it was possible for taking this community to an island.

They discovered the island by typing in google: islands for sale! (Apparently there a quite a few out there). After some searching they were introduced by an agent to an individual called Tua Mali a chief from Northern Fiji was looking to rent out his Island. A sage had told him the following phrase “ko vuravura qai yaco mai Vorovoro” which translated into my chief you need to prepare that the world is coming to you. Telling us the story as to how he negotiated over five days when drinking kava with the chief including a hilarious story about a man who smokes newspapers. Actually he smokes one newspaper. The Financial Times.

Ben spoke about the various challenges that faced the project including fire, a political coup, defamation from a 19 year old blogger who poured scourn on the project, disunity in the camp and a close shave with a grade 4 (that’s one down from Katrina) hurricane. He concluded by looking at the social challenges facing such a project. The sharing of knowledge by locals, dealing with the issues of having to fly there and other eco issues .

Oh and did I tell you I got a signed copy of his book! Here’s looking to our weekend in Rotterdam with the Kaos Pilots buddy!

Filed under: Uncategorized , ben keene, conference, fiji, i-genius, kaos pilots, social enterprise, travel, tribewanted