Abstract
isiXhosa is the language of the Xhosa people of Southern Africa. isiXhosa has three
basic clicks sounds borrowed from the Khoisan people; however, these click sounds
are not represented in the Latin alphabet.
Consequently, the main aim of my research was to create a display font for
amaXhosa-speaking people that takes isiXhosa accents, click sounds and aesthetics
into consideration. The study follows a qualitative research approach, in which indepth
interviews established that isiXhosa people felt the need for an Africaninspired
font that is both a re-establishment of their identity and preservation of their
culture, and that ensures the click sounds are properly represented.
The Double Diamond Design Process was applied to conceptualise and produce a
new display font, Intsimbi, meaning ‘beadwork’. Thematic analysis was used to
identify core themes that emerged in the data; material objects were also explored
and served as inspiration for the researcher/designer. This approach ensured that
the isiXhosa culture and tradition are well represented and that the findings from the
interviews inform the overall outcome of the proposed font, which signifies pride and
humanness — core values on which the isiXhosa people pride themselves.