Distinguished by their angular forms, the Southern Sumatran script group1 extends from Lampung to the highlands of Kerinci. Widely used for centuries, these scripts are now struggling to survive, overshadowed by the dominance of the Latin alphabet.
Currently, I serve as a researcher in The Missing Scripts project at the Atelier National de Recherche Typographique (France), collaborating with IDG Hochschule Mainz (Germany) and SEI UC Berkeley (US). When I tell people that I am researching Southern Sumatran scripts, many have no idea that this region has its own unique scripts, let alone how they look. To be fair, I didn’t know of their existence until my third visit to the region either.
It’s disheartening, considering how significant these scripts once were. They were the primary writing system of the region, used for writing the law book and official letters in pre-independence Indonesia. The scripts even evolved into typographic forms, including typewriter versions and metal types. I should tell you now: the more I research them, the more fascinating they become.
While I share my findings through academic channels, I’m determined to bring them to a broader audience. This effort will begin with the Instagram account @SouthernSumatran, where I’ll share insights, visuals, and stories to spark interest and appreciation. By doing so, I hope to bridge the gap between academic research and public awareness, giving these scripts the recognition and revival they deserve.
This page will be regularly updated. (last update on 01/01/2025)
Formal publication regarding this study:
- Syauqi, Ariq. 2024. “Southern Sumatran Scripts: The Transformation from 14th Century to Present.” Presented at the Grapholinguistics in the 21th Century, October 23. https://grafematik2024.sciencesconf.org.
Footnote
- I use the term “Southern Sumatra”, and not “South Sumatra”, to refer to the region where the scripts can be found. This distinction is important to avoid any ambiguity, as the term “South Sumatra” specifically denotes an official provincial entity, whereas “Southern Sumatra” encompasses a broader geographical area, including Lampung, Bengkulu, and Jambi. ↩︎