A Second Dinka Script – The Nilotic Writing System by Deng Chol

Letter to the Editor,

Dear Pioocku Thuongjang Team,

I trust this message finds you in good health and high spirits.

My name is Deng Chol, and I am a visual artist hailing from South Sudan. Over the past 16 years, I have embarked on a personal journey and research endeavor focused on the Development of the Nilotic Writing System, which includes the Dinka language. This journey has taken me to more than seven countries across Africa, including Sudan, Egypt, Libya, Algeria, Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania.

My exploration into the creation of new scripts for the Dinka language began in 2004 while I was still a student in Libya. As time progressed, I came to the realization that it was not just the Dinka language that required a revamped writing system but also many African languages, especially the Nilotic Languages. These languages had a long-neglected writing system that dated back thousands of years to the Kush Kingdom, a Nilotic civilization in Sudan.

Historically, Nilotic languages used their own scripts during the Meroe period, known as the Meroitic writing system (you can learn more here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meroitic_script). Drawing inspiration from this heritage, I have been diligently developing these ancient scripts for contemporary use within the Nilotic languages’ writing systems.

I am currently in the process of creating a comprehensive book that delves into the theoretical aspects of this project. However, I am delighted to share with you the final practical summary and results at this time.

Please find attached the document, and I kindly request your permission to publish it on your website exclusively.

Best regards,

Deng Chol Nairobi, Kenya

May 5, 2020

A Second Dinka Script – The Nilotic Writing SystemDownload