My understanding of the Wikimedia India Rapid Grant system grew gradually through various conferences, eventually leading me to prioritize a structured proposal for the Assamese community. Since no one in our local circle had yet led a GLAM related project of this nature, focusing on the preservation of Assam’s cultural heritage felt like the most natural and necessary starting point. This vision quickly gained momentum when I was joined by a group of passionate young Wikimedians, including Kamal Das, Hanif Ali, Bikash Dihingia, Paban Barman, and Papori Bora, whose collective energy turned a complex challenge into a manageable and highly rewarding mission.
Our Team Members
Assam is a mosaic of diverse ethnic communities, each possessing a vibrant heritage that has often been documented privately but rarely shared on open platforms like Wikimedia. We recognized that preserving and disseminating these resources is vital for future research, yet choosing where to start within such a vast repository was a challenge in itself. After much deliberation, we decided to focus on cultural elements accessible through field visits, allowing each team member to document traditions within their own local areas to ensure both authenticity and logistical feasibility
Stories from the Field
Our documentation efforts focused heavily on traditions nearing extinction, such as the Rabha community’s ”Mare Ojapali” and ”Bogejari” dance, alongside other significant forms like the Bodo (community)’s ”Kherai” dance and the classical ”Sattriya” dance of Assam. The project also captured the essence of ”Kamrupi” folk songs, ”Tokāri Geet”, ”Dihanaam”, ”Doba Badan”, traditional wedding rituals, and lullabies, while a major highlight was the production of a documentary on the GI tagged Asharikandi Terracotta Craft in the Dhubri district. In total, the initiative produced sixteen videos and a significant archive of photographs documenting traditional Assamese architecture, ensuring these cultural pillars are now preserved in the digital commons.
The final phase of the project saw even wider community engagement through a photography competition that resulted in 603 high quality images being contributed to Wikimedia Commons. These visual contributions were matched by editorial growth within the movement, as we created seven new articles on Assamese Wikipedia and five on English Wikipedia, supplemented by nine new Wikidata items to enrich the global knowledge graph.
To ensure the project remained cohesive, we held two key in person meetings: The inaugural event align our strategies, sharing task and the closing session to celebrate our collective achievements, announce the results of Photography competition and discuss the next steps for our community.
Ultimately, this journey was about much more than just digital archiving; it was a transformative experience that instilled a deep sense of confidence and purpose within our team. By engaging directly with local artists, we moved beyond the screen to witness the dedication and personal sacrifices they make to keep their traditions alive. This project has not only enriched the Wikimedia ecosystem but has also opened a world of new possibilities, leaving us with a profound sense of achievement and a renewed commitment to our cultural roots.
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