How the “5” and “2” symbols emerge from a brick pattern. Patrick Kiasala Lukombo, coordinator in charge of Mandombe in Kinshasa province, says it takes between 12 to 24 sessions to learn how to read and write in it properly. According to Helma Pasch, of the University of Cologne, Mandombe is believed to be “the only African script which has gained some social success without any political support.” She adds that it is also the script that has most benefited from the internet, which has enabled knowledge to spread through Congolese diasporic communities in Europe and North America.Įven though Mandombe writing is rarely seen in the streets of the cities in the DRC, several books are printed in it, mostly religious or educational titles. Mandombe is also taught at Kimbanguist primary and secondary schools in the DRC, the Republic of the Congo and Angola, and at Simon Kimbangu University in Kinshasa. Payi’s invention has gained traction within the Kimbanguist church, where communities have set up their own script-learning centers called CENA, the French acronym for the Centre for Black-African Writing. Each symbol contains either the “5” or “2” shape (mirror images of each other), in addition to other angular lines that give the writing its distinctive look. It is a syllabary, meaning that each block represents a syllable, usually a consonant and a vowel together. Mandombe-it means “for the Blacks”-is used to write Lingala, Kikongo ya leta, and Swahili, which are three of the nationally recognized languages in the DRC (alongside Luba-Kasai and French). The Nkamba Temple in Democratic Republic of the Congo attracts the Kimbanguist faithful. Payi, whose grandfather was an early follower of Kimbangu, was brought up Catholic but became a Kimbanguist after his revelatory dream. It was just after the return from this pilgrimage that Payi found himself confronted with that fateful brick wall. In the vision, Kimbangu told Payi to go to Nkamba, the holy city of Kimbanguism, where he would receive a sacred mission. Kimbangu was a Christian preacher who, in 1921, founded a movement that now has an estimated 20 million followers, mostly in the DRC. On the night of March 13, 1978, Payi had a dream in which the prophet Simon Kimbangu came to him. Mandombe is unusual not only because it is one of only two or three modern African scripts in active use, but also because it inspired by a divine revelation. On other occasions it has had a political motive, a rejection of colonialism and the writing systems it imposed. The motivation has sometimes been linguistic and practical, to capture the local phonetics better than the imported Latin or Arabic alphabet. Since the 19th century, many Africans have constructed scripts for their languages. The script he developed, Mandombe, is now understood by up to 10,000 people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the Republic of the Congo, and Angola. In 1978, the 21-year-old car mechanic looked at the brick wall of his home, saw the shapes of a “5” and a “2” in the contours between the bricks, and used the elements as the basis of a new writing system. Indeed, the phrase is common shorthand for the paralysis of boredom.įor Wabeladio Payi, however, staring at a wall was life-changing. Staring at a wall is not usually considered an inspirational activity. A PDF of the puzzle, as well as the solution, can be downloaded below. This book features the following: 60 Bible crossword puzzles Different themes for each puzzle Large printed crosswords for easy searching 8.5 x 11 inch pages Cute pictures to color with every puzzle Single sided printing to avoid bleed through Answer key included Did you know that crossword puzzles are not only fun but are also greatly beneficial?Ĭrosswords are proven to deliver the following benefits: Builds Critical Thinking Skills Assist in Learning Context Clues Introduce and Review Vocabulary Improve Spelling Skills Relieve Stress and Have Fun! Builds an Interest in Reading and Writing And Much More.Among our crosswords and other puzzles, we’ll be featuring linguistic challenges from around the world from puzzle aficionado and writer Alex Bellos. A fun and engaging way to test your knowledge of the Bible! This inspiring collection of crosswords is perfect for all ages – kids, teens and adults.Ĭhristian Crossword Puzzles is a lovely puzzle book for that will keep you entertained and engaged!
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