Adinkra Symbols
I have been fascinated with Adinkra Symbols ever since I first discovered them as a teenager.
A bit of background - I grew up in the UK as the only person of colour in my family with a white English mother and 2 older brothers, both of whom were white. My father is from Ghana in west Africa and he wan’t around much when I was growing up and we lost touch when I was a round 7 or 8 years old.
My creativity was a lifeline for me throughout my childhood as I strived to find my place in the world. When I first started to research the Adinkra symbols it gave me a connection to a rich culture that I yearned to connect with.
The Adinkra Symbols (above) are a small sample of the tiles I have been making. I showed the beginning of the project in my last blog post which you can see here>>>
I’ve hand carved the symbols from clay and they are Raku fired. I love the contrast of the brightly coloured symbols with the black textured clay which has absorbed the carbon from the smoke in the reduction process.
History of the Adinkra Symbols
Adinkra symbols are thought to have originated from the Ashanti region of Ghana in west Africa.
‘Adinkra’ means ‘farewell’ and these ancient symbols were originally used in Ghana on ceremonial robes and for funerals. There are hundreds of symbols and they all have different meanings which I have been researching in-depth.
I love the fact that they contain ancient wisdom and I think they are best represented by the popular symbol Sankofa (shown below) whose meaning encourages us to go back in time in order to bring what is useful into the present. I believe that we are going through a time of collective Ancestral Healing and there is power in listening to Ancestral Wisdom.
We can learn from our past experiences and those of our ancestors, but it is important not to stay stuck in the past or to dwell there for too long. We need to bring to light and into our consciousness what is relevant, useful and healing for us today.
Sankofa
Ancestral Wisdom Project
The Adinkra symbols are used as part of an Ancestral Wisdom Grief Shrine and I have already begun to facilitate rituals and ceremonies to help people express their grief and loss in a safe and supportive communal environment.
For a long time I have wanted to hold Creative Arts Healing Retreats and over the next few months I’ll be sharing the progress of the new and experimental work I’m creating. If you feel called to know more please follow along and enjoy the journey.
You can sign up below to the Studio Diary emails which I’ll be sending out especially for the Ancestral Wisdom Project.