Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Wikimedia Aotearoa New Zealand @wikimediaaotearoa.bsky.social · 1d

Scholarship applications for Wikimania 2026 in Paris are due soon! ✨

Anyone who contributes to Wikimedia activities is welcome to apply for a scholarship, which covers travel expenses, accommodation and registration. Get your application in by Friday 31 Oct 👇

Scholarship applications for Wikimania 2026 due 31 October

Scholarship applications for Wikimania 2026 due 31 October Scholarship applications for Wikimania 2026 are due at the end of the month! Next year, Wikimedians from around […]

www.wikimedia.nz

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Wikimedia Aotearoa New Zealand @wikimediaaotearoa.bsky.social · 2d

Wikipedia has an app!

Download for Android from Google Play:
play.google.com/store/apps/d...

Download from the Apple store:
apps.apple.com/app/wikipedi...

Wikimedia Foundation @wikimediafoundation.org · 5d

Looking to explore the vast world of knowledge on the go? The official Wikipedia app brings the power of the world's largest free encyclopedia to your fingertips. 🧵⬇️ (1/4)

Close-up of a smartphone screen showing the Wikipedia app icon among other default app icons. Text says: Explore the world. Edit it, too. The Wikipedia app puts the largest free encyclopedia in your pocket ad-free, multilingual, and always expanding. Whether you are reading or contributing, the app brings global knowledge closer with every tap.

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Wikimedia Aotearoa New Zealand @wikimediaaotearoa.bsky.social · 2d

Help choose the best featured picture on Wikimedia Commons in 2024!

Voting for Picture of the Year is open — the finalists have been chosen, now it's up to the community to pick their favourite.

Get your votes in by 11 October! w.wiki/FULL

📷: Picture of the Year 2023 by Trantuanviet, CC BY-SA 4.0

Rose colored bunches of incense sticks set out to dry in Quang Phu Cau village outside Hanoi, Vietnam.

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Wikimedia Aotearoa New Zealand @wikimediaaotearoa.bsky.social · 6d

If you've been wondering what being a Wikimedian is all about, then this webinar is for you!

Join Wiki experts Siobhan and Heidi for this introduction to contributing to three key Wikimedia platforms: Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, and Wikidata.

Tuesday 14 Oct, 3pm NZST
Register here ➡️ w.wiki/FWQM

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Wikimedia Aotearoa New Zealand @wikimediaaotearoa.bsky.social · 8d

In Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland? Join The Charlotte Museum for a walking tour of Karangahape Road to document queer local histories. Learn how to upload images to Wikimedia Commons and share knowledge, guided by Auckland Museum's Wikimedian in Residence.

🗓️ Sat 11 Oct 2025
⏰ 11am – 4pm

Register below ⬇️

Wikipedia Day | The Charlotte Museum

www.charlottemuseum.co.nz

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Wikimedia Aotearoa New Zealand @wikimediaaotearoa.bsky.social · 8d

Wikimedians in and around Ōtautahi Christchurch — fancy a Saturday of editing in Lyttelton? 🛥️

Our 2025 Wikipedian at Large is running an edit-a-thon to improve Wikipedia coverage of this historic area on 11 October.
More info ➡️ w.wiki/FUpR

📸: Lyttleton Harbour 1967 by Wilford Peloquin, CC BY 2.0

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Wikimedia Aotearoa New Zealand @wikimediaaotearoa.bsky.social · 10d

Aotearoa, meet your 2025 Bird of the Year 👑🦅

The kārearea or New Zealand falcon is our only species of falcon, and has reclaimed the top spot once again after its last victory in 2012 🏆

Learn more about this endemic bird of prey ⬇️
w.wiki/FUGN

📷: Tony Wills, CC BY-SA 3.0 #BirdOfTheYear

A male New Zealand Falcon perched on a branch at Zealandia wildlife sanctuary. Wellington, New Zealand

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Wikimedia Aotearoa New Zealand @wikimediaaotearoa.bsky.social · 13d

Wikimedians in Wellington and Auckland, you have meetups on this weekend! New attendees are always welcome.

Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington
📅 Sat 27 Sept 2025
⏰ 10am–12pm
📍 National Library
🔗 w.wiki/FDfj

Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland
📅 Sun 28 Sept 2025
⏰ 10am– 2pm
📍 Central City Library
🔗 w.wiki/FSxR

Graphic giving details of Wikimedian meetups in Wellington on 27 September 2025 and in Auckland on 28 September 2025

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Wikimedia Aotearoa New Zealand @wikimediaaotearoa.bsky.social · 14d

Manaaki Whenua have appointed Siobhan Leachman as their Wikimedian in Residence!

Supporting staff to share their expertise, @siobhanleachman.bsky.social will be assisting the group with contributing content from their nationally significant collections to openly accessible Wikimedia platforms.

From Collections to Commons: Announcing a Wikimedian in Residence at Manaaki Whenua

From Collections to Commons: Announcing a Wikimedian in Residence at Manaaki Whenua Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research Group now have a Wikimedian in Residence on board, […]

www.wikimedia.nz

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Reposted by Wikimedia Aotearoa New Zealand

Mike Dickison @adzebill.bsky.social · 20d

For the LIANZA conference next week I only have ten minutes to talk about @wikisource.bsky.social so I make a little zine—or perhaps a wikitract—to hand out.

Several pocket-sized “what is Wikisource?” zines which look a bit like Chick tracts all trimmed, folded, and stapled by hand.

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Wikimedia Aotearoa New Zealand @wikimediaaotearoa.bsky.social · 15d

Dedicated volunteer editors have been keeping track of all the endorsements and controversies that come with elections over on Wikipedia, where you can learn a bit more about the history of the competition — take a look below 👇

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bird_of...

Bird of the Year - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

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Wikimedia Aotearoa New Zealand @wikimediaaotearoa.bsky.social · 15d

This year marks 20 years of a very special election for Aotearoa — Te Manu Rongonui o te Tau | Bird of the Year 🐧🦆🦇

Remember to cast your votes by 5pm Sunday 28 September! www.birdoftheyear.org.nz

Bird of the Year ‹ Forest & Bird

Forest & Bird’s Bird of the Year recognises our unique birds and with each vote you give them a voice.

www.birdoftheyear.org.nz

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Wikimedia Aotearoa New Zealand @wikimediaaotearoa.bsky.social · 15d

The deep-sea supergiant amphipod Alicella gigantea may be hard to find, but information on it isn’t — all thanks to a dedicated NZ editor.

The article for this unique species has recently become a featured article, meaning it represents some of the very best content in the online encyclopedia.

Passion pushes editor to the top 0.1 percent of Wikipedia articles

Aotearoa editor and entomologist, Shaun Thompson, has recently had his first article classified as a featured article.

www.wikimedia.nz

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Wikimedia Aotearoa New Zealand @wikimediaaotearoa.bsky.social · 17d

Editing Wikipedia can be as simple as correcting a comma — these little edits all add up and contribute to openly accessible information.

Check out this great intro to 'micro-editing' ⬇️

Hilda Bastian @hildabast.bsky.social · 17d

Want to be able to start micro-editing on Wikipedia in a few minutes – and know why you could be very glad you did? Then my new post @plos.org is just what you need!

absolutelymaybe.plos.org/2025/09/21/w...

#Wikipedia

Wikipedia Is Vital: Channeling Energy Into Micro-Edits Is a Win-Win-Win - Absolutely Maybe

Wikipedia is, “without exaggeration, the digital world’s factual foundation,” wrote Josh Dzieza recently. It’s a target because of that, squarely in the…

absolutelymaybe.plos.org

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Reposted by Wikimedia Aotearoa New Zealand

Wikimedia Foundation @wikimediafoundation.org · 21d

George Pendergast, known as "G3," turned 100 and still edits Wikipedia daily. Since starting in his 80s, he has created and improved articles on WWII and overlooked women’s histories. His work shows that contribution has no age limit.

Read more ➡️ w.wiki/FJi5

Smiling man with a white beard sitting outdoors at a table with food, wearing a patterned shirt. Text overlay reads: "What can you learn from a 100-year-old Wikipedia editor?" with palm trees in the background.

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Wikimedia Aotearoa New Zealand @wikimediaaotearoa.bsky.social · 20d

A familiar face from around our shoreline is featured on the front page of Wikipedia today 🐦‍⬛

The kawaupaka, or little pied shag (Microcarbo melanoleucos), is a species of waterbird with three unique subspecies commonly recognised, one of which can be found across Aotearoa.

Learn more: w.wiki/FMqD

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Wikimedia Aotearoa New Zealand @wikimediaaotearoa.bsky.social · 20d

There's content on Wikipedia for learning about pretty much anything — you can even use it to learn more te reo Māori this #TeWikiOTeReo

This article on pōwhiri introduces several Māori kupu (words) that have articles too, so you can click the blue links and take your knowledge to the next level 🤯⬇️

Pōwhiri - Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pōwhiri

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Wikimedia Aotearoa New Zealand @wikimediaaotearoa.bsky.social · 21d

We'll start with a walking tour of the University of Auckland Special Collections, followed by a Wikipedia editing session. All editing experience required, experienced Wikimedians will be there to help you get started!

Get more details on the meetup page ➡️ w.wiki/FMJ2

Wikipedia:Meetup/Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland 37 - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

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Wikimedia Aotearoa New Zealand @wikimediaaotearoa.bsky.social · 21d

This Saturday in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland — Join the New Zealand Women in Architecture WikiProject, which works to address gender disparity on Wikipedia, and celebrate the incredible mahi by women and non-binary people in architecture.

🗓️ Sat 20 Sept
⏰ 11am–4pm

Free event, please book below 👇

Wiki Project Auckland - AWNZ

As part of the 2025 NZIA Festival of Architecture, Architecture Women NZ invites you to a special day celebrating the pioneering women who shaped Aotearoa’s architectural history.

architecturewomen.org.nz

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Wikimedia Aotearoa New Zealand @wikimediaaotearoa.bsky.social · 22d

The use of tohutō (macrons) in written te reo Māori has become more widespread over time, and in 2020 they were officially adopted for Wikipedia articles relating to Aotearoa.

It was the spelling of a small North Island town, Tīrau, that got things moving. Read more below ⬇️ #TeWikioTeReoMāori

Inside Wikipedia’s great macron war

How the little town of Tīrau became ground zero in an internet fight over the spelling of te reo Māori.

thespinoff.co.nz

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Reposted by Wikimedia Aotearoa New Zealand

Wikimedia Australia @wmau.bsky.social · 22d

🎉 Save the date: WikiCon Australia 2026!
We are thrilled to announce that WikiCon Australia 2026 will take place in Canberra over two days, 11 April 11 & 12 April 2026, at the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia. More to come.
Image attribution: Kgbo, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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Wikimedia Aotearoa New Zealand @wikimediaaotearoa.bsky.social · 23d

"In the Women in Red space, I have found a supportive environment where people are continuously learning"

Lisa Maule began editing Wikipedia in 2019, and recently shared with LIANZA the Women in Red project, which aims to improve coverage of women on Wikipedia.

Read more below, pages 20–21 👇

Te Rau Ora Library Life Issue 508 September 2025

We are excited to feature Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand’s Library and Knowledge Service. It has been a transitional period for these services, which have now been unified into a national library ser

issuu.com

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Wikimedia Aotearoa New Zealand @wikimediaaotearoa.bsky.social · 23d

For our small group of Wikimedians in Aotearoa New Zealand, it's been this photo

Wikimedia Aotearoa New Zealand @wikimediaaotearoa.bsky.social · Aug 18

From the big carrot in Ohakune, to the 'larger than usual salmon' which welcomes you to Rakaia, Aotearoa has quite the range of unusually-sized novelty statues.

The latest edition to the 'List of New Zealand's big things' happens to be the 2025 New Zealand Tree of the Year champion, the Chook Tree!

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Wikimedia Aotearoa New Zealand @wikimediaaotearoa.bsky.social · 24d

This week we're celebrating 50 years of Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori, and there are 50 reo-based wero (challenges) to complete over the week. Take a look below, and keep an eye out for our posts to see how Wikimedia platforms can support your knowledge of the language.

#tewikiotereomāori

Kia Kaha Reo Māori

Take on one wero or 50, every wero counts!

www.reomaori.co.nz

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Wikimedia Aotearoa New Zealand @wikimediaaotearoa.bsky.social · 24d

Did you know that languages have classifications for how endangered and at risk of going extinct they're thought to be?

Te Reo Māori is classified as 'Definitely endangered' by the UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger. Find out more in this Wikipedia article ⬇️

Māori language - Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Māori_language

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