The Endangered Alphabets Project

All over the world members of indigenous or minority cultures have their own spoken and written languages—languages they have developed to express their own beliefs, their own experiences, their understanding of their world. What they have collectively written in those languages is the record of their cultural identity: spiritual texts, historical documents, letters between family members, knowledge about medicinal plants, poems. In scores of countries, though, even in the West, those minority languages are unofficial, suppressed, ignored, even illegal. Children sit through classes listening to teachers they can barely understand; adults have to speak a second or even a third language to get social services or deal with the law. The Endangered Alphabets Project, a 5012c3 non-profit, was founded in 2010 to draw attention to the importance of preserving minority cultures by making hand-carved artwork using their endangered writing systems. 

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This is the kind of thing I am doing these days. My carving of "Spontaneous Perfection" in Tibetan calligraphy by Golok Akyung. Cherry, roughly 26" across. This will be available as circular wall art or, with hairpin legs, as a side table.

#carving #woodwork #Tibetan #Buddhist #zen #endangeredalphabets

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This evening’s Endangered Alphabets work. Ten points for identifying the script. A hundred points for being able to work out what it translates to. A thousand points for identifying the wood. I’m a tough judge. endangeredalphabets.com

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Another example of what I'm doing these days at the Endangered Alphabets Project. This is a side table in Bubinga wood with the phrase "Unchanging Wellbeing" in Tibetan calligraphy by Tashi Mannox.

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Almost finished, a side table I'm calling the Gratitude Table, as I've carved the Mongolian for "Thank you," *bayarlalaa* in this amazing piece of bigleaf maple burl. Just another product of the Endangered Alphabets Project.

#woodwork #carving #Mongolian #furniture #interiordesign #haveyoueverseenapieceofwoodlikethat

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Feel the Bern

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“These are our words, shaped/By our hands, our tools,/Our history. Lose them/And we lose ourselves.” The Endangered Alphabets poem, translated into the Eskayan script from the Philippines, in anticipation of World Endangered Writing Day, January 23rd. Follow this feed to watch the day’s activities as they develop.

#writing #endangered #alphabet

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In observance of International Mother Language Day (Feb 21), a series of carvings that say “mother tongue” or the equivalent, in endangered alphabets. A thousand points if you can identify them all! https://www.instagram.com/p/Co0SL-2OJ8M/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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This is where I developed the love of wood that led to the Endangered Alphabets Project: this is the wonderful guitar Rick Davis made for me out of flame cherry, Adirondack spruce with bearclaw….. https://www.instagram.com/p/CoGFJUVJVdv/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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Posting this for my friends at Aksara.Dinusantara: a carving of the phrase “mother tongue” in 20 different traditional scripts of Indonesia. My hat is off to Ridwan Maulana! https://www.instagram.com/p/CoAuLF7u71g/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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Posting this for my friends at Aksara.Dinusantara: a carving of the phrase “mother tongue” in 20 different traditional scripts of Indonesia. My hat is off to Ridwan Maulana! https://www.instagram.com/p/CoAuLF7u71g/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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The Tibetan tabletop is finished—just waiting for the legs. That Bastogne walnut is different every way you look at it…. https://www.instagram.com/p/CnnbLFrrAmG/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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Just finished this trivet or table centerpiece that say the equivalent of bon appetit in the endangered Balinese script. Lovely curly maple. Want me to make one for you? https://www.instagram.com/p/CnltvyouIfa/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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I mean, just look at that wood. Bastogne walnut. And this is the UNDERSIDE of the side table I’m making, the bit nobody will see! https://www.instagram.com/p/CniAxpWOBC6/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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I don’t think I ever posted a photo of the work bench I made for myself. It reads “Do good work” in Javanese. Cherry and butternut. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cm4T43IuxOD/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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Carved but not yet painted in gold lettering, this will be an astounding little side table for sale in a couple of months. The text reads “Graceful kindness” in the Tibetan calligraphy of Tashi Mannox. The wood is amazing Bastogne walnut. Contact me directly for orders. https://www.instagram.com/p/CmmH3p2ryiw/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=