Ashanti SymbolsI found a book on Symbols in the half-price bin at a local bookstore, and discovered that it includes Ashanti symbols. The book states, "One of the richest traditions comes from the West African Ashanti people who make Adinkra cloth and live in and around the coast of the Ivory Coast and Ghana. Ashanti children are brought up listening to the legends and stories of their kings and ancestors, and the symbols they use on their cloth often refer to these stories. The word "Adinkra" may refer to an ancient battle between the Ashanti king Nana Osei Bonsu-Panyin and Adinkera, king of Gyaman (now Ivory Coast), or may simply be an inversion of the word "Dinkra," meaning "farewell to the dead." This latter idea is supported by the use of the special cloth at funerals. Adinkra cloth is carefully hand printed and was probably taken up by the Ashanti peoples from Gyaman sometime between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries.
Aban: castle or palace is the Adinkra symbol of the seat of power, strength, authority, respect for the law, ligitimacy, and magnificance. The symbol commerates a historical event: the building of a magnificent palace for the Asantehene (head of the Ashanti) in 1822. The Aban also became known as the palace of culture before it was destroyed by the British later in the 19th century. Aban can also represent a fence as well as signifying security, protection, and love.
Adwo: This Adinkra symbol means peace, calmness, spiritual calm, and continuity. It is often used in a political contect and derives from the Ashanti saying "Where the king has good counselors, his reign will be peaceful." It is a popular symbol in Adinkra cloth design.
Adinkraheme: The most important Adinkra symbol is Adinkraheme, which literally means "chief or king of Adinkra designs." This symbol represents greatness, firmness, magnanimity, chrisma, and leadership. It is said to have been the founding or primary symbol for the other Adinkra symbols, and in itself symbolizes the importance of playing a leading role. It is also the primary Adinkra printing symbol.
Akoben: Akoben represents the war horn used to give the battle cry to summon warriors to the battlefield. It stands for wariness, alertness, vigilance, and the readiness to be called to arms or to fulfill one's duty or fight in a good cause. The symbol is used to represent loyalty to one's nation and the need to be ready to serve one's nation when it is threatened.
Akokonan: This symbol represents the saying "The hen treads on her chicks but does not kill them," or in short, "the leg of a hen." The Akokonan symbol, a stylized hen's foot, symbolizes the idea of parenthood, of being able to protect and, if necessary, punish one's child. In a wider context it is a call to nurture children but not to spoil them, or could be also understood to be showing mercy.
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I'll add to the list as time goes on.
(from Symbols, by Sandra Forty, Metro Books, 2008.)
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