Africa alphabet: Three approaches

While Africa offers us many interesting systems for recording the sound or the meaning of words, you can use what you've learned to invent your own "Virtual African" alphabet styles.  
Shown here, three easy techniques: 

• Reshape Bamum* letters to look like alphabet letters; 
• Decorate alphabet letters with Adinkra, Bantu, and Nsibidi symbols, colors, and motifs; 
• render the letters in typical African materials.  

And, of course, translate your own language into swahili words as shown here in the illustrations and borders, as here, where "welcome" becomes "KARIBU.".  

Above, This chapter opener from Learn World Calligraphy shows how to add African visual flavor to the ABCs.

*Left: Bamum mixed with the alphabet.  See original letters on page 24 Learn World Calligraphy or go to http://www.pinterest.com/pin/278941770644520572/  

Africa 3: Nsibidi

Nsibidi symbols sum up whole stories or abstract ideas.  Their form is expressed most often in woven fibers.  

The wall-sized mat from Cameroon, left, is tightly woven of banana or plantain fiber with darker stitching.  

Image from Peabody Museum, Harvard 

University.  Photographer Mark Craig.  

Africa 2. Adinkra

Border design from the African chapter in  Learn World Calligraphy, by Margaret Shepherd.  

Adinkra is a symbol system (rather than an alphabet) that represents culturally important ideas with simple designs (above and left).  They are traditionally stamped onto hand-woven cloth. 


These printing blocks are usually carved from the calabash gourd, right.  

In a modern reinterpretation of this traditional craft, these Adinkra symbols were carved into flat beach sand by Andrew van der Merwe.   

Africa 1. Bamum writing

From page 12, Learn World Calligraphy, by Margaret Shepherd.  The African chapter includes history, master alphabets, guidelines, and design ideas.  

The symbols in this phonetic syllabary were created in Cameroon over a century ago by a panel of artists and thinkers.  Inspired by dream that came to King Njoya, this unique and sophisticated alphabet for the Bamum language became a symbol of national pride.  Accordingly, French colonial policies sought to suppress it.  

Recently a group of academics, historians, and scribes have been reviving its use.  

Learn World Calligraphy: 2014

Let your calligraphy pen take you around the world.   

We will visit a new country every week, soak up the local culture, and bring home exotic visual souvenirs. 

After you’ve met each exotic alphabet, you can check in during the week to find techniques, tips on materials, intriguing illustrations, and useful projects. 

Many posts will include illustrations from Learn World Calligraphy, authored and illustrated by Margaret Shepherd. 

The gate of the year

I've finished my year of daily alphabets.  In 2014 I plan to explore one style a week based on my recent book Learn World Calligraphy. 

Here is a  quotation for inspiration.  (Note that the blue vertical line is formed by an alphabet.)