Kohima: Tir Yimyim is hunting for volunteers to build an Ao Wikipedia. The newspaper launched the call as it marks 23 years of publication. The effort aims to secure the Ao language online. It connects younger internet users with their roots. An online user first attempted this project in 2007. That initial push stalled. Tsungrojungla Walling, an MPhil research student in Earth Sciences at the University of Cambridge from Sungratsu village, recently revived the plan.
Walling built a core team to lead the work. The group includes Imcharenla Longchar, Noktichung B Ozukum, Repatemsu Jamir, and Watisen Aier. They are currently housing the project on Wikimedia's Incubator. This platform hosts new language editions until they hit strict requirements for a full Wikipedia launch. The team stated the project has two main objectives: "preservation of the Ao language for the digital age and making knowledge freely accessible to all."
Contributors must open a Wikipedia account. They will learn how to upload and edit entries. The team demands a neutral, impartial, and apolitical tone for all submissions. Tir Yimyim editor K Temjen Jamir issued the appeal to guard against the decline of Ao among younger generations caused by heavy English use. This digital encyclopedia will document history, oral traditions, and the community worldview. It also serves to bridge the gap between elders and youth to update vocabulary for modern concepts. Writers can contact the team at [email protected] to join the effort.
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