“Suksma,” or “Thank you,” in the traditional Balinese language and script. Photo and carving by the author.

Fairly often I get asked: what does it take to revive a traditional script that has been unused, or largely unused, for years? Decades? Centuries?

Much less often, I actually have a clear, detailed answer. In this case, let’s look at exactly what is being done to revive the beautiful flowing script of Bali.

When I started the Endangered Alphabets Project’s first exhibition of carvings, I wanted to include Balinese, but it took me over a year to find someone who could write my sample text, Article One of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, in traditional Balinese script, which had been sidelined after Indonesian independence, more than 60 years previously.

Balinese was an especially interesting and potentially tragic casualty, not only for its beauty but for its spiritual relationship to its culture, and because of the tradition of festivals of live reading and performance that were at the heart of village culture.

Things are now very different; and to illustrate the how, I’m going to give you chapter and verse from a proclamation by the Governor of Bali, and a video made by an independent non-profit organization about their own parallel efforts.

The proclamation may be the more important, and it’s certainly the more unusual. Many private organizations exist around the world to revive traditional scripts; very few governments have thrown time, money, resources and planning into that same aim.

There’s a lot of such bureaucratic language, which might make some readers wary, but it’s pretty valuable to say who is actually responsible for what.

In his 2018 proclamation, the governor begins with a fascinating and well-worth-considering premise—that it is the job of the State to maintain regional languages as “national cultural assets” and that “Balinese language, script and literature” are “part of the nation’s cultural wealth” and thus “need to be preserved and developed.”

To an observer in the United States, where indigenous languages have long been ignored or suppressed and even today the masterpieces of script, language and literature of one state may be banned in another, there’s a remarkable clarity and force of vision here. After a good number of whys and wherefores and definitions, the proclamation says some pretty strong things in terms of the importance of language and script to culture.

“Balinese … speakers are…carriers of Balinese culture and Balinese social order….Balinese language, script and literature is language, script and literature that lives and develops among the people of Bali and other areas … animates and becomes a vehicle for the growth and development of Balinese culture.

“Balinese language, script and literature have functions including: a. symbolizing regional pride and identity as well community of speakers and supporters of Balinese Language; a means of communication and expression in the family; as a medium for Balinese culture and Hinduism; as the media used in pakraman village, customary banjars, and other customary institutions.”

Okay, but how exactly does a regional government preserve and develop its language, script and literature?

Perhaps the most interesting (though driest) is Chapter V which provides for the creation of a National Civil Apparatus within the District Government as well as the community to use the Balinese language in addition to the Indonesian language;

• To determine the use of Balinese language, script and literature in various media and public spaces, both government and private;
• To give awards to parties who have demonstrated efforts to maintain, develop, and utilize Balinese language, script, and literature; (As some of you know, I myself am a big fan of encouragement through awards: https://wewday.webflow.io/showcase/2024-award-winners)
• To complete and refine learning materials, learning media, and teaching methods of Balinese Language, Script and Literature;
• To make Balinese as the language of instruction at least up to Senior High School/equivalent for certain subjects;
• to facilitate the establishment of study programs in the field of Balinese language, script and literature; and
• facilitate the organization of print and electronic mass media in Balinese language; along with…
• updating and creation of electronic applications.

The Governor also establishes the Balinese Language, Script and Literature Institute, to be managed by academics, Balinese language practitioners, cultural practitioners, and artists”—a nicely-balanced group combining scholarship with creativity while remaining connected to tradition. Ancient and modern.

Yep, that’s the kit, and also the caboodle. Oh no, wait, there’s more.

There are guidelines for involving civil servants and libraries, and for holding a Balinese language month every February, and encouraging the use of Balinese on certain days of the week.

Okay, people are people, and governing is governing, so I can’t claim that everything in the proclamation is going according to plan. But I invite you to write and tell me if you know any government, anywhere else, that has a revitalization plan that rivals this one for thoroughness and respect for community.

Meanwhile….

…here’s the video report created for our World Endangered Writing Day by an organization that has been doing a great deal of hard and committed work to bring both the Balinese script and language back to life!

Tim Brookes is the founder and president of the non-profit Endangered Alphabets Project (endangeredalphabets.com). His new book, Writing Beyond Writing: Lessons from Endangered Alphabets, can be found at https://www.endangeredalphabets.com/writing-beyond-writing/.