• Bulleted

symbols
include
photo(s).

 
greatness,
"chief of adinkra
ADINKRAHENE symbols"
  charisma,
leadership
 

  AKOBEN   "war horn"   vigilance, wariness

  AKOFENA   "sword of war"   courage, valor

  AKOKONAN • "the leg of a hen"   mercy, nurturing

patience &
  AKOMA • "the heart"   tolerance

understanding,
  AKOMA NTOSO   "linked hearts"   agreement

  ANANSE NTONTAN   "spider's web"   wisdom, creativity

"the Earth has divinity of Mother

  ASASE YE DURU   weight"
 
Earth

endurance,
  AYA   "fern"  
resourcefulness

affluence,
  BESE SAKA   "sack of cola nuts"  
abundance, unity

"no one should bite

  BI NKA BI   the other"
  peace, harmony
 BOA ME NA "help me and let me cooperation,
  ME MMOA WO
  help you"
 
interdependence

name of a board intelligence,

  DAME-DAME   game
  ingenuity

  DENKYEM   "crocodile"   adaptability

beauty, hygiene,
  DUAFE   "wooden comb"  
feminine qualities

humility and
  DWENNIMMEN • "ram's horns"  
strength

love, safety,
  EBAN   "fence"   security

law, justice,
  EPA   "handcuffs"   slavery

"the teeth and the friendship,

  ESE NE TEKREMA   tongue"
  interdependence

independence,
  FAWOHODIE   "independence"   freedom,
emancipation

  FIHANKRA • "house/compound"   security, safety

"a yellow-flowered
  FOFO   plant"
  jealousy, envy

FUNTUNFUNEFU democracy, unity

  DENKYEMFUNEFU   "siamese crocodiles"   in diversity
  GYE NYAME • "except for God"   supremacy of God

examination,
  HWEMUDUA • "measuring stick"   quality control

"that which cannot be imperishability,

  HYE WONHYE • burnt"
  endurance

  KETE PA   "good bed"   good marriage

"puffed up arrogance,
  KINTINKANTAN • extravagance"
  extravagance

"hairstyle of
  KWATAKYE ATIKO   Kwatakye, a war   bravery, valor
hero"

wisdom,
  MATE MASIE   "what I hear, I keep"   knowledge,
prudence

commitment,
  ME WARE WO   "I shall marry you"  
perseverance

"wind-resistant fortitude,
  MFRAMADAN  
house"
 
preparedness

change, life's
  MMERE DANE   "time changes"  
dynamics

"that which removes good fortune,

  MMUSUYIDEE   ill luck"
  sanctity

"knot of peacemaking,
  MPATAPO   reconciliation"
  reconciliation

priestly office,
  MPUANNUM   "five tufts" (of hair)  
loyalty, adroitness
 "he who does not
NEA ONNIM NO SUA knowledge, life-
  A, OHU
  know can know from  
long education
learning"

NEA OPE SE OBEDI "he who wants to be

  HENE
  king"
  service, leadership

unity, human
  NKONSONKONSON • "chain links"   relations

God's protection
  NYAME DUA   "tree of god"  
and presence

the crossed divisions

skillfulness,
  NKYIMU   made on adinkra   precision
cloth before printing

initiative,
  NKYINKYIM • "twistings"   dynamism,
versatility

excellence,
type of hand-woven
  NSAA   cloth
  genuineness,
authenticity

  NSOROMMA • "child of the heavens"   guardianship

NYAME BIRIBI "God is in the

  WO SORO • heavens"
  hope

"God never dies,

NYAME NNWU
  NA MAWU • therefore I cannot   life after death
die"

faith & trust in

  NYAME NTI   "by God's grace"   God

majesty and
  NYAME YE OHENE   "God is King"  
supremacy of God

wisdom, ingenuity,
  NYANSAPO   "wisdom knot"   intelligence and
patience
 ODO NNYEW "love never loses its
  FIE KWAN • way home"
  power of love

  OKODEE MMOWERE   "talons of the eagle"   bravery, strength

ONYANKOPON
"By God's grace, all hope, providence,
  ADOM NTI  
will be well"
 
faith
BIRIBIARA BEYE YIE

OSRAM NE "the moon and the love, faithfulness,

  NSOROMMA   star"
  harmony

steadfastness,
"snake climbing the
  OWO FORO ADOBE   raffia tree"
  prudence,
diligence

  OWUO ATWEDEE   "the ladder of death"   mortality

readiness,
  PEMPAMSIE   "sew in readiness"  
steadfastness

learn from the

  SANKOFA • "return and get it"   past

  SANKOFA • (alternate version)   

"I change or
  SESA WORUBAN   transform my life"
  transformation

"the enemy will stew

  TAMFO BEBRE • in his own juice"
  jealousy

hardiness,
"seed of the wawa
  WAWA ABA     toughness,
tree"
perseverance

"when you climb a support,

  WOFORO DUA PA A   good tree"
 
cooperation
 "if your hands are in democracy,
  WO NSA DA MU A   the dish"
 
pluralism

   
   

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The Adinkra Dictionary
by W. Bruce Willis
($25.00)
A rich resource on adinkra symbols as well as West African culture.