Page 18 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 23
P. 18
History
historians and linguists believe language is only spoken
a more appropriate name for in Ethiopian and Eritrean
the script would be “Napatan,” Orthodox Tawahedo churches
in reference to the first known and the Beta Israel churches,
place of use. the Ge’ez script is mainly used
by speakers of Amharic, Tigre
Archaeologists have found and Tigrinya, and many others. Adinkra
countless inscriptions on stelae, The oldest-known evidence of
temple walls and statues, and a Ge’ez writing can be found on Adinkra symbols are visual
few linguists have attempted to the Hawulti stela, which dates symbols that originated in
translate the text. It’s debated to the pre-Aksumite era, or West Africa, specifically in the
whether the Napatan script has roughly 800 B.C. Kingdom of Ashanti in present-
been deciphered, but the current day Ghana. They are used
consensus is that the script is a in various contexts,
wholly African language, with including as decorative
close similarities to modern elements on cloth,
languages of Taman (spoken in pottery, and other
Darfur and Chad), Niyma (in objects, and as symbols
northern Sudan) and Nubian of specific concepts or
(southern Egypt). ideas. Each symbol has
a specific meaning, and
‘Old Nubian’ (800 A.D.–1500 many of them are associated
A.D.) with specific proverbs or
The so-called “Old Nubian” phrases. Some common Adinkra
script is a descendant of both symbols include the “sankofa”
ancient Napatan and Coptic, symbol, which represents the
and the Old Nubian tongue importance of learning from
is an ancestor of the modern- the past, and the “gye nyame”
Ge’ez or ‘Ethiopic’ (800 B.C. day Nubian languages, such symbol, which represents the
to present day) as Nobiin, Mahasi–Fadijja and supreme power and sovereignty
The Ge’ez script is an advanced Dongolawi. of God. Adinkra symbols were
syllabary script consisting of originally created or designed
231 characters used for writing It was used throughout the by the Bono people of Gyaman,
in several Ethiopian languages. medieval Christian kingdom and are widely recognized and
It is unquestionably one of of Makuria and its satellite used throughout West Africa.
the oldest writing systems in Nobadia. The language is They are often used as a way to
continuous use anywhere in the preserved in at least 100 pages communicate ideas and values
world. of documents, mostly of a in a visual way and are an
Although the original Ge’ez religious nature. important aspect of traditional
18 | we tell the true afrikan story
