[Wikimedia-l] Wikimedia Indigenous Languages

[Ivan Martínez]

In Mexico we have clear this point. Instead, I want to add this point as
one of the first and elemental approach to the indigenous communities
initiative. We are sharing and working tools for their development,
coordinated with indigenous digital natives who have access to tech
resources in some places of the country. In some talks, we act as
facilitators with enthusiasts and communities and we always note to them
that start any project requires a commitment and management of their own.

In fact, the mexican indigenous communities have two concepts very similar
to our Commons philosophy: the "tequio", or communal work, and the idea of
sharing of free knowledge, which does not belong to anyone and is made
together, so it should not take a loan to someone specific. One example
that gave us a nahuatl community is that they refusing to participate in
more academic projects because they are clear that the sharing and
knowledge to researchers and institutions doesn't have any benefit back to
their community and they refuse a paternalistic attitude.

This first point of respect and collaboration as "one more" is the
essential key for communities give trust to work with our project and with
any other. By now, some enthusiastic (many of whom already work digital
projects in their own communities) are very clear on Western bias.

2012/8/30 M. Williamson <node.ue en gmail.com>

> I think it is important to add that all initiatives should be, as much as
> possible, driven by indigenous people themselves and their priorities,
> rather than consist of non-speakers, non-community members doing things
> "for them" or "on their behalf".
>
> If we want to talk about "stakeholders", let's please remember that the
> _native_ speakers (not people learning the language as a hobby) are the
> main stakeholders, they should be making the decisions as much as possible
> and they should be creating the major part of the content; the rest of us
> should be in "support positions".
>
> Anything else, especially as part of a large international organization
> rooted in a western society (Wikipedia was born in the US in a circle of
> non-indigenous people, and most of the major people in our movement are not
> indigenous), would be likely to receive only lukewarm support from
> indigenous communities.
>
> Lots of similar initiatives from lots of organizations and governments have
> languished with little support from native speakers due to the same
> paternalistic attitudes that are created time and time again. One example I
> would like to share of this happening within our own movement is that of
> certain people who create hundreds of pages in a language they barely speak
> at incubator, on behalf of some idealized group of "native speakers",  and
> then when the native speakers actually arrive, shouting them down or
> telling them why their views are not valid (the indigenous person in their
> mind was more "noble" and "exotic" and "special" than the real one,
> perhaps?). This has actually happened a lot in Wikipedias created before
> the incubation process existed (Nahuatl Wikipedia saw it happen multiple
> times, Uyghur Wikipedia saw it happen at one point, countless others where
> "hobbyists" shot down real native speakers).
>
> Just some thoughts.
>
> 2012/8/29 JP Béland <lebo.beland en gmail.com>
>
> > Good day,
> >
> > I'm pleased to announce you the creation of Wikimedia Indigenous
> Languages
> > (WIL). WIL is the coordinating body for the promotion and development of
> > indigenous on Wikimedia projects.
> >
> > http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Indigenous_Languages (or just
> > search WIL on Meta)
> >
> > Wikimedia Indigenous Languages' vision is to see the sum of the knowledge
> > available to everybody in their own languages and to share the knowledge
> of
> > those languages themselves. It will achieve that by:
> >
> > - Reaching indigenous languages speakers for the development of Wikimedia
> > projects in their language
> > - Establishing working cooperation with outside organizations involved in
> > the promotion of indigenous languages
> > - Creating and expanding Wikimedia projects in all indigenous languages
> >
> > Wikimedia Indigenous Languages' role is to support and encourage the
> > efforts of specific projects to develop Wikimedia projects in small and
> > endangered languages. It will serve as an international body to collect
> and
> > share best practices, lessons learned and methodology to develop small
> > languages Wikimedia projects and preserve endangered languages. It will
> > also offer support to people interested in developing initiatives and new
> > projects. It will also become the point of contact to set up cooperation
> > with other organizations working towards the same goals and will also
> > actively seek such cooperation opportunities.
> >
> > Anybody or any group who is interested in this project or any projects
> with
> > indigenous languages are welcome to join Wikimedia Indigenous Languages.
> > For questions or further discussion, come on the talk page, and a
> dedicated
> > mailing list to discuss languages-related issue and initiatives will soon
> > be crated.
> >
> >
> > Thanks,
> > JP Béland
> > (alias Amqui)
> > _______________________________________________
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> >
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-- 
*Atentamente:

Iván Martínez
Coordinador General
Wikimedia México
mx.wikimedia.org

Imagina un mundo en donde cada persona del planeta pueda tener acceso libre
a la suma total del conocimiento humano.
Eso es lo que estamos haciendo <http://es.wikipedia.org>. *