Just like the Ghanaian kente cloth, symbols in Ghana are an important part in everyday life. Below we have compiled a list of symbols specific to West Africa. This group of symbols are also referred to as Adinkra symbols. In the coming year we’ll add more symbols to this list. We begin with a known international symbol…

Akoma
Akoma means ‘heart’ and stands for patience and tolerance.

Woforo dua pa a
woforo dua pa a means ‘when you climb a good tree’ and stands for support and cooperation.

Hwemudua
Hwemudua means ‘measuring stick’ and stands for examination and quality control.

Owuo Atwedee
Owuo Atwedee means for ‘the ladder of death’ and stands for ‘mortality’.

Akoben
Akoben means ‘war horn’ and stands for vigilance and wariness.

Nsaa
Nsaa means ‘type of hand-woven cloth’ and stands for ‘excellence, genuineness and authenticity’.

Epa
Epa means ‘handcuffs’ and stands for ‘law, justice, slavery’.

Nyame Biribi Wo Soro
Nyame Biribi Wo Soro means ‘God is in the heavens’ and stands for ‘hope’.

Akoma Ntoso
Akoma Ntoso means ‘linked hearts’ and stands for ‘understanding and agreement’

Sankofa
Sankofa means ‘return and get it’ and stands as a ‘symbol of importance of learning from the past’.