- Mwangwego alphabet
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Mwangwego Type abugida Languages Chewa and other Bantu languages of Malawi Creator Nolence Mwangwego Time period 1977–present Note: This page may contain IPA phonetic symbols. The Mwangwego alphabet is an abugida developed for Malawian languages.[1][2] The Mwangwego script was conceptualized on November 10, 1977 by Nolence Mwangwego after he found evidence of a writing system in Malawi prior to European arrival or contact with the people that now make up Malawi.[1][2]
Contents
Indigenous writing system
The evidence of a writing system prior to European contact is based on languages spoken in the region. As an example, the verbs Kulemba and Kusimba, which in Chichewa and Kyandonde, respectively, mean "to write" is evidence that they had a word for 'write', indicating that there was a writing system.[1]. In addition, rock art has been found in Malawi.[1]
Script
The Mwangwego script was created in 1979. The writing system consists of indigenous based symbols created between 1979 and 1997 by Mwangwego.[1][3]
Usage and reception
The script was launched in 2003 and is slowly gaining a following within Malawi. Mwangwego continues to hold public lectures and exhibitions in academic institutions and teach the script. In 2003, the Minister of youth, sports and culture, Mr Kamangadazi Chambalo, was quoted as saying:
"Mwangwego script is in itself history in the making. Irrespective of how it is going to be received by the public nation-wide, the script is bound to go in the annals of our history as a remarkable invention."[1]
Script academics
The first person to learn the script was Mwandipa Chimaliro.[1] Ten other students that year learned the script as well who went on to teach others.[1]
Mwangwego Script Club
In 2007 about 10,000 Mwangwego students formed the Mwangwego Club who's membership is open to those that have learned the script.
Nolence Mwangwego
Nolence Moses Mwangwego is a Zambian-born Malawian linguist. He was born on July 1, 1951 in Mwinilunga District of Zambia.[4] Mr Mwangwego comes from Yaphet Mwakasungula village, in the area of Paramount chief Kyungu in Karonga District[4]. Mr Mwangwego was, on December 29, 1997, installed village Headman Yaphet Mwakasungula IV.[5] He speaks and writes Chewa, Tumbuka, Kyangonde, English, French, and Portuguese. He is currently working as teacher of French at the French Cultural Center, in Blantyre.[4]
He is married to Ellen Kalobekamo and has four children.
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h http://mwangwego.com/history.htm
- ^ a b http://www.nationmw.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5352:kupanga-zilembo-sipano&catid=165:eds-letter
- ^ http://scripts.sil.org/cms/scripts/page.php?item_id=SitesOnScriptsAndWSs
- ^ a b c http://mwangwego.com/inventor.htm
- ^ http://www.reference.com/browse/malawians%27
Categories:- Malawian culture
- Abugida writing systems
- Writing systems of Africa
- Languages of Africa
- Artificial scripts
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