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WikiNAIL
Wikimedians of North American Indigenous Languages User Group
A User Group to support the development of Wikimedia projects in Indigenous languages of North America
Key resources
Chapters (37)
Thematic organizations (2)
Wikimedia user groups (153)

Wikimedians of North American Indigenous Languages User Group (WikiNAIL) is a user group for the promotion and development of indigenous languages of North America on Wikimedia projects.

Vision

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To see active Wikimedia projects in every indigenous languages of North America and to freely share, preserve and revitalize those languages themselves.

Mission

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Wikimedians of North American Indigenous Languages User Group will support the creation and development of Wikimedia projects and other language-related free initiatives in indigenous languages of North America by creating a network of peer to peer collaboration among the North America indigenous peoples on Wikimedia projects, providing help and technical support from experienced Wikimedians, and developing education material about creating new Wikimedia projects in the indigenous and smaller languages' context.

Why is it important?

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Languages are the pillars of cultures and vehicles of traditions. They are an essential part of people identities and an important heritage to preserve. Each language is a unique way of thinking and structuring the view of the world. Each loss of a language represents the loss of centuries old knowledge, heritage and history forever. Cultures are greatly weakened by the loss of their languages and often vanish with it or soon after.

According to the UNESCO, 43 % of the languages spoken in the world today are vulnerable or in danger of extinction. A language becomes vulnerable when its youth no longer learns it. In North America, indigenous peoples suffered a cultural genocide as they were forced to adopt the Western culture and languages. Now most North American indigenous languages are in danger of extinction.

Strategy

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Wikimedians of North American Indigenous Languages User Group's role is to support and encourage the efforts of specific projects to develop Wikimedia projects in indigenous languages of North America and initiatives to build free content about those languages. It will do so by collecting and sharing best practices, lessons learned and methodology to develop small languages Wikimedia projects and to develop free content about endangered languages, by providing guidance and support from experienced Wikimedians to emerging indigenous communities on Wikimedia projects, by developing and sharing toolkit and other educational material explaining the process and addressing the issues of creating new Wikimedia projects in the indigenous context, by cooperating with like-minded organizations and by establishing a network of peer support among the indigenous communities on Wikimedia projects, building on the model of the very successful Wikipetcia Atikamekw Nehiromowin.

On-going projects and upcoming events

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Atikamekw Project

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See Atikamekw knowledge, culture and language in Wikimedia projects for more details.

On-going activities:

Uploading workshop to Wikimedia Commons as part of the Nistakinan in pictures photo contest in Manawan, Quebec
  • Second edition of the Nitaskinan in pictures photography contest held on the traditional territory of the Atikamekw Nehirowisiwok in order to document the territory and the traditional activities. Pictures can be seen on Wikimedia Commons: [1]. An uploading workshop was held by the Atikamekw Community of Manawan WikiClub at the Otapi Highschool.

Past activities under this project include:

  • Creation and improvement of the Wikipetcia Atikamekw Nehiromowin (including 3 meetings with representatives of the Atikamekw communities, including the Otapi High School, the Manawan Atikamekw Council, the Council of the Atikamekw Nation, the Atikamekw Language Institute, in Manawan, La Tuque and Joliette, Quebec)
  • Nitaskinan in pictures (photography contest of the traditional territory of the Atikamekw people including a training session on how to contribute to Wikimedia Commons in Manawan, Quebec)
  • Lingua Libre (recording Atikamekw language for Wiktionaries) (Montreal, 12 August 2017)
  • Participation at Wikimania 2017 (Montreal, 11-13 August 2017)
  • Creation of the Atikamekw Community of Manawan WikiClub

Outreach to Innu First Nations

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Outreach to the Innu First Nations in Quebec for the creation of a Wikipedia in Innu-aimun and about recording Innu-aimun words for Wiktionaries using Lingua Libre.

Upcoming activities:

  • Meeting and training with the Institut Thsakapesh (a cultural, knowledge and education institution representing 8 Innu First Nations in Quebec) and teachers from Innu First Nations (TBC).

Past activities under this project include:

  • Initial meeting with the Institut Tshakapesh

Indigenous communities on Wikidata Project

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See Wikidata:Indigenous peoples of North America.

Publication of the Indigenous Languages and Knowledge on Wikimedia Projects Toolbox

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Read it at Indigenous Languages and Knowledge on Wikimedia Projects Toolbox. We are looking for translators.

Lingua Libre

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Project to record pronunciation of words in indigenous languages and upload to Wikimedia Commons to be used in Wiktionaries.

Past activities

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Partners

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  • Atikamekw Community of WikiClub metapeckeka
  • Global Voices
  • Institut national de la recherche scientifique
  • Lingua Libre
  • Wikimedia Canada
  • Wikimedia New York City
  • Wikimedia Norge
  • Wikimedians of Latin American Indigenous Languages User Group

Members

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Add your name, location and languages you speak in the collaborators section below if you are interested in participating.

Active members
Collaborators

Contact

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If you have any questions regarding the Wikimedians of North American Indigenous Languages User Group, please contact Amqui at jpbeland(_AT_)wikimedia.ca or use the talk page.

Reports

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Resources

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