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Afrikan Alphabets

Afrikan Alphabets

FromIncomplet Design History


Afrikan Alphabets

FromIncomplet Design History

ratings:
Length:
21 minutes
Released:
Sep 22, 2022
Format:
Podcast episode

Description

Often the images and fonts meant to Africa are stereotypical and reduce the diversity and complexity of a vast continent to simplified imagery and types. Like Rudolf Koch’s typeface Neuland, used in the logo for Disney’s The Lion King, which wasn’t even supposed to be representative of anything other than Koch’s own religious fervor. The origin and development of typography in Africa is far more diverse and interesting. It is also, unfortunately, inextricably tied to the colonization of the continent. Alphabets and syllabaries were largely efforts to resist colonization while preserving languages and cultures. The first and most influential of these was King Njoya’s syllabary of the Shu-mom language of the Bamum people of western Cameroon. King Njoya created this written language in 1869 while Germany was occupying Cameroon. Following Njoya’s lead, many other African peoples developed written languages and for similar reasons. Dualu Bukele developed the Vai syllabary. Kisimi Kamara designed the Mende syllabary. The list goes on. The idea of a written language as an act of resistance to western colonization produced wonderfully fluid letterforms free from the western regimented grid system and a written record of languages, cultures, and their people.  TIMELINE1820 – Dualu Bukele is credited with first recording the Vai syllabary, the specific origins of  are unknown1884 – Berlin Conference, European countries drew up various “Protection” treaties with African nations1896 – at the age of 25, King Njoya invented the Shu-mom writing system1896 – the Ethiopian army defeated Italy1900s – the majority of Africa colonized by 7 European Powers1904 – King Njoya built a museum to house the artifacts and books in theShu-mom language1921 – The Mende Syllabary was created by Kisimi Kamara1922 – the Somali alphabet was created by Cismaan Kenadid1923 – Neuland designed in 1923 by Rudolf Koch1931 – King Njoya was exiled 1945 – marked the beginning of the end of colonization in Africa 1960 – the “year of Africa” with 17 territories gained independence1973  – an alphabet was created for Somali using latin characters1990s – everywhere in Africa (except South Africa) were ruling independently1999 – Saki Mafundikwa founds ZIVA, Zimbabwe Institute of Vigital Arts2004  – Saki Mafundikwa publishes Afrikan AlphabetsREFERENCESAbraham, C. (2011, Aug). Africa had its own writing systems! New African, , 82-87. Retrieved from https://libproxy.uco.edu/login?url=https://www-proquest-com.libproxy.uco.edu/magazines/africa-had-own-writing-systems/docview/884629705/se-2?accountid=14516Curtin, P., Feirerman, S., Thompson, L., & Vansina, J. (1982). African History. Little Brown and Company. Fine, P. C. (2021). The design of race: How visual culture shapes America. Bloomsbury Visual Arts. French, H. W. (1997, October 21). Foumban Journal; Inheritors of an African Kingdom, Come and Gone. New York Times. Gnanadesikan, Amalia E.. The Writing Revolution : Cuneiform to the Internet, John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated, 2009. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.libproxy.uco.edu/lib/ucok-ebooks/detail.action?docID=428169.Iweriebor, E. E. G. (2011). The colonization of Africa. Africana Age: African & Africa Diasporan Transformations in the 20th Century . Retrieved September 15, 2021, from http://exhibitions.nypl.org/africanaage/essay-colonization-of-africa.html. Jefferson, L. E. (1974). The Decorative Arts of Africa. Collins. Orosz, K. (2015). Njoya’s Alphabet The Sultan of Bamum and French Colonial Reactions to the A ka u ku Script. Cahiers d’études Africaines, 217, 45–66. https://journals.openedition.org/etudesafricaines/18002#quotationKreamer, C. M., Roberts, M. N., Harney, E., & Purpura, A. (2007). Inscribing Meaning: Writing and Graphic Systems in African Art. African Arts, 40(3), 78+. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A167932208/LitRC?u=edmo56673&sid=bookmark-LitRC&xid=5fed3052Mafundikwa, S. (n.d.). Afrikan Alphabets & African Diasporic Design Lineage
Released:
Sep 22, 2022
Format:
Podcast episode

Titles in the series (36)

The nature of history is that it is never “complete”, new information is gained every day that changes our understanding an interpretations of history. The mission of Incomplete Design History is to explore areas of graphic design history that are overlooked or ignored; to expand our knowledge in the field and to include all sides of the story. Incomplete design history seeks to be inclusive, inclusive not only of people but of ideas and technologies that advance the field of graphic design. History is messy. History is incomplete.