speaking with our ancestors

ńmari - origin

okinawan has no standard writing system, but two systems are currently used ad-hoc: 

1. japanese hiragana syllabary - inflexible and imprecise, but popular on the islands 

2. latin letter alphabet - more flexible and precise, but stigmatized outside diaspora

these fragmented and competing systems divide our language reclamation movement

áti - goal

this proposed twofold okinawan script aims to connect our people across oceans: 

• system supports both latin and japanese 

• streamlined and easy to transliterate

• design is intuitive to language learners 

• we can claim it as uniquely indigenous

okinawan script is a practical compromise with tradition and a rhetorical act of bridging

kikkwa - result

átuátu - future

okinawan script helps our movement going forward in the following ways:

• communication and resources becomes more globally-accessible for community 

• asserts sovereignty and reevaluates our relationships to colonial writing systems

• building school curriculum and more expansive workbooks becomes easier 

• reinforces okinawan cultural institutions

creating new traditions shows that we can adapt and innovate for modern solutions