Mayan Wikipedia Grows with Mérida Workshops

Mérida, Yucatán — With the goal of preserving and promoting indigenous knowledge in the digital age, state authorities have introduced the Wikipedia in Mayan language project, which includes free workshops to train editors and content creators in this native language.

A Historic Initiative for Digital Heritage

The effort is part of the Maya Renaissance, a strategy led by the Yucatán government through the Secretariat of Science, Humanities, Technology, and Innovation (SECIHTI), in collaboration with Wikimedia México and the Adora Foundation. The initiative aims to establish a complete version of the popular digital encyclopedia in the Mayan language.

Alpha Tavera Escalante, Undersecretary of Science and Humanities, described the project as "a historic initiative that unites technology, culture, and community," emphasizing its role in building the digital future of cultural heritage.

Goal: 100 Active Editors

The workshops are being held on May 8 and 9 at the Mérida Institute of Technology, with morning and afternoon sessions. Organizers aim to train at least 100 active editors, a key requirement for the platform to obtain its own URL and official recognition from Wikimedia.

Currently, there are over 1,200 articles in the Mayan language, with an 85% completion rate for the site’s translation, accessible at:
🔗 https://incubator.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wp/yua/Kaajbal

A Digital Portal with Mayan Worldview

Carmen Alcázar Castillo, Director of Wikimedia México, stressed the importance of the project in amplifying a historically marginalized community:

"It is unacceptable that Mayan, one of the most widely spoken languages in Mexico, still lacks its own Wikipedia."

Juan Jesús González Ávila of the Adora Foundation added that each Wikipedia version reflects a unique worldview. Currently, only Nahuatl has an indigenous-language portal in Mexico.

How to Participate

Those interested in joining the project can register for free at:
🔗 https://bit.ly/wikimayamid2025

Alternatively, inquiries can be sent via email to:
📧 wikimediamexico@gmail.com