Language Diversity Hub Mentorship: Maya Yucatec (Maaya T'aan) Community

This is the central documentation page for the mentorship relationship between the Maya Yucatec Wikimedia community and the Wikimedia Language Diversity Hub (LDH).

Overview

Mentored Language: Maya Yucatec (Maaya T'aan / yua)
Mentorship Start Date: November 2025
LDH Mentor(s): Oscar Costero (Oscar .)
Regional Partner: Wikimedia México
Key Institutional Partner: Dirección de Educación Indígena, Estado de Yucatán
Community Page: [Link to community project page]
Related Projects:
- Wikipedia Incubator: Incubator:Wp/yua

Community Assessment Summary

(Based on initial diagnostic call)

Current Status & Strengths

Stage: Active Incubator; capable of meeting Language Committee activity requirements but not yet technically optimized for graduation.
Scale & Reach:
100+ participating teachers through the Konechkanik Maya program
Regular bi-monthly working sessions with ~120 participants
Reach of ~19,000 students in Konechkanik Maya and ~25,000 students in Indigenous Education overall
Institutional Anchoring: Formally linked to the Dirección de Educación Indígena of Yucatán, positioning Wikipedia as a pedagogical and didactic resource—not merely a volunteer project.
Strong Regional Support: Active coordination and mediation by Wikimedia México.
Content Expertise: Contributors are native speakers with deep linguistic and cultural knowledge. Content creation capacity is strong once technical barriers are reduced.

Primary Goals

Graduate Wikipedia in Maya Yucatec from the Incubator.
Reduce technical friction so teachers can contribute independently, outside of facilitated sessions.
Position Wikipedia in Maya as a core educational resource for classrooms across Yucatán.
Build a cadre of trained community leaders (~10 teacher-monitors) capable of sustaining the project autonomously.

Identified Challenges & Support Needs

Challenge	Severity	Description
Infrastructure & Equipment	Critical	Most contributors work on mobile devices; lack of PCs, reliable internet, and adequate workspaces limits independent editing.
Technical Literacy & MediaWiki Complexity	High	Contributors are language experts but not digitally literate. Technical friction is the main bottleneck—not language or content knowledge.
Interface Localization Gap	High	MediaWiki interface is only ~17% translated (700 of 4,000 messages). This significantly impacts usability for new and less experienced users.
Institutional Dependency	Medium	Current productivity relies heavily on structured, facilitated sessions. Long-term resilience requires autonomous leadership.
Recruitment	Low	Recruitment is not a challenge due to the embedded teacher network.
Content Expertise	Low	Strong capacity for article creation once technical barriers are addressed.

Mentorship Action Plan

Phase 1: Technical Unblocking (Months 1-3)

Objective: Reduce technical friction through interface localization, simplified workflows, and confidence-building.

Action Item	Lead	Status	Deadline
1. Launch MediaWiki Interface Translation Sprint	LDH Coordinator + Wikimedia México + Community Translators	Pending	4-6 weeks
2. Design & Deliver Beginner-Friendly Technical Workshop	LDH Technical Mentor (Jon Harald) + Wikimedia México	Pending	4 weeks
3. Identify ~10 Teacher-Monitors for Advanced Training	Dirección de Educación Indígena + Community Leads + Wikimedia México	Pending	3 weeks
4. Create Visual Guides in Maya/Spanish	LDH Mentor + Community	Pending	Ongoing

Success Indicators (End of Phase 1):

MediaWiki localization significantly increased
Teachers begin editing outside group sessions
Reduced reliance on facilitator-led edits

Phase 2: Graduation & Educational Integration (Months 4-6)

Objective: Align sustained editing activity with Language Committee requirements while embedding Wikipedia in classroom practice.

Achieve stable monthly editing by multiple independent users.
Establish a clear graduation timeline in consultation with the Language Committee.
Implement classroom-driven content themes tied to the curriculum.
Submit micro-grant application for shared equipment (laptops, connectivity support).

Success Indicators (End of Phase 2):

Graduation pathway is clearly defined and actionable
Wikipedia editing is integrated into participating teachers' pedagogical practice
First cohort of teacher-monitors demonstrates independent activity

Phase 3: Leadership & Replication (Months 7-12)

Objective: Empower trained teacher-monitors to lead sessions and explore replication in other regions or educational programs.

Teacher-monitors independently run editing sessions with minimal facilitation.
Develop a replication framework for other Indigenous education programs in Mexico.
Facilitate peer connection with Wikimedistas Wayunnaiki (proven success in generating Indigenous Wikimedia leaders).
Document the "Yucatán Model" for education-driven language revitalization on Wikimedia.

Success Indicators (End of Phase 3):

Reduced dependency on Hub and Wikimedia México facilitation
Wikipedia in Maya Yucatec is formally recognized as a legitimate educational resource
Community presents its model at a regional or global Wikimedia event

Resource Needs Identified

Need	Priority	Notes
Equipment & Connectivity	High	Shared laptops, improved internet, or mobile data support would significantly increase independent productivity.
Technical Mentorship	High	MediaWiki basics, VisualEditor workflows, low-friction editing strategies.
Localized Documentation	Medium	Simple, visual guides in Maya Yucatec and Spanish for recurring tasks.
Peer Learning	Medium	Connection with Wikimedistas Wayunnaiki for Indigenous leadership development models.

Workshop Topics Most Relevant

Editing Wikipedia with Low Connectivity
VisualEditor for Educators
MediaWiki Interface Translation
Designing Classroom-Based Wikipedia Activities
From Incubator to Graduation: What the Language Committee Looks For

Collaboration Opportunities

Partner	Purpose
Wikimedistas Wayunnaiki	Peer learning on generating Indigenous Wikimedia leaders
WMF Language Team	Incubator graduation guidance, localization support
Dirección de Educación Indígena (Yucatán)	Institutional anchor, classroom integration
Wikimedia México	On-the-ground coordination, grant support, regional expertise

Communication Plan

Element	Details
Meeting Cadence	Monthly check-ins between Oscar, Wikimedia México, and community leads
Working Sessions	Hybrid model: in-person workshops with remote Hub technical support
Primary Channels	Telegram (coordination), Email (formal follow-up)
Languages	Spanish, Maya Yucatec

Success Indicators (Long-Term)

Dimension	Indicator
Graduation	Wikipedia in Maya Yucatec graduates from the Incubator.
Autonomy	Teacher-monitors independently run editing sessions without Hub/Wikimedia México facilitation.
Scale	Model replicated in other Indigenous education programs across Mexico.
Recognition	Wikipedia in Maya Yucatec is formally recognized and used as a classroom resource.
Legacy	Community documented as a flagship case study for education-driven language revitalization.

Meeting Notes & Logs

November 2025

Initial Assessment & Planning Discussed the community's exceptional institutional anchoring and scale. Identified technical friction and interface localization as the primary barriers to graduation. Agreed to prioritize a translation sprint, mobile-friendly training, and the identification of teacher-monitors.

Contact

On-wiki: Oscar Costero
Community Lead: [Community Lead Name/Username]
Regional Partner: Wikimedia México
Institutional Partner: Dirección de Educación Indígena, Estado de Yucatán

This page is maintained collaboratively maintained