MILLENNIUM PARADE: Japanese Band Changes Name To Endangered Yi Script
The renowned Japanese rock band formerly known as MILLENNIUM PARADE has changed its name across all platforms to ꉈꀧ꒒꒒ꁄꍈꍈꀧ꒦ꉈ ꉣꅔꎡꅔꁕꁄ. This new name adopts characters from an endangered script used by one of the Yi language varieties, a group of minority languages spoken in China.
Daiki Tsuneta, front man of ꉈꀧ꒒꒒ꁄꍈꍈꀧ꒦ꉈ ꉣꅔꎡꅔꁕꁄ. (Daiki Tsuneta)
ꉈꀧ꒒꒒ꁄꍈꍈꀧ꒦ꉈ ꉣꅔꎡꅔꁕꁄ
The reasons behind this renaming remain unknown. The Yi characters used resemble Roman letters, spelling out "M-I-L-L-E-N-N-I-U-M P-A-R-A-D-E." When transliterated, the name reads as Hxi-bo-kit-kit-puo-zha-zha-bo-gguo-hxi ngap-ndip-nru-ndip-pyr-puo.
Using letters from different writing systems to represent Latin characters has deep roots in internet and pop culture. A well-known example is "Japanese" display typefaces, where Japanese kana characters that resemble Roman letters are used to mimic English typography. This often serves as a novel way to impart an "exotic" feel to typographic designs, although it can sometimes be seen as superficial or even culturally insensitive towards the languages and scripts being appropriated.
THE YI SCRIPT
The Yi script, sometimes called Cuan or Wei, is an ideographic system used to write one of the Yi languages. Its origins may be traced back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE). This script, unlike the Han ideographs widely used in Chinese characters today, has a distinct origin. The oldest recorded inscription in this script dates back to 1485. Historically, this script was mainly employed for recording religious, medical, and genealogical texts, which were preserved by priests in individual villages. Consequently, it was not used for general communication between different communities.
To foster Yi literacy, a standardized version of this traditional script was introduced in 1980. This version was specifically tailored for the Liangshan dialect of Yi, spoken in southwestern China. In the standardization process, the script's ideographic characters were transformed into a syllabary, which is now included in the Unicode Yi blocks. However, this standardized script is limited to the Liangshan dialect and does not suit other Yi dialects.
A Classical Yi manuscript displayed at the Intangible Cultural Heritage exhibition in the National Museum of China on January 18, 2006 (Wikimedia Commons).
In the case of MILLENNIUM PARADE changing their name to Yi script characters, while the move could be viewed as a mere novelty or controversial use of Yi characters, it also sparked considerable interest in the Yi writing system among global audiences. This unexpected shift not only generated buzz around the band, but also prompted fans and curious onlookers to educate themselves about an otherwise lesser-known script. The timing of MILLENNIUM PARADE's name change to Yi script characters—occurring just as King Gnu concluded their Asia tour—could have been a strategic move or a serendipitous alignment. The buzz around this mysterious shift started to build among core fans, intensifying around April 26th when enigmatic social media ads began to circulate. These ads featured dark, artistic visuals and included links to the band's official website.
The official website itself contributed to the intrigue. Interacting with the site’s touchscreen triggered phrases like "Are you ready to enter the dream?" This interactive experience then led users to Google Maps entries showing locations of Japanese monuments and cultural symbols worldwide, heightening the audience's mystery and anticipation. This approach to fan engagement, coupled with the cryptic hints of something significant on the horizon, effectively captured the imagination of the fanbase and the broader public. As speculation grew that a major announcement was imminent, MILLENNIUM PARADE began trending on social media, increasing excitement and curiosity.
The reasoning behind this name change remains unclear, but the exposure of the Yi script to global audiences is a double-edged sword in linguistic and cultural sensitivity.
Artist photo of ꉈꀧ꒒꒒ꁄꍈꍈꀧ꒦ꉈ ꉣꅔꎡꅔꁕꁄ (MILLENNIUM PARADE).
(Tomoyuki Kawakami)
REPRESENTATION OR
MARKETING MOVE?
On one hand, this exposure can be seen positively, as it raises awareness and sparks interest in a cultural and linguistic tradition that might otherwise be unfamiliar. It can lead to greater appreciation and understanding of the Yi people and their history, potentially aiding efforts to preserve and study their language and script.
On the other hand, using the Yi script in such a public and commercial context risks trivializing or misrepresenting the script and, by extension, the culture it represents. Particularly if the script is used as a stylistic or marketing tool without a deeper engagement with the Yi culture itself.
Balancing cultural promotion with sensitivity and respect is crucial to avoid undermining the heritage these actions intend to celebrate.
Bibliography
Ariizumi, Tomoko. 2024. "常田大希のヴィジョンを考察 MILLENNIUM PARADE改名の背景、新章の狙い." Rolling Stone Japan, May 5, 2024. Accessed May 14, 2024. https://rollingstonejapan.com/articles/detail/40969/2/1/1.
Compart. 2024. "Unicode Block 'Yi Syllables'." Accessed May 14, 2024. https://www.compart.com/unicode/block/U+A000.
decodeunicode. 2024. "Script Yi." Accessed May 14, 2024.
https://decodeunicode.org/en/scripts/yi.Endangered Alphabets. 2024. "Yi." Atlas of Endangered Alphabets. Accessed May 15, 2024. https://www.endangeredalphabets.net/alphabets/yi/.
YouTube. 2024. "MILLENNIUM PARADE Official YouTube Channel." Accessed May 14, 2024. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChex1vr4WtFu-OsAukjuYCA.
Zhang, J., and D. Bradley. 2018. "Unity and Diversity: The Yi Traditional Writing System and Its Multiple Representations—A Study." Accessed May 14, 2024. https://www.academia.edu/36062473/Unity_and_Diversity_the_Yi_Traditional_Writing_System_and_Its_Multiple_Representations_A_Study.
