Symbolic Proverbial Meaning (s) Expression

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Below is a table displaying in alphabetical order some of the old andnew Adinkra and other cultural symbols of the Akan. They have beenarranged by names in Twi, literal translation in English, significanceand proverbial meaning where available.Symbol/namein AkanLiteralmeaningSymbolicProverbialmeaning (s) expressionFenceStrength andauthority.Palm a nye abe dua nane ho ahyia ne ho.The human being is notlike the palm that is selfsufficient.Abe duaNnua nyinaa bewu agyaabe.All trees will wither safethe palm tree.AdinkraKing.GreatnessRoyaltyAdinkraheneChief of allthe Adinkradesigns;forms thebasis ofadinkraprinting.6

Adinkra kingstamp.GreatnessRoyaltyAdikrahene DuaThis is usedonly forprinting onthe Adinkracloth.WateryshrubPurity andSanctityChastityAdweragood Adwera nsuo, wo nenkwansuo, nsukorogyenn a wohurunso wonhye.Water of life, you are thepure crystal clean waterthat boils but, does notburn.Ohene nya ahontenafopa a, ne bere so dwoWhen the king has goodcounselors, then he willhave a peaceful fena kunini ko a,wobo a fena kye nosafoheneThe great warrior alwayshas a royal sword of resteven when he retiresAkofenaWar HornThe sound ofAko-ben is abattle cry.Call to armsReadiness andpreparednessfor action orbattle.Akoben7

War Horn(anotherversion)Ako-benThe sound ofAko-ben is abattle cry.The hen’sfeetAkoko nanThe heart.Call to armsReadiness andpreparednessfor action ction.Parentaladmonition isnot intended toharm the child.(Parentaldiscipline.)PatienceAkoko nan tia ba, naennkum no.Nya AkomaEnduranceTake heart.The hen treads upon itschicks but it does notintend to kill them.Love andfaithfulnessAkomaExtension ofthe heart.UnderstandingAgreement orcharterAkoma ntoasoSpider e ntontanAni bere a, nso gya,anka mani abere koo.PerseveranceAni bereSeriousness does not showfiery eyes; else you wouldsee my face all red.8

The earthhas weight.Divinity of theearthProvidencePower/AuthorityWealthMightAsase ye duruThe fernDefianceEnduranceResourcefulnessSack of colanutsPowerTumi nyina ne asaseAll power emanates fromthe earthAsase ye duru sen epoThe earth is heavier thanthe seaAyaAbundanceaffluenceBese sakaBite not oneanotherTogethernessand unity(agricultureand trade bringpeopletogether).PeaceHarmonyCautionagainst strifeandprovocationBi-nnka-bi (obinnka obi)There issomething inthe heavens.Biribi wo soroHope.Reliance onGod forinspiration.Nyame, biribi wo soro,na ma embeka me nsa.God, there is something inheaven, let it get to me.9

Help me tohelp you.InterdependenceCooperationHelping oneanotherBoa me na meboa woA boardgameIntelligenceIngenuityDrumPraiseDouble drumUnityDame-dameDonoConcordDono ntoaso tinglove.DuafeRam’s hornConcealmentHumility &StrengthDwannimmenWisdom &learningDwannini ye asisie a,ode n’akorana na It is the hart and not thehorns that leads a ram tobully.10

Fence/fort safetyfortressEbanHandcuffsSlaveryOnii a ne pa da wonsano, na n’akoa ne woEqualityEpaLaw & JusticeThe teethand thetongue.You are a slave to the onewhose handcuffs you gressStrength inunity.TendernessgentlenessEse ne tekremaFafanto/EsononamtamHouseSafety /securityin a home.FreedomFreedomLibertyFihankraFawohudie11

Fofoo plant (a yellowfloweredplant)JealosyThetree/altar ofthefuntunfunafu. (version ofthe Siamesecrocodile)Siamesetwincrocodilesjoined at thestomach.Need for unitywhen there isthe samedestinyEnvyThe Fofoo plant’s wish isthat the gyinantwi seedsshould turn black.FofooFuntunmfunafuduaDemocracy andonenessirrespective ofculturaldifferences.Funtumfunafudenkyem funafu/FunntunmirekuGyawu atikoSe die fofoo pe ne segyinantwi abo bidie.Funtumfunafudenkyemfunafu, wonafuru bom, nsoworedidi a na woreko.They share one stomachand yet they fight forgetting food.Symboldrawn byGyawu, whowas a chiefof BantamaBraveryValourFearlessnessExcept God.LeadershipOmnipotenceand immortalityof GodGye NyameThat whichcannot beburntHye wonnyeImperishabilityHye wonnhyeEndlessHe who burns be notburnedForgivenessToughness12

ExcellenceSuperior qualityHwemuduaRememberme.LoyaltyFaithfulnessGood bedGood marriage.Love andfaithfulnessRaysCosmosomnipresenceState eldersReliance.Democracy.Seal of lawand orderAuthority of thecourt.Law and orderKae meKete paKojo baidenOne head does not makeup councilKontire neAkwamuKrado – mmrakrado13

Sanctity,Pure inheart.SanctityKrapa te se okra okyirifiPurity.Sanctity, like cats, abhorsfilth.Krapa(Musuyidie)The BadWarningagainsthypocrisyWe cannot tell the goodfrom the bad because ofpretenceand hypocrisyKramo boneKuntinkantanKramo bone ammayennhu kramo paDo notboast.Do not befilled withpride.Need forhumility andserviceHair of kye- atikoMakoI shall marryyou.CommitmentWind house.House builtto standwindy andtreacherousFortitudeMe ware wo14

Mframadanconditions.UnityUnityTogethernessSeal of lawand order.The Court’sauthority./lawand orderThat whichremoves illluck or evil.Good fortuneSanctitySpiritualstrengthReconciliation knotReconciliationMmomudwanMmra kradoMmusuyideePeacemakingMpatapoFive tufts ofhair ( atraditionalhair style )Priestly officeLoyaltyMpuannumnkotimsofo puuaNea onnim no suaa ohuSkillfulnessAdroitnessHe who doesnot knowcan knowfromLearning.knowledgeKnowledgecomes bylearning.15

Do to othersthe thingsyou wantthem to doto for you.JusticeHe whowants to beking.LeadershipNea ope se nkrofoo yema wo no, ye saa arama wonDo unto others what youwant others to do untoyou.Nea ope senkrofoo ye ma wono, ye saa ara mawon.Nea ope se obediheneNhwimu /NkyimuCrossing.SkillThe divisions Precisiondone ontothe plaincloth beforethe stampingis done.The greatSupremacyokraSuperiorityNkuma keseZigzag/twistingNkyinkyimPlaying manyroles.(Dynamism)InitiativeObra kwan yenkyinkyimiieLife’s path is full of upsand downs; twists andturns.ToughnessAdaptabilityResoluteness16

Chain linksHumanrelationsUnityNkonsonkonsonHair of theQueen’sservantLoyaltyDouble drumValourServiceNkontimStrengthNnonnowa(Donno ntoasoa)WealthAbundanceAffluenceNserewaThe StarNsorommaChild ofGod/child ofthe heavensType of handwovencloth/BlanketReflection ofGodfaith in he one who knows thenssa blanket is willing tobuy it even when it is old.NssaI have heardand kept it.Ntesie - MatemasieNea onim nssa na oton’agoKnowledgeWisdomNyansa bun mu ne matemasieDeep wisdom comes out oflistening and keeping whatis heard.17

Be patientPatiencecalmnessNya abotereAltar ofGod/tree ofGodNyame duaNyame ntiGod’spresence/protection.God’s altar inthe sky; aplace ofworship.Since godGod’s grace.existFaith in God.For God’ssakeBy God’sgraceGod neverLife after deathdies;therefore Ishall not die.Nyame nti mi nnwewuraBy god’s grace, I will noteat leaves to survive.Nyame nnwu name wuWisdom enkyem.PrudenceOdenkyem da nsuo mu,nso onnhome nsuo,ohome mframaThe crocodile lives inwater but does breathe airand not water.18

Love doesnot lose itsway home.Odo nyera fiekwanPower of LoveFaithfulnessBlessing inloving.The king’sstoolStateChieftaincyKingWisdomking’s eyeBeautyVigilanceThe king’sgun.Defenderandprotector ofthe king.GreatnessOhene adwaOheneOhene aniwaOhene tuoEagle’stalons.Okodee mmowere A style ofShavings onthe heads ofsometraditionalcourtattendants.Strength andunity.19

Good Okuafo PaGod’s eyeOmnipresenceof GodOkuafoo pa ne obi a oyensiyefoo, ono na ose :w’afuo so a, woye nenyinaa.The good and industriousfarmer says: No matterhow big your farm is youtend it all.Onyakopon aniwa huasumu asem biaraGod’s eye seees al secretsOnyakopon aniwaMay God bewith usGod’s presenceand protectionThe builderCreativityThe moon.Patience andunderstandingOnyakopon neyen ntenaOsidanOsram mmfiti prekonntwareman.It takes the moon sometime to go round theearth.Osram /OsraneThe moonand the star.LoveFaithfulnessOsram neNsoromaOwia kokrokoFondness.Thegreatness ofthe sun.God has a reason forkeeping the sun at adistance.20

Snakeclimbing thepalm tree.Performing theimpossible.Excellence/valourLadder ofdeath.Death, theultimate fate ofman.Owo foro adobeMortal natureof man.Owuo atwedeeStriking offire.Owu atwedee obaakonforo.All men shall climb theladder of deathFateWarPa gyaReadinessReadiness/PreparednessPempamsie se, bebebreahooden ne koroye.Strength andunity.That which will notovercomeYou can alwayscorrect yourmistakes.Se wo were fin a wosankofa a yennkyi.WisdomIt is not a taboo to returnto fetch something youforgot earlier on.PempamsieReturn andget it.Learningfrom thepast.SankofaUsing pastexperiences tobuild thefuture.Better late thannever21

Return andget it.Sankofa(alternateversion)Learningfrom thepast.You can alwayscorrect yourmistakes.Se wo were fin a wosankofa a yennkyi.WisdomIt is not a taboo to returnto fetch something youforgot earlier on.Using pastexperiences tobuild thefuture.Better late thanneverSankofa duaKnife used inexecutions.SepowThis isplungedthrough thethroat of thevictim’scheeks toprevent himfrominvoking acurse on theKing.Change yourlifeJusticeTransformationA newbeginningSesa woruban22

SunsumThe SoulSpiritualityThe Akansbelieve thatthe soul ofthe chiefreside in ayoungercourtierPaddlePurityEverlastingCouragehard workTabonThe enemyshall suffer.JealousyPower is likean eggDelicacy ofpolitical power,Tamfo bebreFragility ofdemocracy,Tumi te se kosuaTuo ne AkofenaRestraintTumi te se kosua, wosomu den a, epae; na sewoanso mu yie nso a,efiri wo nsa bo famu maepaePower is as fragile as anegg, when held too tightlyit might break; if it is heldtoo loosely, it might falland break.Gunand PowerState urity&protection,Militaryprowess23

Seed of thewawa tree.Wawa abaWawa is ahardwoodused incarving.When youclimb a ntWuforo dua pa a na yepia woHe who climbs a good treeis encouraged/supported.Wuforo dua pa aIf you haveyour handsin the dishDemocracyPluralismWo nsa da mu a24

ReferencesAbissath, M. K. & Korem, A. K. TRADITIONAL WISDOM IN AFRICANPROVERBS, 1915 Proverbs from 41 African Countries, PublishingTrends Ltd. Accra 2004.Arthur Kojo, G. F. & Rowe R., Akan Adinkra cloths, Akan CulturalSymbols Project, 1998-2001, http://www.marshall.edu/akanartGlover, A. (Prof.), Adinkra symbolism, Artiste Alliance Gallery, OmanyeHouse, Accra. Ghana. 1992.Strenna Per Gli Amici, Adinkra, Massimo Baistrocchi, Italy .2003/2004.Adinka, pAsante Adinkra Cloth, Adire African Textiles,http://www.adireafricantextiles.comFacts and History, Adinkra Symbols, http://www.ghanatourism.gov.ghAdinkra Symbols of West Africa, West African Wisdom: AdinkraSymbols and meanings, Adinkra nkra indexhtmAdinkra Symbols: A Philosophical writing System, Cornell /Writing Systems/Adinkra page2.html25

Adinkra ossary/symbols/bldefsadinkra.htmAdinkra at Ntonso, The Mirror, 22 April 2006, Page 32.Compiled by:Valentina A. TettehNCC26

new Adinkra and other cultural symbols of the Akan. They have been arranged by names in Twi, literal translation in English, significance and proverbial meaning where available. Symbol/name in Akan Literal meaning Symbolic meaning (s) Proverbial expression Aban Fence Strength and authority. Abe dua Palm tree Wealth Self-sufficiency Toughness

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