Crossing Manado, Continuing to Singapore, A Culinary Journey with WikiMaknyus

In the second week of January 2026, I had the opportunity to be directly involved in the implementation of WikiMaknyus Manado, serving as both the project lead and a delegate from the Jakarta Wikimedia Community. WikiMaknyus is an initiative aimed at documenting culinary diversity through Wikimedia projects, initiated by Pitchrigi, NikolasKHF, Hzu Hzu, and Sofi Solihah, this initiative supported by the Rapid Fund.

However, for me, this activity was not merely about editing targets or numerical achievements. Manado became a real learning space that showed how Indonesia’s diversity works in everyday practice. Coming from Jakarta with different habits, rhythms, and fast communication styles, I met local contributors from Manado who were warm, open, and full of enthusiasm. It was a reminder that Indonesia truly embodies Bhinneka Tunggal Ika, unity in diversity.

With the support of TorangEdit, the participants enthusiasm in Manado was evident from the first day. The Wiktionary and Lingua Libre sessions were lively and engaging. Participants quickly adapted to the technical aspects while actively discussing vocabulary, pronunciation, and word meanings from the perspective of native Manado speakers. Contribution targets were exceeded, particularly in the number of entries and pronunciation recordings, an achievement born from a strong spirit of gotong royong.

WikiNgamprog, Connected by Technology, United by Collaboration

WikiMaknyus was paired with WikiNgamprog, a collaborative editing activity that brought together contributors from Jakarta and Manado. Its focus was on developing content for Betawi Wikipedia and the Manado Malay Wikipedia Incubator. For Manado, this activity marked an important early step, as a formal Wikimedia community has not yet been established there. For many participants, it was also their first experience collaborating across regions, habits, and even time zones.

Held online, WikiNgamprog further expanded this shared space. Contributors from Jakarta created articles about Manado in Betawi Wikipedia, while contributors in Manado wrote articles in the Manado language about the Greater Jakarta area. Conversations, discussions, and editing processes unfolded dynamically, as if we were all sitting at the same table. Here, differences in background became a strength, as each participant brought complementary perspectives that enriched Indonesia’s culinary knowledge base.

Through screens and internet connectivity, we collaborated to develop Betawi Wikipedia articles and the Manado Malay Wikipedia Incubator. In this digital space, differences in background did not become obstacles; instead, they emerged as sources of strength. Each participant brought their own perspectives, experiences, and ways of seeing the world, all of which complemented one another.

An equally memorable moment came just before my departure. The owner of the restaurant where we held our activities approached us, asking who we were, where we came from, and what we were working on. After hearing about the WikiMaknyus initiative, he expressed his appreciation and shared his hope that initiatives like this would continue to grow. For him, the presence of WikiMaknyus created a living space for sharing knowledge, something he wished to see more often in Manado.

Writing Journeys on Wikivoyage

Beyond documentation work, WikiMaknyus Manado also felt like a journey. Together with local friends, we contributed to Indonesian Wikivoyage, focusing on destinations in North Sulawesi such as Danau Cinta Makalehi, Air Terjun Tunan, Taman Wisata Alam Batu Angus, Cagar Alam Tangkoko, Taman Laut Bunaken. and Pantai Pulisan. Knowledge about these places did not come from imagination alone, but from firsthand experience, some contributors had visited, photographed, and uploaded their images to Wikimedia Commons. From this process, it became clear that writing about travel also means sharing a sense of belonging to one’s own landscapes and living spaces.

The second day of activities began later in the morning as a form of mutual respect for participants who attended morning church services. This adjustment enriched our shared experience, reminding us that working together also means learning to adapt with tolerance to different ways of life. On this day, our contributions focused on Wikibooks and Indonesian Wikipedia, particularly through writing food recipes and developing encyclopedic articles. As with many journeys that end in unexpected ways, the achievements of the second day exceeded what we had initially imagined.

Crossing Spaces and Cultures to Singapore

The WikiMaknyus journey did not end in Manado. Within the same continuum, my steps continued to Singapore. Through this extension of the journey, culinary dishes such as Singaporean Laksa, Sirap Bandung, Chendol, Prata Bread, and Kaya Toast were documented. This cross-border movement felt natural, as if affirming that culinary journeys across Southeast Asia are deeply interconnected, where ingredients, flavors, and traditions travel beyond geographical boundaries while still preserving shared, kindred stories.

At the dining table, we are brought together through the experiences of tasting, sharing, and storytelling. Food becomes one of the most honest spaces of encounter, where identities remain present without negating one another. In this context, the cross-national journey of WikiMaknyus feels especially relevant, even as we come from different places, culinary culture serves as a unifying medium that transcends territorial boundaries.

This awareness of interconnectedness led me to look more closely at the local roots I encountered in Manado. Through this journey, it became evident that Manadonese cuisine is characterized by its spiciness. There are compelling reasons behind the strong presence of heat in Minahasan culinary traditions, closely linked to geographical conditions and the availability of ingredients. The Minahasan community, largely concentrated in the city of Manado, lives in a region of North Sulawesi with high chili pepper production. As a result, chili peppers have become part of everyday habits and naturally integrated into daily cuisine.

Ultimately, WikiMaknyus Manado evolved into a journey that taught me how open knowledge grows from encounters with places, alongside people with a strong spirit of contribution, and through diversity itself. From Manado to Singapore, I returned with the understanding that diversity does not always take the form of distance or separation. Instead, it can serve as a bridge for growing together in the shared effort to free knowledge, in line with the mission of Wikipedia.