From simple alphabets to secret symbolic languages, graphic designer Saki Mafundikwa celebrates the many forms of written communication across the continent of Africa. He highlights the history and legacy that are embodied in written words and symbols, and urges African designers to draw on these graphic forms for fresh inspiration. It's summed up in his favorite Ghanaian glyph, Sankofa, which means "return and get it" -- or "learn from the past."

Saki Mafundikwa: Ingenuity and elegance in ancient African alphabets

Ingenuity and elegance in ancient African alphabets

Africa's rich tradition of graphic design is traced back to ancient alphabets and symbolic languages, urging designers to look within.

The discovery of the Wadi el-Hol inscriptions challenges the origin of the alphabet, placing Africa at the heart of this invention.

Sankofa, a Ghanaian glyph meaning 'return and get it,' embodies learning from the past to inspire future African design innovation.