adinkra (ī'kŏn')-cepts:

[Concept ikons of the Ashanti Akan of

West Africa]

By Nana S. Achampong

1
2
3
Also by the Nana S. Achampong

- The Equilibrists (poems)

- .F.l.o.a.t.i.n.g. (poems)

- Dream A Song (novel)

- Sun of God (play)

- Empowernomics: Understanding the system of God’s

purpose for mankind - An Outline of the Core Teachings of
Rev. GENE C. BRADFORD (non-fiction)

- My Kikuyu Princess (poems)

- venusplazadotcom (novel)

4
Acknowledgement

Thanks to Godwin Kofi Yirenkyi for introducing me to the

essence of Adinkra

Thanks to Prof. Ablade Glover for his seminal work on the

Adinkra ikoncepts and Prof. Ato Delaquis for his extensive
rendering of the symbols in the fine arts.

Thanks to Bill Earley for editing and critiquing.

5
Dedications

To my mother, Beatrice, and my sons Akhenaton, Nile and

Quanza

To Rev. Gene C. Bradford…thanks for everything.

6
 Verse in this book

Adinkra I 012

Patience 014

Ashanti 029

Antiquity 031

Veve (by Edward Kamau Braithwaite, 1973) 049

Jewel by the sea 052

Tough 069

Life 071

Ohemaa Yaa 081

The further the sun 083

The future 100

7
 Art 102

The potsherd 147

Will you marry me? 152

God is king 164

To be king 179

Call me 196

Something told 213

Love 215

Adinkra II 243

8
 adinkra (ī'kŏn')-cepts:

[concept ikons of the Ashanti Akan of

West Africa]
By Nana S. Achampong

9
The cover:
Front cover design by Carolyn Jamie Aversa
Back cover picture: ‘Self Portrait 102’ by Nana S. Achampong
All pictures, except where otherwise noted are by courtesy of
www.welltempered.net/adinkra/htmls/tattoos.htm
Design on Page 9: Ashanti gold weight.

© Copyright Nana S. Achampong

Printed in the United States of America

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by
any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information
storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Publishers.

Permissions: Achampong
Achampong & Sons

Orders: Achampong
Achampong & Sons
Pikesvile
Baltimore, Maryland 21208
www.lulu.com/achampong

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Achampong, Nana S. Adinkra Ikoncepts – 1st ed.
p. cm.
ISBN

1. History. 2. Social Sciences. 3. Philosophy 4. Language 5. Art

I. Achampong, Nana S. II. Title
Printing: 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Year: 0 1 2 3

10
11
 Adinkra I

Fare thee well,

You who nobly fell
Whilst fighting to quell
The curse of the quest in our shell:
The eager promises of hell and some.

Pray, sleep and tell

As your kin about and yell
In response to the king’s bell;
“All’s well, all’s well”
As we mortals gather to and from.

And in acknowledgment of your life

The angels embrace thee like a wife
And stimulate your soul alive
Saying, as if to pacify all strife,
“Well thee come”.

12
A collection of six adinkra symbols that, together, reads “God
gives me patience”.

13
Patience

One, thousand,
Two, thousand, Three thousand…

Slow measured breaths,

Deep, then shallow,
As the heart calms down to embrace
Your impotence at the event

Four, thousand,
Five, thousand, Six, thousand…

Little insignificant deaths,

Fleeting yet unforgettable
Where the soul inflames and enlightens,
Regarding the frailty of the moment

Seven, thousand,
Eight, thousand, Nine, thousand…

Light, nudging dreams,

Floating, still optimistic,
Whilst the mind sighs in faith:
That which makes waiting prudent.

14
15
Contents
1. introduction 018
2. ikoncepts in recent history
033
3. developments in the diaspora
054
4. ikoncepts of the Ashanti Akan
073
5. categories of ikoncepts085
6. some adinkra ikoncepts 104
7. millennium ikoncepts 217
8. bibliography 245

16
17
introduction

M
y story of adinkra symbols is not
an academic one. It is the story
of Akan life and sensibilities and
how they developed these symbols. So I
guess the best place to start is the
history of Akans. The word “Akan” is
derived from the word “kann”, which
means “clean”, “unadulterated”, or “full
of light” in accordance to their belief that
they are descendants of God. They are a
linguistic group that includes the
Akuapem, the Akyem, the Ashanti, the
Baoulé, the Agni, the Brong, the Fante,
the Assin, the Denyira, the Akwamu, the Kwahu,

18
the Buem and the Nzema of Ghana and La Côte
d'Ivoire, with branches including the Abron and the
Afutu.

As handed down by African griots - and also

documented by Greek historians Diodorus Siculus
and Herodotus – the Akans are descended from
Ethiopia, driven by their then expanding Egyptian kin
southward to a land fortuitously pregnant with
natural resources, premium gold among them. By
the early 15th century, the Akans who were then a
scattered cluster of thirty-eight small states, had

Artisan stamping adinkra symbols on cloth.

perfected a veritable socially organized domain that

attracted teems of gold seekers from the northern
Songhai and eastern Hausa empires, and Europe –
principally Portuguese merchants. Over the following

19
one hundred and fifty years – between 1482 and
1632 - these Akans purchased close to 12,000 slaves
with their gold and put them to work on deep-level
mines and vast farm lands. This slave economy
helped to transform them into an industrialized
nation which occasioned the need for the Ashanti
component to consolidate operations into a
centralized kingdom.

Queen-mother Yaa Asantewaa of Ejisu.

20
 By late 17th century, the Ashantis had become
the most powerful kingdom south of the Sahara with
three million subjects dwelling across 100,000
square miles. With slave labor, they developed the
state by investing in distilling and weaving
industries, introducing high arts and crafts, and
establishing a civil service structure and a
governmental system that would make any present
day bureaucrat cry with envy. Their main trade in
gold and ivory had been diversified to include
rounding up and selling other tribes for the North
American market. In all, it is estimated that they
were heavily involved in the trading of close to 40
million active citizens across the Atlantic.

Up until 1874 when the British decisively and

conclusively defeated them (looting heirloom and
royal regalia, and kidnapping Queen-mother Yaa
Asantewaa of Ejisu), the Ashantis had cultivated an
opulent culture that boasted of outstanding
achievements including the evolution of the adinkra
writing system. Among the countless ornaments
stolen by the British were wide-ranging objects
including bronze gold weights which were made via

21
the lost wax method of casting. Since Akan verbal
imagery is almost always linked to visual symbolism
in the employment of tales, satire and proverbs,
these gold weights are designed to contain social
messages that, like other “Akan art forms, have
provided a constantly evolving insight into the Akan

Ashanti gold weights.

peoples' character and values, their humor and

history,” according to the Akan scholar Nitecki. For
instance, the most popular icon in Akan history is
Kwaku Ananse, the original spider-man, around

22
whom anansesem (or nyankomsem) folk tales
revolve. These tales, which literally mean “the spider
stories”, or "traveler's tales", were employed to
convey moral or controversial messages to society
without any fear of reprisals from the powers that
be.

And in this tradition was the adinkra symbol

born.

Growing up in West Africa, especially in Ghana

or La Cote d’Ivoire, one is constantly caressed by
these ubiquitous pictorial renderings commonly
known as adinkra symbols. They are displayed on
walls as ornaments such as the Ghana Embassy on
International Drive in Washington D.C., and in other
cases as graffiti; they are also tattooed on the skin,
employed by jewelers as ornamentation, used as
motifs for cement blocks for wall construction, and
adopted by central banks on currency.

Over time, they tend to permeate all aspects

and points of reference in one’s life so much so that

23
one may naturally, subconsciously, absorb their
presence and their quiet impact.

Originally, these ikons were used in textiles as

patterns to announce the standing of their wearers.
From the remotest parts of the Akan kingdoms,
where they manifest more in rudimentary textile
printing and basic architectural designs, to the
fanciest cities where one finds them stylized in the
fine arts, these symbols define and exemplify the
very essence of West African culture.

This is a long way off from their more defined

and spiritual origins in the late 17th century Brong
and Ashanti Akan societies when these unique ikons
were used as hand-printed designs in togas and
sarongs worn by royalty, members of the court, and
personage of good means. In the textile industry,
the cloth is printed by the block-print or screen-print
appliqué techniques. The blocks/stamps are carved
from an apakyiwa (gourd or calabash). The graphic
symbols and geometric motifs will usually be
stamped on a background of white, red, black or rust

24
brown silk kuntunkuni dyed fabric. The symbols used
determine the name of the cloth line.

In the book “Art and craft in Africa”, Laure

Meyer writes that

“until recent times, textiles in Africa were made

not to protect the body against the climate or
inclement weather, but rather to provide
pleasure and to satisfy the aesthetic sense. The
textiles were intended above all to be seen, to
adorn and to assert the wearer’s presence with
brio. Even today, and despite the influence of
European fashions, the fabrics explode with
colour and a profusion of ornamental patterns.”

The initial fiber of choice for the Akan royalty

and dignitaries was rare silk made on looms of
rough-hewn wood with decorated pulleys. Cotton,
which is all over the place these days, later became
the more common fabric especially for the adinkra
funeral cloth.

Archaeological evidence from the Begho in the

Brong Ahafo Region of eastern Ghana indicates that

25
there were some seven designs in connection with
the adorning of ceremonial wear in honor of the
dead. The first four were designs pertaining to the
tools proper used to imprint the textiles including
both variations of the adinkrahene, nhwimu and the
duafe; and then there were the ani bere a enso gya,
sunsum and owuo atwedie symbols which directly
conveyed the circumstances of the bereaved or their
family background. Each of these motifs, as are most
of the newer additions, may be attributed to popular
proverbs and maxims, historical events, and
anansesem, particular attitudes or behavior related
to depicted figures, or concepts uniquely related to
abstract forms and shapes of inanimate and man-
made objects. These are then graphically rendered in
stylized geometric shapes.

akyInakyIn sen anyInanyIn

Other traditional textiles among the Akans
include the the kente and adanudo. Two of the more
famous centers of Adinkra production are Asokwa
and Ntonso in the Ashanti region.

26
 Experience (especially through journeying) is
more useful than age, so the elders say. Literally,
the expression “akyinakyin sen anyinanyin”, means
“one matures better through traveling than growing
or aging”. Which is why I hope you join me on this
journey through the peculiar concept ikons of the
Ashanti Akan which I have coined ikoncepts (from
“ikon”, meaning “a picture, image, or other
representation” and “concept” meaning “a directly
conceived or intuited object of thought”).

I hope you enjoy this ride.

Crown and slippers worn by the Ashanti King Nana Kofi

Karikari.

27
28
 Ashanti

Drumbeat!
Graceful adowa dancers
Valiant asafo warriors
Resplendent funeral processions
And elaborate naming ceremonies.

Drumbeat!
Unifying Golden stools,
Feisty royal maidens
Ancient authentic dynasties
And shameless slave merchants.

Drumbeat!
Swarming Kejetia markets
Opulent Manhyia Palaces
The solemn pacts of Okomfo Anokye
And placid Lake Bosomtwi.

29
 Some adinkra symbols.

30
 Antiquity

Sages from a long gone era

Sow hardy seeds from of old
On copious desolate soils
Watered by a tempered disposition
Wishing, hoping, dreaming
That the scant dew may cause to sprout
Someday, somehow.

Thirsty minds from before time

With throats parched in the abundance
Of scant cherished counsel
Urged on by a craving yawning in the guts -
Needing, longing, yearning
For some odd drop for to quench
Someday, somehow.

Provident skies from everlasting

Rain blessings from before
Into the crannies of life’s mysteries
Amidst rugged alluring terrain
Mulched by blood in subterranean veins
Intending for the bearing of much fruit
Someday, somehow.

31
32
ikoncepts in
recent history

T
he Old English verb "to write" is
wrītan, from a Germanic root *writ-
that derives from an Indo-European
root *wreid- meaning "to cut, scratch,
tear, sketch an outline." According to
John Henrik Clarke of the Africana
Library, “writing is a means by which
people record, objectify, and organize
their activities and thoughts through
images and graphs. It is also a means to
inscribe

33
The ancient Africans in Egypt wrote using hieroglyphics which
represented everyday objects. Later these came to represent
spoken sounds.

meanings that are expressed through sounds and

provides an aspect of historicality, which means that
it facilitates the proper recording and transmissions
of events and deeds from one generation to
another”.

34
 In the case of the indigenous tribes of present
day Liberia and Sierra Leone, some of whom were
shipped to North America as the Gullah people of
South Carolina and Georgia, this is achieved via the
Mande language (of the Niger-Congo group spoken
by about 150,000) of Vai (or Gallinas), considered
one of the existing sub-Saharan African languages to
have a writing system that is not based on the Latin
script. It is a syllabary the promotion of which is
credited to the Liberian native of Jondu, Momolu
Dualu Bukele, from the early 1800s. In harmony with
West African tradition, the Vai writing system is
based on the Mande mora (unit of measuring
quantity in time, space or mass). Since 1962, the
Standardization Committee at the University of
Liberia has standardized the syllabary (see script on
next page).

Other syllabaries include Blackfoot, Caroline

Island Script, Carrier, Celtiberian, Cherokee, Cree,
Cypriot, Hiragana, Iberian, Inuktitut, Katakana,
Kpelle, Loma, Mende, Ndjuká, Nüshu, Ojibwe, and Yi.

35
36
 The font used in the phonetic Vai syllabary on the preceding pages
was created by Jason Glavy.

Just like syllabaries, symbols as a system of

writing, preservation, and communication, evolve
within groups over time for the perpetuation of
treasured values, and the expression of communal
aspirations. These may relate to religion as in the
Haitian vévé, or profession as in the medical
caduceus, the sciences, and the occult as in the
pentacle etc. These symbols, these glyphs and signs

37
and emblems convey a complex but deliberate and
palpable pool of emotions and instructions that are
aimed at affecting the beholder. For example, the
pentacle, which is a pentagram within a circle
(representing the integration of body and spirit, and
the mastery of the four elements) is probably the
most recognizable symbol of Wicca, and is used in
numerous rituals. The pentacle (below) is often worn
as a symbol of recognition amongst practitioners,
especially those who practice a code of secrecy.

Another sign, the shield knot (below), is one of

the oldest symbols associated with protective spells
and the warding off of evil. In adinkra symbology, it
is known as the mpata po (knot of reconciliation
and/or pacification). The Celts, the ancient Norse,

38
the religion of Kabbalah, and a whole variety of
cultures recognize its protective attributes.

The glyph below, the AFKAP (acronym for the

“Artist formerly known as Prince”), is among the
most recognizable in pop culture. For over five years
in the 1990s, Prince out-smarted his record label -
Warner Brothers - during a publishing dispute by

39
performing under this adopted stylized alchemic
symbol (above) resembling the planetary symbols of
Mars and Venus. This was a personal symbol that
allowed the artist to get around an unfair, stifling
contract.

On the other hand, the caduceus (or

kerykeion), the ancient Egyptian symbol of a winged
staff entwined by twin serpents (below) - with its
vévé offshoot, Danbhalah-and-Aida - is usually
associated with the medical industry a la Asclepius,
but in India it is a symbol of harmony and balance.

Like the caduceus, one of the oldest symbols

known to man is the solar cross which has appeared
in African, Asian, Native American, and Indian
religious art from the beginning of time. It
represents the movements of the sun, marked by

40
the solstices. The Celtic cross, a symbol of the Celtic
Christian Church, is borrowed from this pre-Christian
emblem. The stylized Lauburu (below), a traditional
Basque emblem, is a form of the solar cross.

Above is the popular Taoist symbol of the

interplay of forces in the universe, the Yin Yang. In
Chinese philosophy, yin (moon - receptive, passive,
cold and female force) and yang (sun - movement,

41
heat, and masculine force) represent the two primal
cosmic forces in the universe. Together, they
represent equilibrium in the universe.

The Swastika (above), a symbol derived from

the Sanskrit language, meaning “well being”, is in a
similar vein. In India, it is used as a fertility and
good luck charm while paradoxically it is recognized
as an emblem of Hitler's Nazi party. The swastika,
the archetypal, universal human religious symbol
appearing on every continent, and a variation of
solar cross, represents fascism and division in the
west while in India, the Hindu religion considers it
sacred.

One symbol that is in no danger of tarnishing is

the Eye of Ra or Eye of Horus which represents the

42
right eye of the Egyptian Falcon God Horus. This was
believed to have healing and protective powers. The
Masonic all-seeing Eye of Providence symbol found
on the United States dollar bill, is descended from
this symbol (immediately below).

Still in Africa, the ankh, also known as the

Ansata Cross, is an ancient Kamitic (African) symbol
of life. The horizontal (female) and vertical (male)

43
bars of the lower tau cross with the circle (sun)
represent fertility, creative power and rebirth. The
ankh was adopted by Coptic Christians to symbolize
the resurrection of Christ and “the heavenly
marriage.”

Still on religion, vévé, Haitian drawings

depicting various Lwa (spirits), represent figures of
the astral forces in the manner of the zemi (gods)
illustrations of the Taino region. They are usually
drawn on the floor in cornmeal, wheat flour,
powdered eggshell, gunpowder, etc, depending on
the rites at hand. The appropriate sacrifices and
offerings are then usually placed upon them.

The vèvè symbol for Agoueh Aroyo in Haiti.

44
 In the next chapter, we shall delve more into
the concept of Haiti’s Lwa and their vévé.

And thus shall we view Africa’s indigenous

writing systems, all the way from Ethiopic to Vai, in
the same vein as Cretan, Meroitic, Han'gul or Latin
with their layered levels of knowledge stretching
beyond language and linguistics. Strikingly, these
systems, pregnant with ancient repositories of
structured ideas regarding history, philosophy, social
order, psychology, aesthetics and the like, display
incredible parallels among each other. For instance,
the Quipus knots of South American natives, in
fundamental terms, are comparable to the Ancient
Kamau (African) writing system. Also, the Easter
Island Rongo-Rongo is very similar in structure to
the Dravidian of southern India.

According to the Institute for the study of

African Writing Systems at Cornell University,

“among African systems, the Meroitic Writing

System of the Kushites in the Sudan uses two
or three dots as word separators, just like the

45
 extant Ethiopic Writing System, thereby
suggesting a link between the two writing
systems in the Abbay-Atbara river complex.
One can see the link through systematic
compilation, categorization, analysis, and
interpretation of the various forms of writings in
Africa. Writing systems are not only facilitators
of speech and communication, they are also
tools in the creation and utilization of
knowledge systems, such as philosophy,
astronomy, and numbers.”

The study further states that “writing is rooted

in the cultural tradition of the region, particularly in
the agricultural tradition represented by the bull. In
the Ethiopic language it is called, ‘Ha’, which is the
first syllograph in the Ethiopic syllabet system. In the
Egyptian temple, you will find the symbol of the bull.
The horns of the bull in the Egyptian language are
called, ‘Ka’, which means soul. ‘Ha’ in the Egyptian
language means the beginning which correlates with
the syllograpy ‘Ha’, being the beginning of the
Ethiopic Writing System.”

46
 Adinkra symbols are no different from those
above. The symbols and their meanings are still used
to convey messages through a wide range of
products - including clothing accessories, interior
decoration, book covers, packages, and business
logos – based on systems passed on from old,
replete with rich cultural and informational
references. On the following pages are some of the
original, official symbols that form the basis of the
entire tradition.

47
48
Vèvè [stanza 3]
From the book The Arrivants
By Edward Kamau Brathwaite,
[1973]

So on this ground,
write;
within the sound
of this white limestone Vèvè,

talk
of the empty roads,
vessels of your head,
claypots, shards, ruins.

And on this sailing ground,

sprinkled with rum, bitten
with the tenor of your open wound,
walk

walk
the hooves will come, welcomed
by drumbeats, into your ridden head;
and the horse, cheval of the dead,
charade of la mort,

49
tongued with the wind
possession of the fire
possession of the dust
sundered from your bone
plundered from my breast

by ice, by chain, by sword, by the east wind,

surrenders up to you the graven Word
carved from Olodumare
from Ogun of Alare, from Ogun of Onire
from Shango broom of thunder and Damballa Grand Chemin.

For on this ground

trampled with the bull's swathe of whips
where the slave at the crossroads was a red anthill
eaten by moonbeams, by the holy ghosts
of his wounds

the Word becomes

again a god and walks among us;
look, here are his rags,
here is his crutch and his satchel
of dreams; here is his hoe and his rude implements

on this ground
on this broken ground.

50
Cloth with Adinkra symbols.

51
 Jewel by the sea

Jewel by the sea

Sparkling among the dregs;
Thr33 legged dogs
Languishing in the east,
While flawed peacocks
Stay stained in the west.

Such hopeless miserable roads,

They rutted through impossible terrain,
Leading to fulfilling destinations -
This paradise of blemished ecstasy -
That would sprout minds as healing
As the pained prescience of John Coltrane.

Desolate mine of blemished gems

None yearning for a scour;
Love her to death
And fertilize the earth with her ashes
But all that’s sanctioned is diseased bliss
And destitute profusion to rebirth the colony.

52
53
developments
in the diaspora

T
he transatlantic slave trade
featuring West African cargo was
mainly created, managed and
undertaken by small bands of Ashanti,
Funj, Malinke and Fulani guerrillas under
their chiefs’ complicity, who created
subterfuges to capture close to 40 million
members of other tribes just so they
could be sold to European merchants in
exchange for more guns, sugar, rum,
mirrors and beads. Usually, there would

54
be no warning and the poor captives would have to
endure the ordeal with nothing familiar other than
the inbred rites and observances and the knowledge
of the ikoncepts passed to them from old. These
mixed tribes and their sundry traditional deities
mainly from the Fon, the Ewe, the Ga, the Yoruba,
the Igbo and the Bakongo peoples of West Africa,
have, over the years, been flavored with the French
variant of Roman Catholicism and have evolved and
blossomed into hundreds of Lwa that sustain
religions such as Haiti’s Vodou, the Cuban Regla de
Ocha, the Brazilian Candomblè and the Trinidadian
Shango.

Personally, I have been unable to understand

the absence of documented designs among African
Americans in this regard. Granted, there is a
significant quilt art culture in the South, but I have
always imagined that the world, hungry for all things
African (hip hop, Russell Simmons, Obama, Cosby,
Oprah etc), would embrace symbols that depict the
struggle against slavery and discrimination. Like the
crucifix is to Christians, the noose can signify

55
resistance. The same goes for the Black Panther
defiant folded fist.

In his 1973 poem "Vèvè" from the book

“Arrivants”, Edward Kamau Brathwaite makes many
references to Vodou in the third stanza, invoking
various Lwa and Orisha; there are references to
Legba, and 18th century Jamaican rebel leader Tacky,
the Kormantin slave. Vodou, as it is practiced in the
United States has its roots in the forced enslavement
of Africans in the Western hemisphere. Variations
include Santeria, Palo Mayombe, Macumbe,
Quimbanda, all symbolic representations of the
Divine.

56
Vèvè hagiographa of Haiti

Lwa are the spirits, the cosmic, energy forces that

represent or are represented by the principles of
natural law, pure emotion, and virtuous values that
guide life amongst the peoples of, especially, Haiti.
There are literally hundreds of them.

Now, vèvè, the cryptic hagiographic (what the

Greeks meant by inspired writings) drawings of corn
meal, flour or gunpowder is what devotees expect to
use to focus the energies of the Lwa onto possessing
the body of a devotee thereby allowing the spirit to
manifest itself in the flesh. These drawings are
considered the very signature of the deities. These
concepts are more or less akin to Native American
religions, Indian Hinduism, Japanese Shinto, and
affiliated to all religions of African origin. Following
are some of the symbols.

57
Legba Ati-bon
In Haiti, this is the first spirit called at all
ceremonies. This gatekeeper stands at the
"crossroads" where he allows for the interaction
between the physical world and the metaphysical
world. He is the crafty master linguist, who appears
aged and feeble but displays the acumen of the most
powerful, not unlike the famed Kwaku Ananse in
Akan folklore.

58
Agoueh Aroyo
This is a variation of the Yoruba Olokun which
represent the depths of the oceans. In this case, it is
perhaps in reference to millions that perished in the
transatlantic passage. It is described as "a ready
strength"; his female equivalent is the water deity
Lasirenn.

59
Aizan Velekhete
This represents the "female principle" essential in the
initiation of Vodou clergy. In the Haitian Vodou
temple, she is represented by the frond of the royal
palm tree which is the West African symbol of
freedom and of the interaction between worlds, and
incidentally centrally displayed on the Haitian flag.

60
Baron Cimetiere
Baron Cimetière is the male principal (in cemeteries)
of the Gede family of spirits who controls the “other”
crossroads, the passage from life to “after life”. All
cemeteries have a family of spirits that control the
"other" crossroads.

61
Manman Brigitte
Manman Brigitte is the female principal of the Gede.
In accordance to the way of the spirit world, as is
with the Hindu goddess Kali, Brigitte, who gives
death also gives life. The end of physical existence
therefore becomes the beginning of the new spiritual
birth.

62
Danbhalah and Aida Hwedo
Danbhalah is the male side of the divine serpent;
Aida, the rainbow, is his female counterpart. These
two represent the incarnation of wisdom and
knowledge, going back to ancient Egypt as is evident
in caduceus, the symbol of medicine.

63
Erzulie Freda Dahoumin
Freda, the female principal, is the ravishing,
challenging seductress who "defines" the sensuality
of love. In her role as mistress – instead of wife -
she is courted/invoked via deluxe and plush objects
such as exotic fragrances, fine champagne and rare
ornaments. Her sister and spiritual counterpart
Erzulie Dantor, on the other hand, is the expression
of motherly, self-sacrificing love.

64
Grand Bois

Grand Bois is a paramount healer in Haiti. Since they

lack a hunting tradition, this deity represents the
power of all vegetation and all forests given that all
pharmacopoeia is anchored in the vegetal kingdom.

65
Maraca Dosou/Dosa
The name Maraca originates from the Kongo basin,
where it is referred to as mapasa. They are
represented throughout Africa. Among the Yoruba of
Nigeria, they are known as the ibeji. This primordial
couple, the Twins, is "completed" by the next child,
the dosou (male) or dosa (female) whose powers are
conflated with the original pair: 1+1=3.

66
 These intricate and mysterious hagiographic
vèvè of Haiti’s Lwa spirit structure is an extension of
the African writing parallels that evolved over the
Atlantic amidst slavery and oppression with
emphasis on the religious. The same goes for the
other derivatives in the African diaspora.

Dance wand of the Yoruba god of thunder, Shango.This oshe

shango depicts a female devotee with Shango's symbol, the
double-headed axe. This orisha (god) is thought to control
the great powers of nature..

67
68
Tough

Through the harshness of days

I remain firm and tough;
Even in the face of all that’s rough.
I stay hard and stick to my ways.

I am wawa, hardy as hell;

Resilient even in barren fate;
Durable like an African slave,
For this here article will live to tell.

I preserve, I persist, I rise

Even as you assess my resolve
And attempt for my mystery to solve;
My determination never dies.

69
The Wawa seed (with a wreathed) border, symbol of
HARDINESS, TOUGHNESS and PERSEVERANCE.

70
 Life

The mystery, the enigma

Of mankind and his existence,
Life, so full of light
And riddles and puzzles
Punctuated by a daily dose of sleep.

Overflowing with possibilities,

Fodder for man, fantasies for freaks,
Life plays chance with wills
Beseeching the endorsement of sun and moon.

O thou endless mournful carnival!

With your constant pageant of misery,
And cavalcade of disenchantment,
Flashing the gaudy hopes about
To lure quaint clueless souls.

This mystery, this enigma,

Purposed to dissolve in the sought light
Even as the entangled complexities unravel,
This mystery, melts lucid on the minds of infants
While ensnaring the old to oppose themselves.
And life isn’t such a conundrum after all
While you hit your daily dose.

71
72
ikoncepts of
the Ashanti

T
he Akan people of Ghana and La
Côte d'Ivoire developed skills in
weaving in the fifteenth century
with the invention of the loom, with
Nsoko - present day Begho – as one of
the more important weaving centers.
Adinkra, originally produced by the
Gyaaman clans of the Brong Akan, was
the exclusive right of royalty and spiritual

73
leaders, and were only used for important
ceremonies such as funerals.

However, at the beginning of the nineteenth

century, during the reign of Nana Osei Bonsu-Panyin,
the Asante hene (Ashanti paramount king), the chief
of Gyaaman, Nana Kofi Adinkra, was accused of
attempting to replicate Sikadwa Kofi, the Golden
Stool (the symbol of Asante nationhood) that was

Sikadwa Kofi, the Golden Stool

74
conjured down from the heavens by the Akan
prophet Okomfo Anokye in the early 1700s. A small
band of the King’s army was dispatched to quell
what amounted to sedition; the Gyaaman chief was
beheaded near Bonkutu; his replica stool was
smelted down and made into two masks; his toga,
which was also brought back to the Asante hene as
part of the trophy, bore a few new symbols which
eventually spearheaded a socio-political movement
in the development of new designs and
revolutionized the process and materials of printing.

“Adinkra” in Akan means "so long”, “farewell”;

it literally means “saying goodbye”. As already
stated, Adinkra also happens to be the name of the
seditious chief who was beheaded. Even though
there is some discussion regarding the origin of the
name for the body of ikoncepts, most indigenous
anthropologists and historians believe the funereal
derivation is a more likely basis.

In the ensuing years the Ashanti Akan

developed this writing system, incorporating
emerging socio-economic themes and other contexts

75
including new philosophies and foreign influences.
Over time, their application expanded into the areas
of pottery, ceramics, metal work (abosodee), and
ventured into newer territories including corporate
logos, architecture and sculpture. Over the following
century, the official number grew to forty five.

By 1992, fifteen more signs had been added.

Today, there are about seventy two official symbols
and an uncountable number of new creations,
stylized versions and plagiarized adaptations
including abstracted Muslim influences symbolizing
mainly faithfulness.

76
 For an adinkra symbol to be accredited and
official, traditional scholars and palace griots
maintain that the design has have been
commissioned by a King, or meet at least two or all
of three criteria: it has to have emerged from any of
the recognized master artisans, craftsmen or
designers; it has to have been used by a “significant”
portion of the general populace within a particular
context with specific allusions; and, it has to be
recognizable by at least three entire clans. Lately,
artists and some textile artisans have taken liberties
and produced their own originals and variations and
expanded on earlier contexts with corollaries and
extensions.

The adinkra symbols therefore continue to grow

in number but in the textile industry, the adinkra
cloth is more likely to use only traditional designs
from the seventy two. Also, they may be printed
differently from the traditional methods of production
(which remain much the same as those from
centuries ago).

77
 Traditionally, the adinkra aduru, the ink used
for stamping on solid plain cloth, is obtained by
boiling the bark of the badie tree with an etia iron
slag. The symbols are created by cutting a stamp out
of the thick skin of a calabash gourd. The stamp is
dipped in the adinkra aduru and then repeatedly
pressed onto the cloth to create patterns. It is not
insignificant to note that this process, as was in the
past, does not utilize an ink fixing agent so the dye
may transfer onto skin or other material it comes
into contact with, and as such, it may only be dry-
cleaned. Also note that African fabric designers often
vary their style to suit the larger market: those
made for local use - usually replete with hidden
meanings or local proverbs, allowing locals to make
particular statements with their attire – tend to be
more reminiscent of the original symbols and are
therefore “cruder” in finish; and those produced for
overseas markets are usually mass produced and
tend to have a “finer”, more stylized and “polished”
finish.

The adinkra cloth, even as it is sold all over the

world, continues to be used every day, mainly in

78
Ghana and La Cote d’Ivoire, for a wide range of
social activities, including sacred applications, in
festivals, at church, weddings, naming ceremonies
and initiation rituals. They are still relevant because
the corpus of symbols covers all aspects of life in
terms of values and the collective knowledge of a
people that has been handed over from antiquity.

For the purpose of this presentation, we shall

divide the body into five categories based on the
chronological order of their evolution.

79
 Artisan at work on an adinkra cloth.

80
81
 Ohemaa Yaa

Yaa Asantewaa, mother of all queens,

With legs rooted like the baobab trunk
And a womb fertilized by the sky.
Her bosom is more bountiful than the oceans
With a mind that breathes blood.

Nana Yaa, mother of nations:

Her discernment is anointed by the heavens
And her might is fed from the sages.
And when she occasions to spit
Its very insight ripples continent-wide.

Warrior Asantewaa, defender of men,

Taking on devious battalions
With sheer divine familiarity;
Not even captivity would her light drench
As she persists to epitomize earth.

82
Current Ashantehene Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu II

83
 The further the sun

The further the sun

The lighter the skin

The darker the soul

The freakier the fun

The icier the mind

The lesser the goal.

84
85
categories of
ikoncepts

T
here are several groups under
which the Adinkra ikoncepts may
be categorized, but for the purpose
of this work, I shall limit myself to five:
the tools that actually imprint the
designs, spiritual/religious glyphs,
funereal/war signs, political symbols, and
social icons. Ashanti chieftaincy experts
believe that the more spiritual and
original war signs may have been lost
along the way.

86
 Ikoncept names and their symbolism are
italicized. Under the category of tools, we may put
together the following official symbols: the adinkra
hene (King of the adinkra symbols, below),

symbolizing greatness, charisma and leadership. This

is said to be among the original three designed
centuries ago. The only difference today is that the
circles have

t o o l s
been given a finer finishing. When one wears a toga
with these symbols stamped in it, there is a

87
suggestion that one is a person of some substance.
On the other hand, the nhwimu (crossing), which is
the design that makes patterns of division on the
cloth before other symbols are stamped, did not
have an ulterior meaning. Lately, it has been
employed to represent skill or precision. The duafe
(Wooden comb, below), a symbol of beauty and
cleanliness, is used to make lines on the textile, in
the fashion of the nhwimu.

The prominent ones among the religious group,

start, of course, with gye Nyame (Except God),

relIgIous/spIrItual
which is a symbol of God’s supremacy. God, among
the Akans, is all-present, all-knowing and all-
powerful. Nothing can therefore be accomplished

88
without Him. And also, no one or thing can do evil to
you unless He permits it.

Similarly, the Nyame dua (God’s tree), symbol

of worship and veneration represents the
omnipresence of God and the protection He assures.
In real life, the Nyame dua (below) is a tree branch
with three prongs buried in front of houses, bearing
an earthenware pot of purifying water and herbs.
This is more or less an altar erected to the presence
and for protection of God.

Biribi wo soro means “there’s something in the

heavens”. This is another reference to God’s

89
providence symbolizing hope. God is everywhere and
one of His most telling attributes is the symbol
Nyame nnwu na mawu which literally means “God is
everlasting, therefore I am”. It represents perpetual
existence in the spirit which assures the Akan that
they are all nsoromma, literally, “children of the
heavens” or “stars”) and thus they benefit from His
guardianship.

A derivative of this symbol is osrane ne nsoromma

(the moon and stars, above) which means
faithfulness and/or fondness. Both symbols draw a
lot from early Muslim presence in West Africa and
their influence on the social scene.

90
Under funereal symbols, Akans believe, despite their
understanding of God’s everlasting spiritual nature,
that, man is after all, mortal as is represented by the
owuo atwedie (death’s ladder, below). But the

f u n e r e a l
attitude is that ani bere a enso gya (the eyes do not
ignite because you are serious, or bereaved) so they
settle for the consolation of the symbol of Sunsum
(Soul) which establishes man’s spirituality, and
therefore everlastingness.

91
 s o c I a l l y
The symbols with social connection form the
bulk of the body of the adinkra ikoncepts. For the
purpose of this book, I have excluded all references
to war, death, and God and concentrated on those
that focus on reflecting the society and its communal
intercourse. These symbols are grouped for their
meaning for Akan society. The moon symbol, osrane,
for instance, even though it is celestial and would
normally belong in the religious category, represents
patience; while Gyawu atiko (below), the design

92
shaved on the back of Kumasi’s Bantama sub-chief
Kwatakye’s head, represents valor, the type
associated with social risks, not war or politics.

The social group covers the whole gamut of

everyday life such as nkonsonkonson , the chain,
which represents unity in human relations, the
fihankra, compound house, symbol of security and
safety, and the aya, fern, which stands for defiance.

The Wawa aba, wawa seed, describes

hardiness; while the funtumfunafu-denkyemfunefu,
siamese crocodiles, below, is a symbol for democracy
and unity in diversity.

These symbols do not always bear

complimentary messages: the Kramo bone symbol

93
(bad Muslim), for instance represents hypocrisy and
deceit. The proverb from which this is taken says
that the actions of a few bad Muslims have made it
impossible to trust anyone from that religion. If one
were to wear a cloth with this symbol in it at, say a
political rally, the message one would be giving
would be one that recognized that the speaker was
from a particular party that was known for
deceitfulness and treachery; similarly, the kuntin-
kantan (boastful, extravagant and puffed up, below)
symbol signifies arrogance and extravagance, not on
the part of the wearer, but regarding the host.

94
 The bese saka (bunch of cola nuts) symbolizes
power and affluence and therefore would be a
preferred design to wear at a wedding, just as the
dwanni mmen (ram’s horns), which represents
strength with humility. Others in this sub-group
would be the odenkyem (crocodile), adaptability; the
nsaa krapa (high quality hand-woven blanket), good
quality and durability; mpuannum, also known as
nkotimsofo puaa (five tufts of hair), symbolizing
priestly office, loyalty and adroitness; ntesie, or
mate masie (I have heard and retained it), wisdom
and knowledge; owo foro adobe (a snake climbing
the raffia palm), representing steadfastness,
prudence and diligence; pempamsie (sew to
preserve), symbolizing precaution and readiness; ese
ne tekrema (teeth and tongue), meaning friendship
and interdependence; and the nkyinkyin (twistings),
depicting initiative, dynamism and versatility.

All in all, the most endearing ones, as would be

expected, are the symbols that speak to love and
relationships. The akoma ntoaso (linked hearts),
means agreement or charter; the akoma (heart),
stands for patience and tolerance; dame-dame

95
(game of draught), represents intelligence and
ingenuity; and, bi nka bi (do not bite the other),
describes peace and harmony. As would be
expected, cloths with these symbols are popular at
weddings, out-doorings and birthday parties.

On the other hand, the fofoo (yellow-leafed

plant, above), for example, symbolizes jealousy,
covetousness, and greed. It would therefore be
appropriate, but ill-advised, to wear it a rival’s
celebration.

p o l I t I c a l l y
The sankofa symbol, below, represents the
necessity for Akans in particular - and all people of
African descent in general - to dig from the values

96
and culture of the past for use today and for the
future. Politically, the ikoncept which literally means
“go back and claim,” signifies renaissance and
revival. Pop star Janet Jackson spots a variation of
this on her right wrist.

However, others are more focused on the seat of

government and its particular attributes with a view
to establishing the authority of the state. The kontire
ne akwam (or tikoro mmpam), literally “Elders of the
state” (or “a single head does not constitute a
council”), establishes the fact that the king’s
authority is based on understanding through
deliberation. The ohene aniwa (the king’s eyes),
symbolizes vigilance; nkontin (hair of the Queen's
maid), symbolizes loyalty and readiness to serve;

97
mmra krado (padlock of the law), is about authority
and justice; mframadan (wind-resistant house),
represents resilience and steadfastness; and the
akoben (war horn), for instance, symbolizes a call to
service and loyalty to the throne. Others include the
aban (fence), which means protection; the ohene tuo

(the king’s gun), which represents defense; and the

akoko nan (the hen’s leg), above, which symbolizes
mercy and nurturing.

In a similar vein, but on a more commanding

level, some of the symbols in this group, such as the
epa (handcuffs), which represent captivity and
slavery, are there to put fear in the people and put
potential dissenters in check. The akofena (war

98
swords), for instance, represents authority and
gallantry, while the sepow (executioner’s knife),
suggests the privilege of freedom of speech.

Mind you, just in case one got carried away

with all the kumbaya, there was always the kodee
mmowerewa (eagle’s talon), a symbol of unabashed
power, and the pa gya (ignite), the badge of
manhood and militancy (below) to quickly keep one
in check.

99
100
 The future

The future
Is when, you,
Crushing into your waterloo -

Consumed by the demands

Of grown life’s summons
(Some from the past,

When you had,

By any means necessary,
Following all perceptions sensory
To make ends meet)

Decided without foresight

In the council of need,
Your counsel, greed,

Under the pressure

Of immediate pleasure
And its fulfillment in the moment,

In the presence of thought

Devoid the prudence of naught -
Choose to make a choice.

101
 Adinkra cloth.

102
 art

Ideas in the sky

Are harvested by the mind -
Strained and filtered
And processed by thoughts -

Then they are deciphered

By bounded awareness
And interpreted through erudition
Into divine inspiration.

Insignificant man, then,

Employs soul to analyze
And translate perception into disposition -
And art is captured by paint.

103
104
adinkra
ikoncepts

F
ollowing are illustrations with
explanations and significance of
the classic adinkra symbols
arranged in alphabetical order.
Remember, everyday new symbols and
variations evolve and a few of the non-
traditional ones have been added to this
collection.

105
ABAN
Castle or Palace

This symbol was officially commissioned in 1822 to

commemorate Asantehene Nana Osei Bonsu’s
magnificent palace in Kumasi. The aban was
ransacked and demolished by the British during the
Sagrenti War of 1874.

Symbol of SEAT OF POWER, AUTHORITY,

LEGITIMACY, and RESPECT FOR LAW.

106
ABODE SANTAAN
Totality of the universe

The expression “Odomankoma boo adee; oboo awia,

osrane ne nsoromma, oboo nsuo ne mframa; oboo
nkwa, oboo nipa, na oboo owuo. Ote ase daa”
means, “God, the Creator; He created the sun, the
moon and the stars, the rain and the wind; He
created life, the human being, and He created death.
He lives forever”.

Symbol of the TOTALITY OF THE UNIVERSE,

NATURAL AND SOCIAL CREATION.

107
ABE DUA
Palm Tree

“Nipa nye abe dua na ne ho ahyia ne ho”, meaning,

“man is not as self-sufficient as the palm tree”. All
parts of this resilient cash crop are usable and
beneficial.

Symbol of SELF-SUFFICIENCY, RESILIENCE,

VITALITY, and WEALTH.

108
ADINKRAHENE
Chief of the adinkra symbols

This literally means “king of all adinkra signs”; it

employs the circular geometric shapes which form
the basis of all African religious motifs.

Symbol of GREATNESS, CHARISMA, BEAUTY and

LEADERSHIP.

109
AKOMA
Heart

Sculptor and educationist Adolph H. Agbo in his book

“Values of Adinkra Symbols”, explains that a person
is said to "have a heart in his stomach," when he is
tolerant in all aspects of life.

Symbol of LOVE, PATIENCE and TOLERANCE.

110
AKOMA NTOSO
Linked hearts

This symbol of linked hearts entreats partners in all

endeavors (marriage, friendship, associations,
business etc.) to commit to the macro purpose at
hand.

Symbol of UNDERSTANDING and AGREEMENT

111
AKOBEN
War horn

Akoben, the wind instrument made from a bull’s

horn, is used to rally citizens and summon warriors
to battle. Above are two variations.

Symbol of VIGILANCE AND CAUTION.

112
AKOFENA
Ceremonial sword of war

This symbol of crossed swords is for ceremonial

purposes, used to herald the king when in state. It
represents legitimacy, pageantry, authority and
allegiance.

Symbol of AUTHORITY, VALOR, MAGNIFICENCE and

CONTROL.

113
AKOKO NAN…
The chicken’s leg…

The proverb “akoko nan tia ba, na ennkum ba”,

meaning, “the hen treads upon its chicken but does
not kill them”, represents ideal parenthood -
protective and corrective. This extorts us to nurture
but not to over-pamper them.

Symbol of MERCY, FONDNESS and PARENTAL

GUIDANCE.

114
ANANSE NTONTAN
Spider's web

Kwaku Ananse, the original spider-man of Akan folk

lore, spins his web in creative ways to explain and
make sense of life’s complexities.

Symbol for WISDOM, CRAFTINESS, and ENIGMA.

115
ASENNUA
Cross

Above is a picture of part of a thin, perforated

cement block fence, each block bearing the cross
and light rays. This sign is taken from the saying
“Yesu bewuu wo asennua so begyee adasa nkwa”
meaning, “Jesus came to die on the cross to save
mankind.”

Symbol of REDEMPTION, LOVE and SACRIFICE.

116
ASASE YE DUR
The earth is mighty

“Tumi nyinaa ne asase” literally means “all power

emanates from land”; this is a restatement of the
communal nature of land ownership among the
Akan.

Symbol of POWER, PROVIDENCE, , WEALTH, and

AUTHORITY

117
AYA
Fern

The hardy, resilient fern is able to survive in all

terrain; therefore the wearer of this symbol is
relating a message of triumph over adversities.

Symbol of ENDURANCE, SURVIVAL and

RESOURCEFULNESS

118
AGYIN DAWARU
The gong of Agyin

This is the symbol of “the gong of Agyin”, the king’s

Faithful Servant. Agyin sounded a gong to announce
special events.

Symbol of FAITHFULNESS, DEVOTION,

ATTENTIVENESS and OBEDIENCE

119
AWI A REPUE
The Sun is rising

The maxim “Ohene ye awia” means “The king is the

sun”. God, the king, is “Oma awia”, giver of sun and
the source of its energy and vital force. This became
the symbol of the Progress Party in the 1969 general
parliamentary elections in Ghana.

Symbol of VITALITY, LIFE SPARK, WARMTH, and

ENERGY.

120
BOA ME NA ME MMOA WO
Help me so I may help you

Symbol of COOPERATION and INTERDEPENDENCE

121
BESE SAKA
Sack of cola nut

The cola nut was a cash crop associated with

affluence and abundance. During the end of the
Ashanti slave business, crops were diversified and
cola became an economic gem.

Symbol of AFFLUENCE, ABUNDANCE and

TOGETHERNESS.

122
BI NKA BI
None should bite the other

These are two stylized images of two fish, each

biting the other’s tail. They are both symbols that
advocate harmony through peaceful coexistence.

Symbol of PEACE and HARMONY

123
BLOCK DAN
Cement block house

This symbol comes from the expression “wonni sika

a wontwa blocks” which means “one needs wealth to
build a solid cement house”.

Symbol for PROTECTION and SECURITY through

WEALTH and PROSPERITY.

124
DENKYEM
Crocodile

The elders say the amphibious crocodile lives in

water, yet breathes the air above. This symbol
demonstrates its ability to adapt to different
circumstances.

Symbol of ADAPTABILITY.

125
DWENNIMMEN
Ram's horns

The same ram which is known to scrap to defend its

own, humbly submits to the slaughter. This symbol
states that even the strongest amongst us has a
time and place where he surrenders.

Symbol of STRENGTH with HUMILITY.

126
DUAFE
Wooden comb

This symbol, the wooden afro comb drawn on the

base of the drum, was originally created a tool in the
printing of adinkra. However, it also doubles as an
article of hygiene and vanity. It represents desirable
feminine qualities

Symbol of BEAUTY and HEALTH.

127
DAME-DAME
The board game of drafts

Dame-dame is a game like checkers which requires

strategy and timing.

Symbol of INTELLIGENCE and INGENUITY.

128
DONO
Drum

Dono is a drum.

Symbol represents GOODWILL and DIPLOMACY.

129
DONO NTOASO
Double drum

Dono ntoaso is the double drum. Two drums must

work in concord to produce a harmonious sound.
This represents united action, alertness, praise &
good will.

Symbol of CO-OPERATION, AGREEMENT and UNITY.

130
ESE NE TEKREMA
Teeth and tongue

The teeth and the tongue dwell in the same mouth;

despite their inevitable conflicts, it is beneficial for
them to coexist peacefully.

Symbol of FRIENDSHIP and INTERDEPENDENCE.

131
EPA
Handcuffs

Hand cuffs were introduced among the Akan with the

embracing of the slave economy. Among the locals,
though, it quickly became a symbol of the rigid
rigors of the Palace law.

Symbol of LAW, JUSTICE and INCARCERATION.

132
EBAN
Fence

Traditionally, Akan homes are encircled and secured

by a fence. This symbol depicts the protection and
fortification that love and family provide.

Symbol of LOVE, SAFETY and SECURITY.

133
EBI TE YIE

Some people are bound to live better

than others.

“Ebi te yie ma ebi so nte yie koraa”, means “some

people live better than others”. Extentions of this
adage are “obi akabo ye obi ahonya”, “obi amiadie
ye obi nso nkwa”, and, “na obi ahohia ne obi ahoto”,
which severally mean “for one man to prosper,
another person must loose.”

Symbol of INEQUITY, INJUSTICE and FATE.

134
FAWOHODIE
Independence, or freedom.

The proverb "fawohodie ene obre na enam” means

“independence walks hand in hand with struggle”.

Symbol of INDEPENDENCE and EMANCIPATION.

135
FUNTUNFUNEFU-DENKYEMFUNEFU
Siamese crocodiles

The siamese crocodiles share one stomach, so there

is no reason for them to fight over food.

Symbol of SINGLENESS OF PURPOSE, UNITY and

DMOCRACY.

136
FIHANKRA
Compound House

Similar to the eban symbol, the fihankra exemplifies

traditional Akan architecture with its emphasis on
security fences with a single entrance/exit.

Symbol of SECURITY and SAFETY.

137
FOFO
Yellow flowered plant

When the fofo sheds its bright yellow petals, they

become black and spiky gyinantwi seeds. This
symbol is derived from the Akan proverb "what the
fofo plant wishes is that the gyinantwi seeds turn
black,” which is akin to one wishing evil onto others
even if it is wont to destroy them in the process.

Symbol of JEALOUSY.

138
GYE NYAME
Only God

This is by far the most popular of all the adinkra

symbols. “Gye Nyame” means “except God”, which is
a symbol of God’s supremacy. The Akans view God
as all-present, all-knowing and all-powerful. Nothing
can therefore be accomplished without Him.

Symbol of GOD’S SUPREMACY.

139
GYEWU ATIKO
Hair style of an Ashanti war captain

Also known as Kwatakye Atiko, this symbol, based

on the design shaved on the back of Kumasi’s
Bantama sub-chief Kwatakye’s head, “Kwatakye”,
has come to represent an earned title of bravery in
the Akan community.

Symbol for BRAVERY and VALOR.

140
HYE WON HYE
That which does not burn

This symbol gets its meaning from inspired

traditional fire-walking priests who came through
unscathed.

Symbol of ENDURANCE and IMPERISHABILITY.

141
HWE MU DUA
Measuring stick

The hwe mu dua symbol represents the discerning

measuring meter by which a man’s life and/or his
productive endeavors are judged.

Symbol of DISCERNMENT and QUALITY CONTROL.

142
KRAMO BONE
Bad Muslim

The bad Muslim symbol is taken from the proverb

“Kramo-bone amma yanhu kramo-pa” which means
that “the actions of a few bad Muslims have made it
impossible to trust anyone from that religion.”

Symbol of HYPOCRISY and DECEIT.

143
KOKOO DUA
Cocoa Tree

Since Tetteh Quarshie introduced cocoa to Ghana

from Bioko in Equitorial Guinea, the crop has been
one of the major sources of wealth for the Akans.
However, Akans view this blessing with mixed
feelings as per the proverb "kookoo see abusua,
paepae mogya mu”, meaning, “cocoa ruins and
divides the family.”

Symbol of AN ALBATROSS.

144
KOFORIDUA FRAWASE
Koforidua Flowers

This symbol is from the expression “Koforidua

nhwiren, dea mede wo reye!” meaning “What use do
I have for Koforidua flowers?” This is a reproach of
the conspicuous consumption following the rapid
urbanization of Koforidua to the East of Ghana during
the cocoa and diamond boom of the late 1800s.

Symbol of URBANIZATION, ECONOMIC PROSPERITY,

and CONSUMERISM.

145
KURONTIRE NE AKWAMU
Council of State

“Obakofoo mmu oman”, literally means “it takes

more than one man to rule a nation”. The Ashanti
king Nana Osei Tutu established the Ashanti Council
of State in 1700 as a veritable political organization
complete with separation of powers and checks and
balances.

Symbol of DEMOCRACY, PARTICIPATORY

GOVERNMENT, and PLURALITY OF IDEAS

146
 The potsherd
Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker!
Let the potsherd strive
with the potsherds of the earth.
Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it,
What makest thou?
or thy work, He hath no hands?

Woe unto him that saith unto his father,

What begettest thou?
or to the woman,
What hast thou brought forth?

Isaiah 45: 9, 10

147
KYEMFERE
Potsherd

“Kyemfere se odaa ho akye, na onipa a

onwenee no nso nye den?” This means “If the
potsherd claims it is old, what about the potter
who molded it?” This is a comment on the Akan
attitude to the in-exclusivity of knowledge and
wisdom.

Symbol of PERSPECTIVE andOPEN-

MINDEDNESS.

148
KINTINKANTAN
Puffed up extravagance

Symbol of ARROGANCE.

149
KETE PA
Good bed

This symbol is from the Akan expression that a

woman in a good marriage sleeps well on a good
bed.

Symbol of GOOD MARRIAGE.

150
KRA PA
Sanctity [good fortune]

The saying “kra pa ye Nyame ahoboa: ote se okra,

okyiri fi na okram fie te se pete nti na nananom de
no yi mmusuo” means “ good fortune is from God;
like the cat, it abhors filth; it cleans filth just like the
vulture does; that is why it is used to drive away evil
and diseases.” This symbol was woven into the
king’s bedroom mat on which he would step three
times for luck every night.

Symbol of SANCTITY OF SELF, SPIRITUAL

STRENGTH, GOOD SPIRIT, GOOD LUCK, and GOOD
FORTUNE.

151
KRADO
Seal of law and order

Krado means padlock and symbolizes the authority

of the law to infringe on personal freedoms. (SEE
MMRA KRADO)
Symbol of AUTHORITY OF THE COURT.

152
 Will you marry me?

I dreamt of you
Before dawn unraveled
And fantasized before the dew evaporated

I met your shadow

Before noon’s play
And knew the image was the vision

I chased the long silhouette

After the sun ventured westward
And you blinked possibilities

I danced under the moon

With your heart on my mind
And you giggled maybe

And I covered you

In the dark of night
And you sighed yes

Will you marry me

And cross the moon with me
While I trap the sun?

153
ME WARE WO
I shall marry you

This sign is from the Akan expression "in mixing the

concrete for building the foundation of a house of
marriage, one must not rush."

Symbol of COMMITMENT and PERSEVERANCE.

154
MMOMU DAN
Unity

Mmomu dan means a conference hall. This symbol

represents “unity”.

Symbol of UNITY

155
MFRAMADAN
Wind-resistant house

This symbol describes a well-fortified home,

reinforced to withstand turbulent and treacherous
elements according to Ashanti state.

Symbol of FORTITUDE and GUARDEDNESS.

156
MPUANNUM
Five tufts (of hair)

This symbol represents the traditional hairstyle of

the Ashanti priestesses. It also symbolizes the
diligence needed to do a job properly.

Symbol of PRIESTLY OFFICE and FAITHFUL

DILIGENCE.

157
MATE MASIE
What I hear, I retain

“Mate masie" literally means “I have heard and

retained” or more colloquially, "I understand".

Symbol of WISDOM, KNOWLEDGE and PRUDENCE.

158
MMERE DANE
Time changes

Symbol of CHANGE and THE DYNAMICS OF LIFE.

159
MMUSUYIDEE
That which sanctifies

A mmusuyidee was a ritual sacrifice that purifies and

wards off evil spirits. This symbol is also called “kra
pa”, “good soul”, signifying good fortune.

Symbol OF SANCTITY and GOOD FORTUNE.

160
MMRA KRADO
Seal of law and order

This literally means “padlock of the law”. Also see

Krado.

Symbol of SUPREME AUTHORITY and JUSTICE.

161
MPATA PO
Knot of pacification/reconciliation

Mpata po is the seal or contract that binds opposing

factions in a dispute to an agreed course of peaceful
action.

Symbol of RECONCILIATION and PACIFICATION.

162
MAKO NYINAA MPATU MMERE

Not all the fruits on a pepper shrub

ripen at the same time.

“Mako nyinaa mpatu mmere”, translates thus:” all

the peppers on the same tree do not ripen at the
same time.” Akan society accepts the existence of
inequities.

Symbol of UNEQUAL OPPORTUNITY and UNEVEN

DEVELOPMENT.

163
MENSO WO KENTEN
I do not carry your basket

This symbol is derived from the expression “menso

wo kenten”, literally, “I do not carry your basket”. A
variation on this is the adage “me ne m'aware bone,
meso kenten hunu kora a na worehwehwe mu”,
meaning, “due to my bad marriage, even my empty
basket is searched.” This symbol asserts that despite
what we may be going through, we should mind our
own business”.

Symbol of INDUSTRY and SELF-RELIANCE.

164
 God is king

He
Created clay,
Molded the elements,
Designed its infrastructure,
Breathed life into it,
Charged man,
And…
Smiled -
For it was good,
Very good.

165
NYAME YE OHENE
God is King

This is a symbol of the gye Nyame sign in a humped

ring.

Symbol of MAJESTY and the SUPREMACY OF GOD.

166
NYAME AKUMA

God's Axe

The symbol is based on neolithic axe heads, found in

the region, and considered by the Akan to be the
physical remains of thunderbolts hurled by God. The
Akan would often wear one or more shells as a
talisman against lightning strikes (and later as
protection against firearms).

Symbol of STEALTH and RIGHTEOUS MIGHT.

167
NYAME NTI
By God's grace

Like gye Nyame and Nyame ye ohene signs, this

signifies ADOM, the unmerited grace of God.

Symbol of FAITH and TRUST IN GOD.

168
NYAME BIRIBI WO SORO
God’s “something” is in the heavens

This reminds us that the essence of God dwells in the

heavens awaiting our righteousness.

Symbol of HOPE.

169
NKYINKYIM
Twisting

This literally means to turn oneself around in all

aspects of life, signifying the ability to strive on -
even in the face of adversarial circumstances.

Symbol of INITIATIVE, DYNAMISM, VERSATILITY.

170
NSOROMMA
Children of the heavens [stars]

This symbol reminds us that God is Father and all

mankind are His children over whom He watches.

Symbol of DIVINE GUARDIANSHIP.

171
NKONSONKONSON
Chain link

A chain, or a link, representing unity, responsibility,

brotherhood and interdependence. This symbol
charges us to contribute towards the common good,
knowing that in unity lies strength

Symbol of UNITY and INTERDEPENDENCE.

172
NSAA
A quality hand-woven fabric

The saying: "nea onnim nsaa oto n'ago" means

“ignorance of the authentic Nsaa may make one buy
a bootleg copy." The quality of nsaa represents
quality of workmanship.

Symbol of EXCELLENCE and AUTHENTICITY.

173
NKYIMU

The crossed divisions made on

adinkra cloth before stamping

Before a piece of cloth is stamped with the adinkra

symbols, artisans block off the cloth with lines in a
grid using the broad-tooth duafe. This enables
precision and better quality in the printing.

Symbol of SKILL and PRECISION.

174
NYAME NNWU NA MAWU

God never dies, therefore I cannot

die

Akans believe that a man’s soul is immortal since it

is his link to God. Therefore, since He is eternal, man
is as well.

Symbol of MAN’S ETERNALITY and GOD’S

OMNIPRESENCE.

175
NYANSA PO
Wisdom knot

Akans revere the nyansapo symbol which endorses

the understanding that wisdom solves all problems.

Symbol of WISDOM, INGENUITY AND PATIENCE.

176
NEA ONNIM NO SUA A…
Even the ignorant may know…

In line with the Akan attitude to the in-exclusivity of

knowledge and wisdom, this symbol explains that
continued learning may make one knowledgeable:
“nea onnim no sua a, ohu.”

Symbol of KNOWLEDGE, and QUEST FOR

KNOWLEDGE.

177
NYAME DUA
God’s Tree [altar]

The Nyamedua is a symbol of worship and

veneration representing the omnipresence of God
and the protection He assures. It is based on the
tree branch with three prongs buried in front of
houses, bearing an earthenware pot of purifying
water and herbs. This is an altar erected to the
presence and protection of God.

Symbol of GOD’S PRESENCE and PROTECTION.

178
NEA OPE SE OBEDI HENE…
He who wishes to be king …

This symbol from the proverb "nea ope se obedi

hene daakye no, firi ase sue som ansa" means “he
who wishes to be king must first learn to serve",

Symbol of SERVICE and LEADERSHIP.

179
 To be king

To be a king
To command from East to West,
Sands of subjects
Quickening, vying, wrangling
Just for my teeth to smile

With abundant pomp

Acknowledging the oceans of awe
Emanating from the pores of devotees
Amidst splurged pageantry
And ritual decorum

O to be king
Endless cogitation, tireless alertness
Consumed by storms of deliberation
Cascading through a mêlée of reasons
And serving, slaving for unknown quantities…
O What I wouldn’t give for a careless snooze.

180
ODO NNYEW FIE KWAN
Love never loses its way home

Symbol of THE POWER AND FAITHFULNESS OF

LOVE.

181
OKODEE MMOWERE
Eagle talons

The strength of the mighty eagle is in its talons. This

is the emblem of the Oyoko, one of the nine Akan
families. This is said to have been shaved on the
heads of some court attendants.

Symbol of BRAVERY, POWER and STRENGTH.

182
ONYANKOPON ADOM…
By God's grace…

The saying “Onyankopon adom nti, biribiara beye

yie” means “by God’s grace, all will be well”

Symbol of GOD’S GRACE, HOPE and FAITH.

183
OSRANE NE NSOROMMA
The Moon and Stars

The proverb "kyekye pe aware" which means “the

North Star craves marriage” explains why She waits
in the sky for her lover, the moon, to return.

Symbol of LOVE, FIDELITY and HARMONY.

184
OSRANE
Moon

The saying "osrane nnfiti preko ntware man,” translates “It

takes the moon sometime to go round the nation.”

Symbol of PATIENCE.

185
OHENE (OHEMMAA) ADWA
Stool of the King (or Queenmother)

The ohene (or ohemmaa) adwa is the throne of the

King or Queen-mother in Akan societies.

Symbol of LEGITIMACY, AUTHORITY and

TERRITORY.

186
OWO FORO ADOBE
Snake climbing the raffia palm

The raffia palm has thorns that make it extremely

difficult for the snake to climb it. If it manages the
feat, it exemplifies diligence, persistence and
prudence.

Symbol of STEADFASTNESS, PRUDENCE and

DILIGENCE.

187
OWUO ATWEDEE
The ladder of death

This symbol, from the proverb “owuo atwedee baako

nfo”, meaning “everyone shall climb death’s ladder”,
reminds us that life on earth is transitory so mankind
should love one another.

Symbol of MORTALITY.

188
OKUAFOO PA
Good farmer

The Akan expression “okuafo pa ne obi a oye

nsiyefoo, ono na ose: w'afuo so a, woye ne nyinaa”
means “the good farmer says ‘one takes care of
business no matter how big one’s farm is”.

Symbol of HARD WORK, ENTREPRENEURSHIP,

INDUSTRY, and PRODUCTIVITY.

189
OHENE TUO
King's Gun

This symbol of a gun is borrowed from contact with

Europeans. However, it has become important in the
adinkra symbol system, especially in allusions to
ascendance (and death of one close) to power and
authority. It is therefore part of important political
and funereal rituals.

Symbol of GREATNESS.

190
OBAA NE OMAN
Woman is the Nation

The Akan are a matrilineal society and place high

value on women. The saying, made popular by the
great Ghanaian scholar Dr. Kwagyir Aggrey, goes
thus: “when a boy is born, an individual is born;
when a girl is born, a nation is born”.

Symbol of ESTEEM FOR WOMEN.

191
OWUO KUM NYAME
Death killed God

The proverb "Nyame boo owuo na owuo kum

Nyame, na Nyame na ote nanka aduro nti odii owuo
so nkonim” means “God created death and death
killed God; but since He had the panacea, He
overcame death.”

Symbol of the INVINCIBILITY OF DEATH, and the

POWER OF GOD TO OVERCOME.

192
OSIADAN NYAME
God the builder

Akans believe that the world is built by Oboadee (the

creator) God to accommodate all His creations.

Symbol of GOD, THE BUILDER AND CREATOR

193
OHENE
King

“Ohene” means “king”. This symbol embodies the

attributes of an Akan king.

Symbol of FORESIGHT and WISDOM.

194
OHENE ANIWA
The king’s eyes

The King has lots of eye and nothing is hidden from

him. This represents discretion on the part of
citizens.

Symbol of BEAUTY and VIGILANCE.

195
OTUMFUO WUO YE YA
The king’s death is devastating

This stamp, called otumfuo wuo ye ya,

was designed and carved by John Kofi Nsiah of
Ntonso to commiserate the passing away of Otumfuo
Nana Opoku Ware II, the late Asantehene on
February 25, 1999, who was “ announced to have
suddenly returned to the village.”

The only symbolism that may be ascribed to this

design may be GRIEF FOR, and LOSS OF THE
MIGHTY.

196
 Call me

When the die is cast

You may find you have nowhere to turn
And your lovers can’t be found
All you can count on is naught,
Which is what you are outside me

You may wonder

What the whole mess is all about
Pointless as it may seem
And why you didn’t see it coming
With the mindset that ruled

Just call me
And I will be there
To assure you
That it isn’t so bad after all
And everything has a reason

It was its season come

So don’t you over-analyze
Settle on your purpose
Just stay calm
And know I am there with you.

197
PA GYA
Ignite, [or flint]

“Pa gya” means “ignite” or “make fire” and is usually

associated with war.

Symbol of DEFENSE and BRAVERY. .

198
PEMPAMSIE
Sew in readiness

This symbol, reminiscent of chain links (and

sometimes implying strength through unity) actually
represents the importance of being prepared.

Symbol of READINESS, PREPAREDNESS, and

FEARLSSNESS.

199
SANKOFA
Go back and take it

The Akan proverb from which this symbol is taken

says “se wo were fi na wosan kofa a yenki",
meaning, "there is no taboo in going back to fetch
what you forgot". These are three symbols, one of a
mythic bird that flies forward while looking backward
with an egg (symbolizing the future) in its mouth.
This is probably the most popular adinkra symbol.
Janet Jackson spots the second variation on her right
wrist.

Symbol of REVIVAL, RENNAISSANCE, CULTURE and

HISTORY.

200
SEPOW
Executioner’s Knife.

This is a design of the palace executioner’s knife. It

is thrust through the victim's cheeks before a
beheading to prevent his from uttering a dying man’s
curse on the king.

Symbol of FREEDOM OF SPEECH.

201
SUNSUM
The Soul

Akans believe that the soul of a ruler inhabits a

younger courtier.

Symbol of PURITY and SPIRITUALITY.

202
SESA WO SUBAN
Change or transform your character

Sesa wo suban is a combination of two distinct

adinkra symbols which together represent
transformation.

Symbol of TRANSFORMATION.

203
TUO NE AKOFENA
Gun and State Sword

Similar to the ohene tuo symbol, this emblem of a

gun and sword is used in the swearing into office of
new chiefs. The new ruler fires the gun and wields
the sword to demonstrate determination to perform
his duties as supreme commander and protector of
the nation.

Symbol of LEGITIMACY, POWER, RESPONSIBILITY,

AUTHORITY, PROTECTION, SECURITY, and MIGHT.

204
TUMI TE SE KOSUA
Power is like an egg

”Tumi te se kosua, woso mu den a, epae; na se

woanso mu yie nso a, efiri wo nsa bo famu ma
epae”, meaning “power is like an egg: if held too
tightly it breaks; if held too loosely, it falls and
breaks”. This discusses the nature, not only of
power, but also of abilities. It encourages
democracy, and advocates its sharing to prevent
abuse.

Symbol of the DELICACY OF POWER, DEMOCRACY,

and RESTRAINT.

205
TAMFO BE BRE
Haters will suffer

Symbol of JEALOUSY and ENVY

206
U.A.C. NKANEA
U.A.C. Lights

The expression “UAC nkanea dwann mma yenhunu

awam adwadifoo” means “the bright UAC lights make
it difficult to expose the dishonest traders”. UAC
stands for United Africa Company, a subsidiary of the
giant multinational cartel, UNILEVER, who came to
Ghana to trade in slave and palm oil.

Symbol of DOMINATION and UNDERDEVELOPMENT.

207
TABON
Paddles

Paddles are more common with the Akans along the

southern coast of Ghana and La Cote d’Ivoire.

Symbol of STRENGTH, PERSISTENCE and

CONFIDENCE.

208
WAWA ABA
Seed of the wawa tree

The seed of the hardwood wawa tree is hard. Used

mainly for carving, its seed inspires one to persevere
through hardship.

Symbol of HARDINESS, TOUGHNESS and

PERSEVERANCE

209
WOFORO DUA PA A….
He who climbs a good tree…

"Woforo dua pa a, na yepia wo" meaning "It is he

who climbs a good tree who gets the push”. It
suggests that when one work for a good cause, one
get the required support.

Symbol of SUPPORT, COOPERATION and

ENCOURAGEMENT

210
WO NSA DA MU A…
If your hands are in the dish…

"Wo nsa da mu a, wonni nnya wo" means “with your

hands in the dish, you may not go hungry."

Symbol of PARTICIPATORY GOVERNMENT,

DEMOCRACY and PLURALISM.

211
YEN YIEDEE
Our well-being

Symbol of SELFLESSNESS, PURPOSE and COMMON

GOALS.

212
213
Something told

Something new
Something old

Something bought
Something sold

Something hot
Something cold

Something weak
Something bold

Something junk
Something gold

Something heard
Something told

214
A collage of adinkra symbols on a ceiling
at the International Conference Center in
Accra, capital city of Ghana.

215
 Love

It sure is cold and dingy

When you sail in the rotten dinghy
On the sea called love

Stolen water, they say, is sweet

So we hunt with zeal
That game outside our hearts

We hurt-destroy what our hearts adore

Even as they do us likewise and more
In the doomed torrents of lust

Then our eyes artlessly unfasten

At the dusk of our reckoning
And we wonder where our austere guide is

Asinine advocates in flight,

Our insight fallow shallow and light
But alas it’s midnight

And our impulses satiate and ebb

That which kept us glued becomes curbed
And our two hearts sink in a whirlpool of cursed blood.

216
217
millennium
ikoncepts

A
s you must know by now, adinkra
symbols have gone beyond the
boundaries of the Akan nation and
West Africa and mushroomed in the
wider world. By the onset of this
millennium, the symbols had broken into
popular culture via body tattoos,
corporate logos, architecture, fashion
and fine art. The application has
attracted cult following on the internet
and consensus awaits the final explosion

218
with its adoption by responsiveness by the hip hop
community. Adinkra is relevant because it addresses
every aspect of life: values, ideas, love, leadership,
fundamental rights, family, nationhood, relationships
and knowledge.

Following are some of its current applications

and potential in the wider world in addressing peace,
unity and harmony.

219
body art

Identification tattoo, Adamorobe (picture COPYRIGHT Elena

Rue)

Africans have been adorning their bodies since time

immemorial. Scarification, cicatrisation and tattoos in

220
mainland Ghana (and Africa) go back to Egypt for
reasons of beauty, tribal identity, professional
association, spiritual fortification, innoculation and
societal status. It is said that they distinguish the
civilized from the “animal."

In the Ghanaian “deaf village” of Adamorobe

(above), for instance, natives carve tattoos on their
inner forearms for identification. Among the Mursi

of Ethiopia, it went with a lip plate to show beauty

(next page). In Sudan, young Nuba women express

221
their passages of life through elaborate
scarification (below).

222
 The Luba of Congo are best known for their
stools, divination bowls (mboko), beautifully carved
bow stands, and memory boards (lukasa). They also
have some of the most intricate scarification, as seen
in their sculpture, to symbolize beauty (next page).

223
224
 Adinkra tattoos however have transcended
Akan prerogative and spread widely among other
cultures, especially those of European origin.
Following are a few samples.

Above, clockwise: Onyankopon adom-fofo-asaase ye dur-

dua fe; gye Nyame, Nyame ye ohene, dwanni mmen,
and aya.

225
Clockwise: Kramo Bone, sesa wo suban, Nyame dua and
wawa aba.

Next page, clockwise: funtumfunafu, owuo atwedee,

sankofa, and Nyame dua.

226
227
228
Previous page, clockwise: Nyame nti, denkyem, sankofa,
sankofa, nyansa po, adinkrahene-ese ne tekyerema-
nyansapo-funtumfunafu-Nyame nwu na mawu-osrane ne
nsoromma.
Below, clockwise: funtumfunefu, ananse ntontan, and
gye Nyame-nsoromma.

229
Clockwise: nsoromma, boa me na me mmoa wo,
sankofa, gye Nyame, sankofa-dwanni mmen-hye
wonhye, dua fe,

Next page, clockwise: wawa aba-gye Nyame-ako ben,

Nyame nti, owuo atwedee, Nyame nnwu na mawu, gye
Nyame, sankofa, and bi nka bi

230
231
Clockwise: Nyame nnwu na mawu-odo nnyew fie kwan-
gyawu atiko, mpata po-funtumfunafu-sankofa, sankofa-

232
akoko nan, akoko nana-kramo-bone-gyewu atiko, Nyame
ye ohene, osrane ne nsoromma-abode santaan-nteasee
(understanding), and sesa wo suban.

Below, clockwise: gye Nyam, sesa wo suban,

dwanni mmeni, gye Nyame-nkonsonkonson-
nsoromma-akoma-osran ne nsoromma-kra pa, and
aya.

233
Above, sankofa, bi nka bi-ese ne tekrema-denkyem-fihankra-gye Nyame,
and sankofa.

234
fashion industry

The adinkra cloth has been influential in

furthering the organization of social and political
life among the Akans. These symbols evoke
intuitive concepts that relate to every aspect of
life.

Trinidad-born fashion designer, Sharonne Mitchell. Kroll

was key fabric designer for “Fashion and the Symbols of
Adinkra” a silk fashion collection that premiered at the
Embassy of Ghana in Washington DC, June 1998.

235
 Traditional adinkra is often printed on black,
red, brown or white cloth. The choice and color of
cloth in modern printing, though, is purely based on
the aesthetics of the designer, and the subject
matter addressed by the symbols used. Generally
speaking, darker designs are mainly reserved for
solemn observances such as funerals. The brighter
ones, the Kwasiada (Sunday) adinkra, are used for
all other occasions.

The fashion industry, especially in West Africa

and among the Francophone countries, continues to
increase its use of these symbols in haute couture.

236
corporate logos

One area where adinkra signs are employed

effectively for intellectual credentials, identification
and brand recognition is the corporate world. The
Ghana Standards Board for instance has as its logo
the hwemu dua symbol which represents
examination and quality control.

In the United States in particular, institutions of

higher learning, think-tanks, and non-governmental
organizations liberally use these signs to characterize
their core principles. Following are a few of the
numerous institutions and organizations that
continue to brand their outfits with adinkra symbols.

237
 Dwennimmen: The Ram's Head, humility,
strength, (wisdom, excellence and learning). The
North Carolina-Africa Educational Opportunities
Foundation.

Funtumfunefu- denkyemfunefu: Democracy,

oneness of humanity in spite of cultural diversities.
The Ghana Project.

Ese ne tekrema: Friendliness and

interdependence. North Carolina State University
Educational Outreach To Ghana.

Sankofa: Learn from, or build on the past. Pick

up the gems of the past. Study Abroad Program.

238
 Nsaa: Extol excellence and discourage
satisfaction with the second rate. Faculty Design
Research Projects.

The Black and Minority Ethnic branch of UK’s

Southwark Action for Voluntary Organisations
employs the funtumfunefu symbol as its logo.

239
architecture

Traditionally, adinkra symbols in Akan architecture

have been limited public buildings such as palaces,
shrines and a few mansions. This has not changed
much. At the Ghana embassies abroad (e.g. in the
U.S.), at the Accra International Conference Center,
at the National Arts Center, in cathedrals, and at
various public monuments, these signs are manifest.
In recent times though, as evidence of indigenous
appreciation and pride, conventional Ghanaians
employ a variety of forms and design principles as
base relief or plinths, banisters, and walls in the
designs of their homes.

Symbols such as the fihankra (compound

house), protection, security and spirituality, Nyame
dua, God's altar, and the gye Nyame are prevalent in
neighborhoods with new developments.

240
variations

As I stated earlier, new adinkra symbols continue to

spring up every day and the World Wide Web has
provided a fertile ground for their fertilization. I
chanced upon numerous new variations and
stylizations, but my attention was drawn to a group
of colloraries created by Dr. John W. Wilson on his
website www.theviproom.com. Following are a few
of them.

God, Unite Us God's Time is the

Onyakopon Ka yen Do not kill
best time
bom Nni awu
Onyakopon mmere ne
mmerepa

241
 What God has United we stand, God's eye see all
fore-ordained, no divided we fall secrets
human being can Nkabom ma yetumi Onyankopon aniwa
change gyina ho, hu
Asem a mpaapaemu ma asumasem biara
Onyankopon adi yehwe ase
asie no,
onipa ntumi nnane
no

Two heads are Remember me

Have Courage better than one Kae me
Nya akokooduro Ti koro nko agyina

242
We shall meet
again Respect yourself
Yebehyia bio Bu wo ho
Truth
Nokore

Peace Understanding Welcome

Asomdwoee Nteasee Akwaaba

243
 Adinkra II
To the rich artisans of Asokwa -
For the vibrant, lively glyphs
You valiantly bestowed on us
With your amazing, intricate,
Time-honored tongue -
It is time to say goodbye!

To the generous creators of Ntonso -

How can we thank you
For the priceless treasures you bequeath
Pregnant with perplexing, obscure,
Veiled still vital import -
It is time to say farewell!!

And to you, dear reader -

For the good judgment
To labor through these sheets
With an incisive, sharp eye,
And a discerning mind -
This is the time to say so long!!!

244
245
Bibliography

All pictures, except where otherwise noted, courtesy of

http://www.welltempered.net/adinkra/htmls/tattoos.htm

John Henrik Clarke, Africana Library

http://altreligion.about.com/library/glossary/symbols/bldefsa
dinkra.htm

http://africanhistory.about.com/library/weekly/aaAdinkra.htm

http://www.fredsmith.com/adinkra.htm

John W. Wilson, Adinkra Symbology

www.theviproom.com

http://website.lineone.net/~gambiagts/Adinkra.htm

G.F. Kojo Arthur, “Cloth As Metaphor"

W. Bruce Willis, The Adinkra Dictionary

http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/Africology/symbols.html

http://www.dddesign.org/dictionary/dddelicatessen/indexadin
kra.htm

Jason Glavy, http://www.geocities.com/jglavy/african.html

246
http://altreligion.about.com/library/glossary/blsymbols.htm

Milo Rigaud, ‘Secrets of Voodoo' (c1969; City Lights, NY)

http://www.mysticvoodoo.com/voodoo_veves.htm

http://social.chass.ncsu.edu/wyrick/debclass/veve~1.htm

http://www.jackpicone.com/gallery.php?alp=S&g=36

http://www.caribbean-colors.com/adinkra.html

Edward Kamau Brathwaite, The Arrivants, 1973

247
On the stands soon

“I, Yooseef” [epic verse]

248
If you enjoyed reading this book, order a copy for a loved
one.
Go to www.lulu.com/achampong

Also by the Nana S. Achampong

- The Equilibrists (poems)

- .F.l.o.a.t.i.n.g. (poems)

- Dream A Song (novel)

- Sun of God (play)

- Empowernomics: Understanding the system of God’s

purpose for mankind - An Outline of the Core Teachings of
Rev. GENE C. BRADFORD (non-fiction)

- My Kikuyu Princess

- venusplazadotcom (novel)

249