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adinkra (ī'kŏn')-cepts:

[Concept ikons of the Ashanti Akan of West Africa]

By Nana S. Achampong

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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)

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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.

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Dedications

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

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

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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

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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

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adinkra (ī'kŏn')-cepts:

[concept ikons of the Ashanti Akan of West Africa]

By Nana S. Achampong

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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

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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”.

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

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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.

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Contents 1. introduction 018 2. ikoncepts in recent history

033 3. developments in the diaspora

054 4. ikoncepts of the Ashanti Akan

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5. categories of ikoncepts 085

6. some adinkra ikoncepts 104

7. millennium ikoncepts 217 8. bibliography 245

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introduction

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,

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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

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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.

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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.

a k y I n a k y I n s e n a n y I n a n y I n

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.

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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.

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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.

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Some adinkra symbols.

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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.

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ikoncepts in recent history

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

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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”.

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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.

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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

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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,

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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

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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

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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,

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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

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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)

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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.

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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

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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.”

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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.

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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,

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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.

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Cloth with Adinkra symbols.

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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.

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developments in the diaspora

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

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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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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..

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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.

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

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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.

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ikoncepts of the Ashanti

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

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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

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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

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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.

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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).

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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

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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.

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Artisan at work on an adinkra cloth.

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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.

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Current Ashantehene Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu II

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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.

.

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categories of ikoncepts

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.

T

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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

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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),

r e l I g I o u s / s p I r I t u a l

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

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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

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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.

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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.

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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

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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

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(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.

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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

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(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

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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;

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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

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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.

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101

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.

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Adinkra cloth.

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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.

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adinkra ikoncepts

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.

F

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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.

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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.

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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.

109

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.

110

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.

111

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

112

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.

113

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.

114

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.

115

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.

116

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.

117

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

118

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

119

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

120

AWI A REPUE

The Sun is rising

The maxim “Ohene ye awia” means “The king is thesun”. God, the king, is “Oma awia”, giver of sun andthe source of its energy and vital force. This becamethe symbol of the Progress Party in the 1969 generalparliamentary elections in Ghana. Symbol of VITALITY, LIFE SPARK, WARMTH, and ENERGY.

121

BOA ME NA ME MMOA WO

Help me so I may help you

Symbol of COOPERATION and INTERDEPENDENCE

122

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.

123

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

124

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.

125

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.

126

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.

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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.

128

DAME-DAME

The board game of drafts

Dame-dame is a game like checkers which requires strategy and timing.

Symbol of INTELLIGENCE and INGENUITY.

129

DONO

Drum

Dono is a drum.

Symbol represents GOODWILL and DIPLOMACY.

130

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.

131

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.

132

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.

133

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.

134

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.

135

FAWOHODIE

Independence, or freedom.

The proverb "fawohodie ene obre na enam” means “independence walks hand in hand with struggle”.

Symbol of INDEPENDENCE and EMANCIPATION.

136

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.

137

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.

138

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.

139

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.

140

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.

141

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.

142

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.

143

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.

144

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.

145

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.

146

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

147

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

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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.

149

KINTINKANTAN

Puffed up extravagance

Symbol of ARROGANCE.

150

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.

151

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.

152

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.

153

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?

154

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.

155

MMOMU DAN

Unity

Mmomu dan means a conference hall. This symbol represents “unity”.

Symbol of UNITY

156

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.

157

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.

158

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.

159

MMERE DANE

Time changes

Symbol of CHANGE and THE DYNAMICS OF LIFE.

160

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.

161

MMRA KRADO

Seal of law and order

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

Symbol of SUPREME AUTHORITY and JUSTICE.

162

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.

163

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.

164

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.

165

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.

166

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.

167

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.

168

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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NYANSA PO

Wisdom knot

Akans revere the nyansapo symbol which endorses the understanding that wisdom solves all problems.

Symbol of WISDOM, INGENUITY AND PATIENCE.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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ODO NNYEW FIE KWAN

Love never loses its way home

Symbol of THE POWER AND FAITHFULNESS OF LOVE.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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OSRANE

Moon

The saying "osrane nnfiti preko ntware man,” translates “It takes the moon sometime to go round the nation.”

Symbol of PATIENCE.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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OHENE

King

“Ohene” means “king”. This symbol embodies the attributes of an Akan king. Symbol of FORESIGHT and WISDOM.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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PA GYA

Ignite, [or flint]

“Pa gya” means “ignite” or “make fire” and is usually associated with war.

Symbol of DEFENSE and BRAVERY. .

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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.

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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.

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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.

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SUNSUM

The Soul

Akans believe that the soul of a ruler inhabits a younger courtier.

Symbol of PURITY and SPIRITUALITY.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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TAMFO BE BRE

Haters will suffer

Symbol of JEALOUSY and ENVY

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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.

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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.

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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

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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

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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.

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YEN YIEDEE Our well-being

Symbol of SELFLESSNESS, PURPOSE and COMMON GOALS.

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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

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

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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.

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millennium ikoncepts

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

A

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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.

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body art

Identification tattoo, Adamorobe (picture COPYRIGHT Elena Rue)

Africans have been adorning their bodies since time immemorial. Scarification, cicatrisation and tattoos in

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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

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their passages of life through elaborate scarification (below).

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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).

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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.

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Clockwise: Kramo Bone, sesa wo suban, Nyame dua and wawa aba. Next page, clockwise: funtumfunafu, owuo atwedee, sankofa, and Nyame dua.

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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.

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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

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

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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.

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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 Onyakopon Ka yen

bom

God's Time is the best time

Onyakopon mmere ne mmerepa

Do not kill Nni awu

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What God has fore-ordained, nohuman being can

change Asem a

Onyankopon adi asie no,

onipa ntumi nnane no

United we stand, divided we fall

Nkabom ma yetumi gyina ho,

mpaapaemu ma yehwe ase

God's eye see all secrets

Onyankopon aniwa hu

asumasem biara

Have Courage Nya akokooduro

Two heads are better than one Ti koro nko agyina

Remember me Kae me

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We shall meet again

Yebehyia bio

Truth Nokore

Respect yourself Bu wo ho

Peace Asomdwoee

Understanding Nteasee

Welcome Akwaaba

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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!!!

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

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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

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On the stands soon “I, Yooseef” [epic verse]

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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)