National Kusaal Language Day Grows From A Social Media Idea Into A Wikimedia Movement

National Kusaal Language Day (NKL-Day) is an annual celebration that promotes the use, growth, and preservation of the Kusaal language. The day brings together Kusaas living at home and in the diaspora to celebrate their language as a key part of their identity, culture, and heritage.

The first National Kusaal Language Day was started in 2022 by Engr. Mahmud Mohammed-Nurudeen, also known as Engr. Winna’amzua. As a Co-Lead of the Kusaal Wikimedians Community, he called on people to speak and write only Kusaal on social media throughout the day. To lead by example, he used all his personal social media pages that year to promote the language.

Since then, National Kusaal Language Day has grown into a Wikimedia-inspired movement. The activities linked to the day strongly support Wikimedia’s global mission, which focuses on preserving knowledge, improving access to local languages, and increasing online content from underrepresented communities. Through contributions to Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, Wikidata, and other Wikimedia projects with support from Dagbani Wikimedians User Group (DWUG), Kusaal speakers are helping to document their language, culture, and history for future generations.

Community Activities For The Celebration

To mark this year’s celebration, the Kusaal Wikimedians Community (KWC) has designed simple, low-cost, and easy-to-organize activities. These activities can be carried out in towns, villages, schools, and neighborhoods across the country, even with limited time, volunteers, and resources.

One key activity is the Community Kusaal Storytelling Session. Elders, teachers, and fluent speakers are encouraged to share short folktales, proverbs, and historical stories in Kusaal at places such as school compounds, palace frontages, market shades, or community centers. Each storyteller speaks for about five to ten minutes, after which a volunteer explains the lesson of the story in simple Kusaal for young people. This activity costs nothing and helps keep oral traditions alive.

Another activity is the Kusaal Proverbs and Sayings Competition. Community members gather in small groups to mention Kusaal proverbs and explain their meanings. Children can say the proverbs while elders explain them. This activity is fun, educational, and can be done anywhere, even under a tree.

The Community also encourages the creation of a Kusaal Reading Corner. Participants read aloud short Kusaal texts, passages, poems, or handwritten materials. A small table or mat can be used, and volunteers take turns reading while others listen and repeat key words. This shows that Kusaal is not only spoken but also written and read.

Music is also part of the celebration through the Kusaal Song and Chant Moment. Youth groups, school pupils, or women’s groups perform traditional songs, praise chants, or modern songs in Kusaal. Only one to three songs are encouraged, and no instruments are needed. Clapping alone is enough to create excitement and pride in the language.

Another activity is the “Speak Kusaal Today” Public Awareness Walk. Volunteers wearing Kusaal-themed T-shirts or local clothing take a short walk of about 20 to 30 minutes through main streets or markets. They chant simple messages such as “Speak Kusaal Today” and take photos or short videos to share on social media.

There is also a Youth Kusaal Speaking Challenge, where young people, especially students, speak in Kusaal for one minute. They can talk about their name, their community, or why they like the language. This activity builds confidence, encourages young people to use Kusaal, and creates useful content for future language promotion.

To ensure smooth organization, each town, area, or community is encouraged to appoint one coordinator. Activities should be kept short, lasting about one to two hours, with photos, videos, and quotes taken for record-keeping and sharing.

Fun Language Challenge

As part of the celebration, the Kusaal Wikimedians Community has introduced a fun language challenge from December 17 to December 30. During this period, any Kusaa who mixes Kusaal with English or any other language during conversations will pay a fine of 50 pesewas, all in good spirit.

The fine applies to group discussions, one-on-one conversations, and even phone calls. Each time a person mixes languages, a fine is paid. The money collected will be used to buy something useful for the group. Learners of the language are kindly exempted.

According to the organizers, this playful challenge is meant to encourage people to consciously speak Kusaal and to strengthen love for the language they were born with.

As National Kusaal Language Day continues to grow, the Kusaal Wikimedians Community hopes more people—especially the youth—will speak, write, and document Kusaal both offline and online, ensuring the language lives on for generations to come.