DIMAPUR: Marking the completion of 23 years of publication, Tir Yimyim, an Ao vernacular daily, has launched an initiative to revive and develop an Ao-language Wikipedia and has appealed to community members to volunteer for the project. The newspaper’s editorial team expressed gratitude to its readers and emphasized the need to make the Ao language more accessible and relevant to younger generations in the digital age.
The initiative originated from an idea proposed by Tsüngrojungla Walling of Sungratsü village, an MPhil researcher in Earth Sciences at the University of Cambridge. Research revealed that an attempt to create an Ao Wikipedia had begun in 2007 but remained inactive for nearly two decades.
With the support of Tir Yimyim, a dedicated team was formed to revive the project. Besides Tsüngrojungla, the team includes Imcharenla Longchar, Noktichung B Ozüküm, Repatemsü Jamir and Watisen Aier.
The team aims to establish the Ao Wikipedia with two primary objectives: preserving the Ao language in the digital era and ensuring free access to knowledge for all.
Wikipedia, the world’s largest online encyclopedia, operates as a non-profit platform based on the principle that knowledge should be freely available. Articles are created and maintained by volunteers and are expected to be factual, neutral, and free from political bias.
The team has invited anyone capable of writing articles to contribute. Volunteers need only create a Wikipedia account and learn the simple process of uploading content. Wikipedia’s community-based system allows anyone to edit articles while maintaining accuracy through peer review, revision tracking, and monitoring by editors.
Any false or harmful edits can be quickly detected and reversed, ensuring the reliability of information.
The project’s advocates believe the Ao language faces growing challenges as many young people increasingly communicate in English due to digital media influence. As a result, the natural transmission of the language within families is weakening.
They warn that if this trend continues, the number of fluent Ao speakers could decline significantly in the coming decades. Establishing an Ao Wikipedia is seen as a vital step in ensuring the language remains relevant, modern, and capable of discussing subjects ranging from history and culture to science and technology.
The initiative also seeks to preserve traditional knowledge, oral history, and cultural perspectives from within the Ao community itself. By documenting these in their own language, community members can ensure their heritage is recorded from their own viewpoint rather than by outsiders. The project is also expected to encourage the creation of new vocabulary for modern concepts while preserving words that risk disappearing with older generations.
Initially, the Ao Wikipedia will remain on Wikipedia’s Incubator platform until it meets the requirements for becoming a full-fledged Wikipedia site.
The team believes the project can foster meaningful collaboration between elders and youth, creating a vibrant digital ecosystem that promotes both language preservation and knowledge sharing.
Interested volunteers and writers have been invited to contribute through the Ao Wikipedia Incubator site and may contact the team at aowikipedia@gmail.com for further information.
Friday, October 9, 2026