Reminder: The next edition of Ban Wiki! will take place on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM at the Nacional Library Aruba.

The next edition will be held on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, from 5:00 to 7:00 PM, at the Biblioteca Nacional Aruba. This session will focus on examining Wikipedia to identify missing content or underdeveloped areas that would benefit from additional references. We're collaborating this time with Counter/Narratives, a community-driven platform whose tool The Archival Horizons / Archivo Emergente map is a semi-open source, non-commercial platform designed to help people document and share personal stories rooted in place and memory.

Everyone is welcome. No prior experience with Wikipedia or Archival Horizons is required, and guidance will be provided throughout the session. We especially encourage those with connections to Aruba, migration, care, survival, and colonial histories to participate.

And there will be food & beverages!

Who is Counter/Narratives?

Counter/Narratives is a collaborative platform and initiative that brings together artists, researchers, community organizers, and cultural practitioners to challenge dominant historical and cultural narratives particularly those shaped by colonialism, migration, and structural inequality. Counter/Narratives was originally co-founded by Gyonne Zafira and the latest iteration was co-developed with Nagila Muller and Sergio Maduro, with Jaïr van Nes and Mijenou Tromp recently also joining the core team. At its heart, Counter/Narratives seeks to create space for stories, memories, and knowledge that are often overlooked or marginalized within formal institutions such as museums, archives, and academia. Rather than simply filling existing gaps, the platform aims to shift narrative power by centering lived experiences, community authority, and locally grounded knowledge. Counter/Narratives is actively engaged across the ABC and SSS islands and in the Diaspora, working to foster inclusive, community-driven storytelling and knowledge-sharing.

For this edition Counter/Narratives focuses on two pressing themes shaped by life on the island:

• Relationships with Privileges and Mental Health

This theme invites stories about navigating inequality, resilience, and care whether through family pressure, burnout, limited access to education or jobs, or the silence around mental health. Stories of joy, strength, and support are equally important.

• Equity Building: Financial Health Beyond Tourism  

What does a stable economy look like beyond tourism? We explore how people in Aruba build livelihoods through local businesses, informal work, creativity, and community support sharing stories of resilience, migration, heritage, and everyday survival beyond the tourism industry.

What to bring?

• A story you want to share
• A meaningful photo, document, or object
• The story should be linked to a place
• Reflections on mental health, money, work, joy, family, or resilience

Registration

Please note that registration is required to attend this event, as there are a limited number of seats available. To secure your spot, make sure to register through this form. This will help us prepare and ensure a smooth experience for all participants. 

Event program

5:00 PM – (part 1) Archival Horizons / Archivo Emergente map by Counter/Narratives

• Guided dialogue around the themes
• Memory mapping and story-sharing
• Support in uploading your story

6:15 PM – (part 2) Wikipedia open knowledge practices

• Tutorial how to upload photos, sound and video on Wikimedia Commons and add them as references to an existing Wikipedia article or Wikidata.
• Explanation of the licensing rules on Wikimedia Commons by Wikipedia on Aruba.

7:00 PM - Closing event

How to Prepare

To actively take part in this session, you'll need to create a Wikipedia account. This will give you full access to explore Wikimedia platforms and contribute directly, helping make knowledge freely available to people around the world. If you’re not sure how to create a Wikipedia account, don’t worry. You can find a verbal explanation in Papiamento on our You Tube Channel, or use this step-by-step guide on our knowledge platform, in Papiamento to guide you through the process.

Contact

Please reach out to us for questions or ideas or things you would like to share about this event or the project. You can find our contact info here or reach out on social media.