Ngombale Typeface is an ongoing typographic project developed from a decolonial perspective. It focuses on Ngombale, a variant of the Bamileke languages spoken in the Grassfields region of northwestern Cameroon. The project began as a way to reconnect with a linguistic and cultural heritage, as Ngombale is the native language of my mother.
The typeface draws from visual references rooted in the Grassfields region, particularly ornamental motifs found on a traditional warrior’s knife sheath. These motifs, originating from objects rarely accessed by the general public, reveal complex fractal patterns and a high level of graphic and symbolic craftsmanship.
Rather than serving as surface decoration, these ornamental forms were used to inform the internal structure and construction of the letterforms. Through abstraction and repetition, they became a graphic system guiding rhythm, proportion, and balance across the typeface.
Ngombale presents phonetic and tonal features that are difficult to fully translate within the Latin alphabet. In response, the project explores the use of diacritics as elements of double reading, operating both as functional markers and symbolic forms. This approach reflects a duality found in Grassfields cultures, where meaning often exists between what is spoken, what is seen, and what is implied.
Ngombale Typeface is still in development and functions as an experimental foundation for further research. The project explores how typography can become a tool for cultural transmission and visual reinterpretation while engaging with African languages in contemporary design contexts.
Participating in the KBI 2025 Type Design Incubator was a formative experience for my design practice. Coming from a background with little prior exposure to typography and its technical foundations, I learned a great deal in a short amount of time and continue to build on that knowledge.
As someone who tends to be more reserved, the programme encouraged me to step outside my comfort zone and challenge myself. Engaging with the work of talented designers from diverse backgrounds was both inspiring and motivating, and it helped me gain confidence in my own approach to design.
Feedback was consistently constructive, thoughtful, and encouraging, and I always felt supported throughout the programme.
Freshly graduated in design and having previously explored decolonial themes largely through independent research, the programme offered a valuable opportunity to experiment within a rigorous and supportive framework. Discovering type design through a programme so closely aligned with my interests made the experience particularly meaningful.
