OpenSpeaks Archives helps document Van GujjariCEFR B1
17 Apr 2026
Adapted from Subhashish Panigrahi, Global Voices • CC BY 3.0
Photo by Joshi Milestoner, Unsplash
OpenSpeaks Archives, launched in 2024, gives tools so community archivists can document, transcribe and archive languages. The archive helps Wikimedians cite Indigenous oral knowledge and now hosts nearly 20 languages from India, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
The interview summarized here was between Subhashish Panigrahi, for Rising Voices, and Taukeer Alam, an Indian conservationist who speaks Van Gujjari. The video interview was made for the documentary "MarginalizedAadhaar" and is available under the Creative Commons BY-SA 4.0 licence. Taukeer said audio and video are the best media for Van Gujjari because they capture voice, tone, expression and body language.
He described generational differences: elders often lack literacy and prefer recordings, while children are learning to read so written materials can help if they come from community stories. He recommended participatory projects that train youth, make materials accessible, use good-quality equipment, and protect community rights and consent. The interview led to the language project "Maari Jaban Maari Birsa" at OpenSpeaks Archives in 2024.
Difficult words
- archive — place where records and files are keptArchives
- archivist — person who collects and cares for recordsarchivists
- transcribe — to make written text from spoken words
- indigenous — people native to a particular region
- conservationist — person who protects nature and the environment
- generational — relating to different age groups or generations
- consent — permission given by someone for something
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- How could audio or video help preserve a local language in your community? Give one example.
- What steps would you take to involve young people in a community language project?
- Why is community consent important when recording or sharing oral knowledge?
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