Adinkra

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Adinkra symbols on the wall of the Ghanaian Embassy in Washington

Adinkra (rarely also Andinkra) is the name of the symbolic language used in Ivory Coast and Ghana . This is traditionally used in all areas of life, on clothing, on house walls, pottery and wood products. Today, more and more Adinkra symbols are used as company logos. This symbolic language has its origin in Ghana in the dominant ethnic group of the Ashanti in the Ashanti region .

General

As far as Adinkra is used as a fabric print, these are very popular fabrics and garments in Ghana. The stamps were not infrequently made from the thorns of the otuwere tree. Nowadays, however, a dried calabash (fruit of the calabash tree) is mostly used. The symbols are usually small and some of them have a very abstract character.

The legend

Adinkra symbols on a hotel in Kumasi

There is some evidence that Adinkra originated in the early 19th century. A legend reports that the Ashanti were at war against the Gyaman from what is now Ivory Coast. The Ashanti are said to have emerged victorious from this war and even took the king's son as their prisoner with them. This prince offered the Ashanti in exchange for his life to teach the art of Adinkra. Since that time the Adinkra Center in Ghana has been the village of Asokwa , south of Kumasi , Ashanti Region.

The usage

Originally, the Adinkra symbols were only used by kings and traditional leaders. In doing so, Adinkra had also acquired a deep religious significance, which still allows an insight into the religious philosophy of the Ashanti .

Today, fabrics printed with Adinkra symbols are also worn by members of other sections of the population. Nevertheless, the Adinkra symbols still have a special position. Festive clothing printed with Adinkra symbols may be used. a. worn on special occasions such as funerals, going to church (the Ashanti are mostly Christian today) and weddings, as well as in traditional religions on the occasion of rites and processions.

Adinkra printing on fabric in red, black, brown or purple is worn between the death of a family member or close friend and the funeral. Adinkra print on white fabric is then worn to the funeral ceremony after the funeral.

The meaning

Probably the best known Adinkra symbol, Gye Nyame ( God alone ), stands for the omnipotence of God

Each Adinkra symbol stands for a word from the Ashanti language, a sentence, a historically significant event, a proverb or animals or plants. The word Adinkra is often translated as "goodbye", which is believed to indicate the use of Adinkra in funerals. A circle reveals the presence of God, rectangles stand for masculinity and sanctuary, the triangle stands for femininity or desire.

The manufacture of Adinkra fabrics

Adinkra fabrics are made from hand-woven fabrics that are woven in strips approx. 35 cm wide. Wooden looms are used for this. These strips are then sewn together by the seamstresses.

After the fabrics have been sewn together, they are printed with the Adinkra symbols in the next step. In this work step, artful decorations and stitches are already used. Then the fabric is stretched and stretched using various methods.

The paint for the printing technique is made by girls and women by pounding the bark of the tree. The substance obtained in this way must then simmer for several hours. The solid residue is filtered out of the liquid and the paint is then simmered again. Only lumps of iron-containing ash are placed in this liquid by a blacksmith. The black paint is ready when the liquid has reached a syrupy consistency.

The actual printing process is traditionally done by men who draw light orientation lines on the fabric before stamping. A symbol is rarely used individually. Often the symbols are stamped into several of a single type in a rectangular shape. Often a different rectangle is then stamped with a different symbol. After drying, the fabric can then be processed further.

literature

  • W. Bruce Willis: The Adinkra dictionary. A visual primer on the language of Adinkra. Pyramid Complex, Washington DC 1998, ISBN 0-9661532-1-9 .

Web links

Commons : Adinkra  - collection of images, videos and audio files