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Sankofa "learning from the past " Sankofa is an Adinkra Symbol literally meaning "return and get it" or "go back to fetch it". It symbolizes gaining wisdom from the past to build for the future. Sankofa is symbolic of the way Kwesi Morris draws on his diverse experience and education in fitness to create a workout that synthesizes traditional African tribal technique with military, martial arts, and a variety of other fitness styles. Adinkra symbols were developed by the Ashante people of West Africa and can be traced back to the 17th century. The word "adinkra" means goodbye because originally clothes adorned with Adinkra symbols were only worn during ceremonies to honor the dead. The symbols worn on the mourner's clothing expressed the qualities attributed to the deceased. The Ashante people living in the modern African countries of Ghana and the Ivory Coast, stamp Adinkra symbols on cloth. Each of the stylized symbols has a name and meaning based on a proverb or historical legend. The shapes of humans, animals, plants, and objects inspired the geometric forms of the symbols. The number of symbols continue to grow. Today Adinkra cloth is widely worn at social occasions in Ghana and the symbols are used to decorate objects. In modern times, they are used worldwide for every-day wear, bridal, formal and special occasions. Sources http://www.tk-designs.com/african/Adinkra-Symbols.htm |
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