Abstract
This paper represents selected Adinkra symbols of the Akan and brings out the philosophical, educational, historical and moral values inherent in them. It seeks to encourage the understanding and usage of the Adinkra symbols in a more meaningful way by Ghanaians and foreigners, contemporary artists, designers, craftsmen, teachers, and all who appreciate the traditional symbols. It discusses 14 Adinkra symbols grouped into two of seven each. The first group consists of the symbols that are familiar to many Ghanaians but the philosophy, history and moral lessons behind them are not known to them and the other group also consists of symbols that are unfamiliar to many Ghanaians as well as the philosophical and historical lessons associated to them. Symbolic meanings, philosophical and historical background of these symbols have also been provided. The paper posits that the logical value of the Adinkra symbols used by Akans as a mode of communication is less important; it is their communication values that are important. The paper adds to knowledge in the disciplines of linguistics in general and semiotics in particular. Key words: Akan language, Adinkra symbols, semiotics, linguistics, Ghanaian indigenous symbolism, communication.
Highlights
Sapir (1949) posited that just as unlettered and primitive people have an economic basis of life, simple in its operation, such a life is strictly comparable to the economic machinery that so largely that it orders the life of a modern civilized society. Just as they have attained a definite system of religious beliefs and practices, to traditionally conserved modes of artistic expression, to the adequate communication of thought and feeling in terms of linguistic symbols, so they appear everywhere as rather clearly articulated into various types of social groupings
The authors of this paper have brought to readers, the many beautiful and varied facets of the Adinkra symbols
In going through the discussions on the communication values and the philosophies inherent in the adinkra symbols above, we noted that even though, Akan nonverbal communication manifests itself in diverse ways, the adinkra symbols are among the few most recognized nonverbal communication modes in Akan
Summary
Sapir (1949) posited that just as unlettered and primitive people have an economic basis of life, simple in its operation, such a life is strictly comparable to the economic machinery that so largely that it orders the life of a modern civilized society He stated that, just as they have attained a definite system of religious beliefs and practices, to traditionally conserved modes of artistic expression, to the adequate communication of thought and feeling in terms of linguistic symbols, so they appear everywhere as rather clearly articulated into various types of social groupings. Each has a written form which reflects the peculiarities of the particular dialects so that it is difficult for a Fante speaker who does not speak Asante to read a test written in Asante and vice-versa even though the two dialects are mutually intelligible At a time, it became useful for a unification of the orthographies of the varieties of this language. When this idea was accepted by the people concerned the unified variety was named Akan (Akrofi et al, 1996, iii).This paper answers the question, what are the philosophical, educational and moral values inherent in some Adinkra symbols of the Akan of Ghana?
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