Pimato Sandad

The Pimato Sandad writing system is an abugida created by Ander Jiloh in 2016 for Kadazandusun, a North Bornean language spoken in Malaysia. It was invented to give the Kadazandusun language access to the medium of writing as a sovereign space for cultural expression, as the Latin script does not share cultural heritage with the Kadazandusun language. A font, known as Taarau, is developed by Ander Jiloh since 2019.

Pimato simply means 'letters', and sandad means 'indigenous'. Put together, Pimato Sandad means 'indigenous letters'. The script is also referred to as Pimato, Pimato Tokou ('our letters'), or Pimato Momogun ('letters of the Momogun peoples').

Notable Features

Type of writing system: abugida
Writing direction: left to right in horizontal lines, or from top to bottom in vertical columns running from right to left.
Used to write: Kadazandusun, or other indigenous Bornean languages
It has no inherent vowel (except when writing languages that contain the schwa, in which the schwa is the inherent vowel)
All open syllables are ligatures, coda consonants attach to the bottom
All letters have a 'spine'

Pimato Sandad script

Sample text (Article 1 of the UDHR)

Sample text in the Pimato Sandad script (Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Kadazandusun)

Transliteration

Oinsanan tulun nosusu poinggabas om opiadang id tahangtinan om kotunudan. Notungkapan yolo do woyohondom om pomusarahan om nuru mogitatanda id kopogiobpinayan.
(Suul 1 do Sunudtongkop Sompomogunan do Kotunudan Kobion)

Translation

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
(Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights)

Sample text (Sisindion - a poem)

Sample text in the Pimato Sandad script - Sisindion - a poem

Transliteration

Songkolindogunganan ii nokito ku i Kodundungan
Mood-ngood podtizukan tu do hinisou do paai
Kagasan zou intuu' do paai, olonggivitan daa diho tamahang
Bambaazon kinodim za, Kadazan no tinaau za

Nung osongkosuvazan i nosoou zu, odondoman matuu koposizon zu
Nga sooupama ingkaa om ingkaa ii
Zadaai tangalaat do oukab no daa i totombol do kovosian

Siizo', atapo', ondika, inandoi
Pampang mivid-hivid, dandaas mindai-indai
Bontugo', pantango' kohimpantazan
Songkoduiduiza, ohimbaavagan ko-inggang-an
Sisindion, Mr Lojitin 2026

Further information

GitHub repo for the Taarau font, with other supporting materials
https://github.com/andergisomon/taarau

Endangered Alphabets blog post
https://www.endangeredalphabets.com/2024/06/24/kadazandusun-or-pimato-the-case-for-a- new-malayan-script/

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