Dr. Kwaku Ofori-Ansa defines it well, "Adinkra symbolism is a visual representation of social thought relating to the history, philosophy and religious beliefs of the Akan peoples of Ghana and Cote' d'Ivoire." Adinkra symbols have lately been used for many business logos. Look closely at African brocade cloth; adinkras are the woven design. However, with most of us being unfamiliar with the meaning of the symbols we do not understand the messages. It is not exactly sure how Adinkra cloth came to be. One version starts it in the early nineteenth century. There was a war between two kings. Adinkera, king of Gyaman, attempted to copy the designs of the sacred GOLDEN STOOL. The Golden Stool was the unifying force of the Asante Nation. This sacriligious attempt angered the Asantehene, the Ashanti king Nana Osei Bonsu-Panyin. In the war, Adinkera was defeated and killed. The cloth that King Adinkera wore in battle was taken by the Asante as a trophy. With the cloth, the Asante brought with them the art of stamping cloth. Dr. Ofori-Ansa, Associate Professor of African Art History at Howard University designed a chart titled Meanings of Symbols in Adinkra Cloth. In it, he says that the symbols' names and meanings come from "proverbs, historical events, human attitudes, animal behaviors, plant lives, forms and shapes of inanimate and man-made objects." Following are four adinkra symbols with their names, meanings and proverbs. The Twi language of the Akan people is used. We will give regular updates of Adinkra symbols.
In Africa a great deal of philosophical material is embedded in the proverbs, myth, and folk-tales, folksongs, rituals, beliefs, customs, and traditions of the people.
Adinkra means goodbye. Originally, the cloth was worn only by the royalty and spiritual leaders for mourning during funeral services. It can now be worn by anyone for any occasion. The symbols and their meanings are still used to convey a message. |
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