True Type Font ForWriting the Taino Language

[Miguel Sague Jr]

This file contains the true type font "TAINO-2".

taino_2.zip

This newly designed font supports the writing system for the Taino syllabary that we created back in 1984.

As we Tainos continue our efforts at recovering our ancient Arawakan language I. wanted to offer an element of language which we in the CANEY INDIGENOUS SPIRITUAL CIRCLE arrived at in the 1980's. The ancient Tainos did not have a written language system. There was an intricate complex of petroglyph symbols that expressed certain sacred concepts but it did not constitute a complete writing system. We in the Caney circle arrived at the conclusion that in this highly literate social environment in which we live now a complete writing system similar to the one employed by the ancient Mayas is necessary so we can communicate our language in text form. We can continue to use the Euro-centric alphabet that was imposed on us by the conquerors or we have the option of devising our own writing. in the decade of the 1980's we arrived at a relatively simple syllabary using images derived from Taino simbology, such as a picture of a male cemi to represent the consonant "B" used in the word "baba" (father), and a picture of a nagua to represent the consonant "N" which is at the beginning of the word "nagua". This syllabary is expressed as a collection of the 15 consonants used in the pronunciation of the Taino language and vowel attachment symbols representing the five vowels we now recognize in our current pronunciation. The system works by combining the various consonant glyphs with vowel symbols to generate consonant-vowel combinations such as the "B" consonant accompanied by the "O" symbol to generate the sound "Bo". The vowel sound is not represented by a separate letter but instead it is represented by the place on the consonant that the vowel symbol (or knob) is attached to. If it is "Ba" the "B" glyph is accompanied by a vowel "knob" attached on top. If it is "Bi" (pronounced "bee") the vowel knob is attached to the bottom of the "B" consonant glyph. If it is "Bo" the vowel knob is attached to the left of the "B" consonant glyph and so on. This is a system that is very similar to the writing system of the ancient Maya and may have been the one our own Taino ancestors would have chosen if they had been given the opportunity to continue evolving as a culture. Here is a sampling of the syllabary.

This new font that we recently designed for this old writing system can be installed on any Windows computer and used on practically any word processing program such as Microsoft Word. Please download the  font file onto your computer. Then install the font. Once the font is installed in your computer you will be able to type words using this system straight from your computer keyboard. 

After you install the font in your computer you may download this graphic image of the keyboard key stamps and reduce them to about 60% of their original size. Print out the sheet and cut the little rectangles so they can be pasted on the individual keys of your computer.

Each individual rectangle should be carefully cut out, one by one, and glued on the corresponding key of your computer next to the manufacturer's font character (at the right of the original character). That way you will be able to see the original character on the left of the keyboard key, and also next to it on the right, the new Taino-2 font character. Notice that each rectangle of the Taino-2 font contains two characters stacked one on top of the other. You must cut out each individual rectangle completely with both characters included. Each of these two-character rectangles must be pasted whole on the computer key. The upper character on the image represents what will be expressed when you type that key with the shift key pressed. The lower character represents what will be typed when the character key is pressed without the shift key.

 

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Use this keyboard chart shown below to guide you in your job of pasting the individual stamps to your computer keys.

 

 

 

 

[Tenanche Semi-Ata Rose Golden]

Takaji Datiao,

Bo Matun for sharing this system with everyone. I remember when the Caney Circle began using these glyphs back in the 1980's! I am familiar with most of them since I continue to use the Taino glyphs in daily readings for myself and have used them occasionally for others. Time permitting, I intend to study and appreciate them even more!

Bo Matun!

Bibi Tenanche

[Miguel Sague Jr]

It's wonderful to see a whole crop of new people, many of them Tainos, who are excited by the new developments in this glyph system