Jiɛ̈ɛ̈ŋ HeritageThuɔŋjäŋ · Stories · Heritage
Hear. Learn. Remember.
Learn Thuɔŋjäŋ, the Dinka language, and keep our elders' stories alive, on any phone or laptop, even on a slow connection.
OR GET THE APP
Free. By using the app you agree to our Terms and Privacy policy.
Works in your phone's or laptop's browser today. Android and iPhone apps are coming soon.
Why it matters
Our stories live in voices.
Folktales, songs, proverbs and the meaning of our names are passed on by speaking, from elders to children. Most have never been written down or recorded.
Spoken, not written
Our knowledge lives in folktales, songs, proverbs, oral histories and naming traditions.
Elders are the archive
Each elder carries stories no book holds. When they are gone, the stories can go with them.
A generation far from home
Children growing up in towns and abroad speak other languages all day and can lose their own.
About 4.5 million people are Jiɛ̈ɛ̈ŋ (Dinka), the largest Nilotic people of South Sudan (2008 Sudan census).
How it works
Learn, listen, and pass it on.
Learn the language
Short lessons teach the letters and everyday words, one small step a day.
Listen to stories
Play folktales, songs and proverbs told by the community, wherever you are.
Record an elder
Record a story on your phone. A moderator checks it, then everyone can listen.
In the app today
Everything in one place.
Lessons and practice
Units of short lessons with tips: letters, words, matching, listening and typing.
Remembers what you find hard
Words you miss come back in quick reviews until you know them.
Story library
Folktales, songs, proverbs and names. Play from the list, like, comment and reply.
Record and share
Three easy steps, a cover photo if you like, and consent before anything is shared.
Edit your stories
Fix a title or add a photo later. Changes to published stories are checked first.
Share with family
Send a story link on WhatsApp or Facebook with its own cover. Anyone can listen, no app needed.
Made for slow connections
Works offline and sends your recordings when the connection comes back.
Your progress, everywhere
Sign in with Google or email and pick up on your phone or laptop.
Story videos Coming soon
Filmed stories with elders, with Jiɛ̈ɛ̈ŋ Heritage Plus. The audio stays free.
Shared with care
Respect for every voice.
Stories belong to the people who tell them. The app is built so they are shared only with permission.
- Everyone heard in a recording agrees before it is shared.
- Moderators listen to every story before it goes public.
- Anyone can report a story or comment, or block a member.
- Hurtful words in comments are caught, and the writer is asked to keep it kind.
- No ads and no trackers. We never sell your data.
- You can delete your account and your recordings at any time.
- Lessons and the app's wording are shaped by Thuɔŋjäŋ teachers.
Why I built this
I grew up as a war child in South Sudan. When I visited relatives in Uganda, my aunt's children spoke English fluently, but they could not speak basic Thuɔŋjäŋ, even though they used phones every day.
Those same phones could help them learn their language and hear the stories of our elders. I study computer science at the University of Juba, and Jiɛ̈ɛ̈ŋ Heritage is how I am putting it to work for my community.
Makur MajengFounder, Jiɛ̈ɛ̈ŋ Heritage
What's next
Growing with the community.
The app
- Lessons and practice
- Story library and sharing
- Recording with consent
- Community moderation
12 months in Juba
- Train 10 to 20 secondary-school students to record
- At least 50 stories from elders
- Tested with 100 early users at home and abroad
More for everyone
- The app in Thuɔŋjäŋ
- Choosing your dialect, and the meanings of names
- Transcripts and translations
- Android and iPhone apps, story videos
Get involved
Every story counts.
Teach or record
Speak Thuɔŋjäŋ well? Help shape the lessons, record words, or review stories.
Get in touchPartner with us
Schools, community groups and organisations: help us reach more elders and learners.
Get in touchQuestions
Good to know.
Is it free?
Yes. Lessons, practice and every story's audio are free. Story videos will come later with an optional Plus subscription.
Do I need the internet?
Only now and then. The app keeps what you have opened and sends your recordings and comments when you are back online.
Who can hear my recording?
Only you, until a moderator approves it. Then everyone can listen. You confirm that everyone in it agreed before you send it.
Which dialect does it teach?
The lessons start with the shared alphabet and everyday words. Choosing your dialect (Rek, Agar, Bor, Padang, Ruweng and the dialects within them) is coming soon.
Is there an Android or iPhone app?
They are coming soon. Until then, the app works in your phone's browser: open it and add it to your home screen.
Can I delete my account?
Yes, at any time in Settings. See how in the privacy policy.
Get in touch
Write to us.
Questions, a story to share, or an idea for working together: we read every message.
Start with one word, or one story.
Free, on any phone. Join the people keeping Thuɔŋjäŋ alive.
Open the app