OpenSpeaks Archives helps document Van GujjariCEFR B2
17 Apr 2026
Adapted from Subhashish Panigrahi, Global Voices • CC BY 3.0
Photo by Joshi Milestoner, Unsplash
OpenSpeaks Archives, launched in 2024, aims to help Wikimedians cite Indigenous oral knowledge by providing tools for community archivists to document, transcribe and archive languages. The archive hosts nearly 20 languages from India, Nepal and Sri Lanka and supports community-centred documentation efforts.
The summary is based on an interview in the OpenSpeaks collaborator series. Subhashish Panigrahi, for Rising Voices, spoke by voice call with Taukeer Alam, an Indian conservationist and speaker of Van Gujjari. The video interview was produced for the documentary "MarginalizedAadhaar" and is available under the Creative Commons BY-SA 4.0 licence. Taukeer stressed that audio and video best record voice, tone, facial expression and body language—elements that written spelling often does not convey.
He noted generational differences: many elders are not literate and prefer recordings, while children are gaining literacy so community-based written materials are becoming useful for education. He warned that some folk songs already lost meaning because older knowledge holders have died.
Taukeer recommended fast, participatory work that trains youth, returns documentation in the formats people use (video platforms or print), and uses good-quality equipment for recordings. He also expressed concern about misuse of community knowledge through AI and called for protections that recognise community rights, require consent and give communities control over how material is used. The interview led to a language documentation project called "Maari Jaban Maari Birsa" at OpenSpeaks Archives in 2024.
Difficult words
- archivist — person who organises and preserves recordsarchivists
- document — record information so it is saved
- transcribe — write spoken words into written form
- archive — store materials for long-term access
- community-centred — focused on local people and their needs
- generational — relating to different age groups in society
- literacy — ability to read and write clearly
- consent — permission given before using someone’s material
- protection — measures that keep people or rights safeprotections
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- How can returning documentation in the formats people use (for example video platforms or print) improve language preservation in a community?
- What specific protections would you propose to prevent misuse of community knowledge by AI, and why would they help?
- In what ways can training youth help prevent the loss of folk songs and other older knowledge in a community?
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