gye nyame sankofa sankofa adinkrahene funtunfunefu denkyemfunefu denkyem dwennimmen akoma ntoaso nyame nti nyame biribi wo soro nkinkyim nsoromma bin nka bi akokonan fihankra eban akoben nkonsonnkonson owo foro adobe akoma hwemudua hye wonhye
 
tamfo bebre duafe mmusuyidee osram ne nsoromma kintinkantan bese saka asase ye duru mpataro nsaa nkyimu sesa woruban epa dame dame ese ne tekrema nyame nnwu na mawu nyansapo odo nnyew fie kwan mate masie fofo owuo atwedee
 
wawa aba aya nyame dua mframadan nea ope se obedi hene woforo dua pa a wo nsa da mu a boa me na kete pa me ware wo
 

West African Wisdom: Adinkra Symbols & Meanings

ADINKRA INDEX

The small symbols at the top of the page are also linked.
Bulleted symbols include photo(s).
 
 

ADINKRAHENE

"chief of adinkra symbols"

 

greatness, charisma, leadership

 

AKOBEN

 

"war horn"

 

vigilance, wariness

 

AKOFENA

 

"sword of war"

 

courage, valor

 

AKOKONAN

"the leg of a hen"

 

mercy, nurturing

 

AKOMA

"the heart"

 

patience & tolerance

 

AKOMA NTOSO

 

"linked hearts"

 

understanding, agreement

 

ANANSE NTONTAN

 

"spider's web"

 

wisdom, creativity

 

ASASE YE DURU

 

"the Earth has weight"

 

divinity of Mother Earth

 

AYA

 

"fern"

 

endurance, resourcefulness

 

BESE SAKA

 

"sack of cola nuts"

 

affluence, abundance, unity

 

BI NKA BI

 

"no one should bite the other"

 

peace, harmony

 

BOA ME NA
ME MMOA WO

 

"help me and let me help you"

 

cooperation, interdependence



 

DAME-DAME

 

name of a board game

 

intelligence, ingenuity

 

DENKYEM

 

"crocodile"

 

adaptability

 

DUAFE

 

"wooden comb"

 

beauty, hygiene, feminine qualities

 

DWENNIMMEN

"ram's horns"

 

humility and strength

 

EBAN

 

"fence"

 

love, safety, security

 

EPA

 

"handcuffs"

 

law, justice, slavery

 

ESE NE TEKREMA

 

"the teeth and the tongue"

 

friendship, interdependence

fawohodie  

FAWOHODIE

 

"independence"

 

independence, freedom, emancipation

 

FIHANKRA

"house/compound"

 

security, safety

 

FOFO

 

"a yellow-flowered plant"

 

jealousy, envy

 

FUNTUNFUNEFU
DENKYEMFUNEFU

 

"siamese crocodiles"

 

democracy, unity in diversity

 

GYE NYAME

"except for God"

 

supremacy of God

 

HWEMUDUA

"measuring stick"

 

examination, quality control

 

HYE WONHYE

"that which cannot be burnt"

 

imperishability, endurance

keta pa  

KETE PA

 

"good bed"

 

good marriage

kintinkantan  

KINTINKANTAN

"puffed up extravagance"

 

arrogance, extravagance

 

KWATAKYE ATIKO

 

"hairstyle of Kwatakye, a war hero"

 

bravery, valor

mate masie  

MATE MASIE

 

"what I hear, I keep"

 

wisdom, knowledge, prudence

me ware wo  

ME WARE WO

 

"I shall marry you"

 

commitment, perseverance

mframadan  

MFRAMADAN

 

"wind-resistant house"

 

fortitude, preparedness

 

MMERE DANE

 

"time changes"

 

change, life's dynamics

 

MMUSUYIDEE

 

"that which removes ill luck"

 

good fortune, sanctity

 

MPATAPO

 

"knot of reconciliation"

 

peacemaking, reconciliation

 

MPUANNUM

 

"five tufts" (of hair)

 

priestly office, loyalty, adroitness

 

NEA ONNIM NO SUA A, OHU

 

"he who does not know can know from learning"

 

knowledge, life-long education

 

NEA OPE SE OBEDI HENE

 

"he who wants to be king"

 

service, leadership

 

NKONSONKONSON

"chain links"

 

unity, human relations

 

NYAME DUA

 

"tree of god"

 

God's protection and presence

 

NKYIMU

 

the crossed divisions made on adinkra cloth before printing

 

skillfulness, precision

 

NKYINKYIM

"twistings"

 

initiative, dynamism, versatility

 

NSAA

 

type of hand-woven cloth

 

excellence, genuineness, authenticity

 

NSOROMMA

"child of the heavens"

 

guardianship

 

NYAME BIRIBI
WO SORO

"God is in the heavens"

 

hope

 

NYAME NNWU
NA MAWU

"God never dies, therefore I cannot die"

 

life after death

 

NYAME NTI

 

"by God's grace"

 

faith & trust in God

 

NYAME YE OHENE

 

"God is King"

 

majesty and supremacy of God

 

NYANSAPO

 

"wisdom knot"

 

wisdom, ingenuity, intelligence and patience

 

ODO NNYEW
FIE KWAN

"love never loses its way home"

 

power of love

 

OKODEE MMOWERE

 

"talons of the eagle"

 

bravery, strength

 

ONYANKOPON ADOM NTI BIRIBIARA BEYE YIE

 

"By God's grace, all will be well"

 

hope, providence, faith

 

OSRAM NE NSOROMMA

 

"the moon and the star"

 

love, faithfulness, harmony

 

OWO FORO ADOBE

 

"snake climbing the raffia tree"

 

steadfastness, prudence, diligence

 

OWUO ATWEDEE

 

"the ladder of death"

 

mortality

 

PEMPAMSIE

 

"sew in readiness"

 

readiness, steadfastness

 

SANKOFA

"return and get it"

 

learn from the past

 

SANKOFA

(alternate version)

   
 

SESA WO SUBAN

 

"I change or transform my life"

 

transformation

 

TAMFO BEBRE

"the enemy will stew in his own juice"

 

jealousy

 

WAWA ABA

 

"seed of the wawa tree"

 

hardiness, toughness, perseverance

 

WOFORO DUA PA A

 

"when you climb a good tree"

 

support, cooperation

 

WO NSA DA MU A

 

"if your hands are in the dish"

 

democracy, pluralism

   
 

 


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