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Writing Systems Technical Resources

Rejang (Redjang, Kaganga)

Sample of Rejang script

Script details

See all script details: code, region, status and more
Code Rjng
Script type abugida
Region Insular Southeast Asian
Status Current
Direction LTR
Baseline bottom
Case no
White space unspecified
Complex behaviors diacritics
OpenType code rjng
ISO 15924 Numeric Code / Key 363 (alphasyllabic)

Explanation of script details

Script description

The Rejang (also known as the Kaganga or Redjang) script is used to write the 5 Rejang dialects spoken collectively by about 200-250,000 people on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, and the Kerinci and Lampung languages of the same region.

Read the full description…The script is thought to pre-date the introduction of Islam in the C12th to the area, although the earliest attested document has been dated to the mid C18th. It is traditionally written on bamboo, buffalo horn, bark or copper plates. An abugida of Brahmic derivation, the script comprises 23 consonant letters each with an inherent [a] vowel. Any of 12 diacritics can be used to modify the quality of the vowel. A further diacritic is used to mute the inherent vowel in a consonant-final syllable. The script is somewhat defective in that it does not allow for the representation of diphthongs, which occur frequently in spoken Rejang. Consonants likewise cannot form clusters.

Languages that use this script

LanguageWriting System
Code		Writing System
Status		SLDR/CLDR
locale		Regional
variants
Kerincikvr-Rjngin use kvr-Rjng-ID (Indonesia)
Lampung Apiljp-Rjngin use ljp-Rjng-ID (Indonesia)
Lampung Nyoabl-Rjngin use abl-Rjng-ID (Indonesia)
Rejangrej-Rjngin use rej-Rjng-ID (Indonesia)

Unicode status

In The Unicode Standard, Rejang script implementation is discussed in Chapter 17: Southeast Asia-II — Indonesia and the Philippines and in UTN 35: Indonesian and Philippine Scripts and extensions.

Resources