Overview

In 1978, Congolese inventor David Wabeladio Payi (1958–2013) proposed a new writing system, called Mandombe. Since then, Mandombe has grown and now has thousands of learners in not only the Democratic Republic of Congo, but also France, Angola and many other countries. Drawing upon Ramon Sarró's personal friendship with Wabeladio, this book tells the story of Wabeladio, his alphabet and the creativity that both continue to inspire. A member of the Kimbanguist church, which began as an anticolonial movement in 1921, Wabeladio and his script were deeply influenced by spirituality and Kongo culture. Combining biography, art, and religion, Sarró explores a range of ideas, from the role of pilgrimage and landscape in Wabeladio's life, to the intricacies and logic of Mandombe. Sarró situates the creative individual within a rich context of anthropological, historical and philosophical scholarship, offering a new perspective on the relationships between imagination, innovation and revelation.

Full Product Details

Author:   Ramon Sarró (University of Oxford)
Publisher:   Cambridge University Press
Imprint:   Cambridge University Press
Dimensions:   Width: 15.80cm , Height: 1.50cm , Length: 23.50cm
Weight:   0.470kg
ISBN:  

9781009199490

ISBN 10:   1009199498
Pages:   332
Publication Date:   23 February 2023
Audience:   General/trade ,  General
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Manufactured on demand  
We will order this item for you from a manufactured on demand supplier.

Table of Contents

List of figures; List of maps; List of Glyphs; Acknowledgments; Part I. Introduction: 1. A writing lesson (in Luanda); Part II. Biography: 2. N'kamba: the road to revelation; 3. Kinshasa: the road to the university; 4. The eagle and the silk-cotton tree: my road with Wabeladio; Part III. Writing, Art, and Kongo Culture: 5. The road to the alphabet: the basics of Mandombe; 6. On the Kongo road writing and entrapping culture; 7. The road to art: the basics of Kimbanbula; 8. A different road: reading Wabeladio's 'Method of Discovery'; Part IV. Discussion: 9. How to make words with bricks: some final thoughts on creativity; Bibliography; Index.

Reviews

'A truly fascinating book about a no less fascinating character and his inspired invention of an alphabet! Ramon Sarro explores in original ways the productive tensions between science, art and religion. In doing so, he offers us a brilliant reflection on the very process of human creativity.' Julien Bonhomme, Ecole Normale Superieure 'Written with compassion, sincerity, and respect, Sarro privileges the voices of Wabeladio Payi and his Congolese interlocutors as the book deftly merges biography, reflection, and ethnography. This intriguing text will shape discussions of identity, religion, Kongo nationalism, and anthropological approaches to creativity and innovation for years to come.' Yolanda Covington-Ward, University of Pittsburgh 'An authentic and significant work. It is ethnographically rooted, ethically correct, and scholarly tested. Sarro breathes new life into Kongo studies. The topic of this book, Mandombe, encapsulates thoughts about Kongo socio-cultural phenomena. A book for those interested in African ontology, history, and savoir-faire, particularly the Kongo.' Adrien N. Ngudiankama, President and Founder of Kongo Academy, Inc. 'A multifaceted exploration of Kimbanguism, Kongo culture and expressions of identity, Sarro examines Wabeladio Payi's system of writing to explore human creativity and epistemology in a religious register. The evocative descriptions and lyrical prose that centre the enquiry around the relationship between Payi and Sarro make this an unusual and beautiful study.' Emma Wild-Wood, University of Edinburgh

'A truly fascinating book about a no less fascinating character and his inspired invention of an alphabet! Ramon Sarró explores in original ways the productive tensions between science, art and religion. In doing so, he offers us a brilliant reflection on the very process of human creativity.' Julien Bonhomme, École Normale Supérieure 'Written with compassion, sincerity, and respect, Sarró privileges the voices of Wabeladio Payi and his Congolese interlocutors as the book deftly merges biography, reflection, and ethnography. This intriguing text will shape discussions of identity, religion, Kongo nationalism, and anthropological approaches to creativity and innovation for years to come.' Yolanda Covington-Ward, University of Pittsburgh 'An authentic and significant work. It is ethnographically rooted, ethically correct, and scholarly tested. Sarro breathes new life into Kongo studies. The topic of this book, Mandombe, encapsulates thoughts about Kongo socio-cultural phenomena. A book for those interested in African ontology, history, and savoir-faire, particularly the Kongo.' Adrien N. Ngudiankama, President and Founder of Kongo Academy, Inc. 'A multifaceted exploration of Kimbanguism, Kongo culture and expressions of identity, Sarro examines Wabeladio Payi's system of writing to explore human creativity and epistemology in a religious register. The evocative descriptions and lyrical prose that centre the enquiry around the relationship between Payi and Sarro make this an unusual and beautiful study.' Emma Wild-Wood, University of Edinburgh

Author Information

Ramon Sarró is Associate Professor in Social Anthropology of Africa at the University of Oxford. His book The Politics of Religious Change on the Upper Guinea Coast: Iconoclasm Done and Undone received the 2010 Amaury Talbot Prize of the Royal Anthropological Institute. His current research, funded by the Leverhulme Trust, focuses on prophetic imagination in Angola.

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