Symbols
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Adinkra Sankofa

Adinkra Sankofa

CulturalSeed

adinkra

Construction note

A geometric impression of the adinkra symbol Sankofa. “Go back and fetch it.”

About this symbol

Meaning
Learning from the past to build the future.
Culture / origin
Akan peoples (Ghana & Côte d'Ivoire)
Era
From at least the 19th century (Gyaman / Asante)
Historical context
Adinkra symbols are stamped on cloth and carved on objects, each encoding a proverb or maxim about life, virtue and the divine.

Adinkra are Akan visual proverbs with deep cultural meaning. Use them with their proverb and credit the Akan tradition, not as generic ornament.

Tags

adinkraakanghanawest-africanproverb

SVG source

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