Abstract
Amongst the Akan people of Ghana, the word “Sankofa” can be broken down into three syllables— “san” (return), “ko” (go), and “fa” (take)—that can be translated into “go back and take it,” or more philosophically, go back to learn. It is often represented by the Andinkra symbol of a bird with its feet facing forward and its head tucked behind; an apt metaphor for the practice of genealogical research. In Black communities in the United States, it is often evoked in attempts to reflect upon and engage with an African past.
Highlights
AAbbssttrraacctt:: AAmmoonnggsstt tthhee AAkkaann ppeeooppllee ooff GGhhaannaa, tthhee wwoorrdd ““SSaannkkooffaa”” ccaann bbee bbrrookkeenn ddoowwnn iinnttoo tthhrreeee ssyyllllaabblleess—— ““ssaann”” ((rreettuurrnn)), ““kkoo”” ((ggoo)), aanndd ““ffaa”” ((ttaakkee))——tthhaatt ccaann bbee ttrraannssllaatteedd iinnttoo ““ggoo bbaacckk aanndd ttaakkee iitt,”” oorr mmoorree pphhiilloossoopphhiiccaallllyy, ggoo bbaacckk ttoo lleeaarrnn
My world has been created by your very survival by your ability to be African in America, your ability to plant, to grow, to build, to give birth, to give praise, to sing and dance with life and stare past death’s pale skin and experience the communion of life on other shores
I will follow your spirit across the Atlantic and listen to your stories. . . scattered in time, joining me to you, to to
Summary
AAbbssttrraacctt:: AAmmoonnggsstt tthhee AAkkaann ppeeooppllee ooff GGhhaannaa,, tthhee wwoorrdd ““SSaannkkooffaa”” ccaann bbee bbrrookkeenn ddoowwnn iinnttoo tthhrreeee ssyyllllaabblleess—— ““ssaann”” ((rreettuurrnn)),, ““kkoo”” ((ggoo)),, aanndd ““ffaa”” ((ttaakkee))——tthhaatt ccaann bbee ttrraannssllaatteedd iinnttoo ““ggoo bbaacckk aanndd ttaakkee iitt,,”” oorr mmoorree pphhiilloossoopphhiiccaallllyy,, ggoo bbaacckk ttoo lleeaarrnn. 1 Department of Anthropology, University of South Florida (USF), Tampa, FL 33620, USA UDSFepHaertrmitaegnet oRfeAsenatrhcrhoLpoablo,gTya,mUpnaiv, eFrLsi3ty36o2f0S,oFulothriFdlaorUidSaA(USF), Tampa, FL 33620, USA; atjackson@usf.edu IItt iiss oofftteenn rreepprreesseenntteedd bbyy tthhee AAnnddiinnkkrraa ssyymmbbooll ooff aa bbiirrdd wwiitthh iittss ffeeeett ffaacciinngg ffoorrwwaarrdd aanndd iittss hheeaadd ttuucckkeedd bbeehhiinndd;; aann aapptt mmeettaapphhoorr ffoorr tthhee pprraaccttiiccee ooff ggeenneeaallooggiiccaall rreesseeaarrcchh..
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