Unlocking Africa’s Past: Ancient Writing System Debunks Long-Held Myths

Spearheaded by the Women’s History Museum of Zambia, the “Frame” project spotlights artifacts like a hunter’s toolbox bearing Sona symbols—a sophisticated and ancient Zambian writing system once taught by women. These geometric patterns encoded knowledge about the cosmos, math, nature, and social life. Previously unknown, the discovery of these artifacts challenges long-held assumptions about African culture. From leather cloaks to grinding stones, the campaign reclaims artifacts long forgotten or stored in foreign museums, such as Sweden’s, and reveals women’s pivotal roles in shaping precolonial African society. Co-founder Samba Yonga describes the initiative as a cultural “treasure hunt” and a deeply personal journey—one that’s reigniting a hunger for ancestral wisdom and redefining how Africans see their past and themselves.

BBC