The Fulani people of West Africa are renowned as the world’s largest nomadic group. Their native language, Pulaar, is spoken by over 40 million people. Despite its widespread use, Pulaar lacked its own alphabet for much of history. This reliance on other writing systems led to the erosion of the language’s unique nuances and the gradual disappearance of traditions, stories, and songs due to illiteracy.
The Barry Brothers’ Mission
Two brothers, Ibrahima and Abdoulaye Barry, saw the urgent need to preserve their cultural heritage. In a monumental effort, they developed an alphabet specifically for the Fulani language. This new writing system, however, remained limited in its accessibility for nearly 30 years, as it existed only in handwritten form.
The Digital Transformation
In 2018, the Barry brothers began collaborating with Microsoft to bring their alphabet into the digital age. This collaboration culminated in April 2024 with the launch of ADLaM Display, a digital version of the Pulaar alphabet. This advancement allows the Fulani people to communicate in their native language via texts, emails, and websites, bridging the gap between tradition and modernity.
“ADLaM, the acronym, A, D, L, M, Alkule Dandayɗe Leñol Mulugol, literally means it is the alphabet that will prevent the culture, the people, from disappearing. What we meant by that is not the people, themselves, will disappear, but the fact that ADLaM will allow us to preserve our culture,” the Barry brothers explained in a statement shared with ESSENCE.
Enhancing Accessibility
The digital version of ADLaM, developed in partnership with the creative agency McCann NY, is now integrated into the Microsoft 365 suite, available on both desktop and mobile platforms. This integration ensures that the Fulani people can preserve their culture while fostering literacy across West Africa.
“Even though we created ADLaM, to make it accessible, it has to be on computers,” Abdoulaye Barry said in a video detailing their groundbreaking work.
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Creating a New Typeface
The Barry brothers, alongside a group of expert typeface designers, worked diligently to revise the alphabet, making it easier to read and write. This new typeface incorporates evolved letter forms, reflecting the natural progression of the alphabet within the Fulani community.
Educational Initiatives
To combat illiteracy, the Barry brothers, in collaboration with McCann, produced educational resources for schools in Guinea. These resources include a children’s book designed to teach the ADLaM alphabet and aspects of Fulani culture, in-classroom learning materials, and a learn-to-write book. All learning materials have been digitized for use on classroom computers.
“Being able to use your language on a computer is so fundamental. If you don’t have that, you’re just shut off from the world that we function in,” said Andrew Glass, Principal Manager, Product Management at Microsoft.
The Importance of Language Preservation
“In a world where one language is lost every three months, the ADLaM project embodies the importance of preserving and securing the future of the world’s multitude of cultures and languages, and as a result, the precious memories, myths, rituals, and deep knowledge that have been passed down over centuries,” said Shayne Millington, Co-Chief Creative Officer at McCann NY.
Global Integration
The redesigned alphabet has been successfully integrated across Microsoft’s global platforms, available on the Microsoft 365 suite just in time for the summer season. Due to the combined efforts of the Barry brothers, Microsoft, and McCann, ADLaM has gained popularity among the Fulani diaspora globally and within West African communities.
Educational Expansion
This year marks the opening of the first two ADLaM-focused schools in Guinea, where Fulani children can study the entire curriculum in their mother tongue for the first time. Guinea’s Minister of Education has ensured that ADLaM is recognized as the official alphabet for Pulaar. Additionally, the Mali government is in the process of including ADLaM as an official alphabet in its constitution.
The Barry brothers’ work not only preserves the Fulani language but also enhances literacy and cultural pride, showcasing the power of innovation in sustaining heritage.