| Form of Use | Public or Private | Current Use |
|---|---|---|
| Graphic | Public and Private Use | Communal Use |
| Gestural | Private | Ekpe and Abakua |
| Vocal | Private | Ekpe and Abakua |
An experimental project to transform pre-colonial Nsibidi graphemes into a modern form of writing for public use and communication. This project will employ intensive research regarding the graphemes and their uses for the native cultures that use them and their implications for forming modern logographs for daily use both within and outside the African continent.
Ekpe Society is a traditional secret society found among the Arochukwu of Abia State, all the Ibibio and Annang communities of Akwa Ibom State, Ekoi and Efik of Cross River State, Ndian of Cameroon. Membership is exclusive and involves initiation ceremonies, and the society has a hierarchical structure. Secrecy is a significant aspect, and the Ekpe society is deeply connected to the cultural and religious beliefs of cultures in the area.
Abakua Society is a branch of the Ekpe (Ecue) society in the form of an Afro-Cuban male secret society formed by enslaved members of the Ekpe society brought to Cuba in the 1800s.
Victor Ekpuk is a Nigerian-born contemporary artist known for his work in the field of contemporary African art. He is particularly recognized for his use of Nsibidi, an ancient Nigerian system of writing, as a visual language in his artwork. Ekpuk's art is often characterized by intricate patterns, symbols, and abstract forms that draw on his cultural heritage.
Dr. Ivor Miller is a cultural historian (PhD) specializing in the African Diaspora in the Caribbean and the Americas, served as a Senior Fellow at the National Museum of African Art at the Smithsonian Institution from 2011 to 2012. Additionally, he held the position of Fulbright Scholar to Nigeria from 2009 to 2011 and currently instructs at the Bassey Andah Institute for African and Asian Studies at the University of Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria.
Dr. Samuel Gregory Effiong is a Senior Lecturer (PhD) at the University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom, Nigeria, is an Iso, or face/representative within the Ekpe institution within Akwa Ibom. With direct collaboration and support from Mr. Effiong, I hope to ensure the appropriate research and respect for the Ekpe Society. Mr. Effiong has made massive contributions to the modern implications of Nsibidi for writing and communication in the public sphere. His research and contributions have been essential in understanding and envisioning the script and its cultural significance in modern life within Nigeria.
Chiadikobi Nwaubani, founder and curator of Ụ́kpụ́rụ́, an online gallery of historical photographs of Igbo culture, that also experimented with Nsibidi in the past alongside visual arts research. His amazing work and research have been featured in both Black Panther movies and acknowledged as a contributing factor to the language of the country of Wakanda.
Traditional graphemes and graphic elements from liturgy such as ukara-ekpe motifs and other glyphs are collected. Graphemes are grouped into a square and captured in a picturesque representation to form logographs, ideographs, or radical morphemes. Picturesque logographs, ideographs, or radical morphemes are transformed into modern glyphs for daily use and writing. Glyphs are contextualized with colloquialisms and other forms of linguistic applications.
