as “flashy” until the Ayie has been performed.
During the funerary rituals, the wearing of partic-
ular and appropriate cloths demonstrates the
attendees’ spiritual and emotional state—that of
mourning. Those who attend the funeral must
wear colors of mourning, which include dark red,
brown, black, and maroon. If the person dies at
an old age, mourners may wear white; and often
to connote extreme mourning, chief mourners
(close relatives) may wear bright red.
During the initial stages, it is appropriate for
close relatives to wear solid black cloth, whereas
friends and distant relatives may wear cloth
adorned with hand-painted and hand-embroidered
adinkra symbols. The wearing of adinkra cloth com-
municates farewell messages to the transitioning/
departed soul and furthermore informs the larger
community in attendance of the message that par-
ticular attendees wish to offer.
Many of adinkra symbols are representative of
Akan cosmology. They represent symbolic illus-
trations of Akan proverbs that portray the ontol-
ogy, ideology, and spirituality of the people. Many
express particular notions about Nyame and his
or her attributes. Some examples of adinkra sym-
bols that specifically encode Akan cosmology are
shown as follows.“Asase ye duru se po.”
The earth is heavier than the sea.
Symbol of providence and the divinity of Mother
Earth“Abodee santan yi firi tete; obi nte ase a onim
n’ahyase, na obi ntena ase nkosi n’awie, gye
Nyame.”
This Great Panorama of creation dates back to time
immemorial, no one lives who saw its beginning
and no one will live to see its end, except Nyame.
Symbol of the omnipotence, omniscience,
omnipresence, and immortality“Burn; You do not Burn”
“Because God does not burn, I will not burn.”
Symbol of permanancy“Oba Nyankonsoroma te
Nyame so na nte ne ho so.”
A child of Nyame, I do not depend on myself.
My illumination is only a reflection of His.
Symbol of faith and dependency
on a Supreme Being“Nyame biribi wo soro na ma me nsa nka!”
God, there is something in the heavens,
pray let it reach me!
Symbol of hope and inspirationAdinkra Symbols 9Figure1 AsaseyeDuruFigure3 HYEWONYHEFigure4 NsoromaFigure5 NyameBiribiWoSoroFigure2 GyeNyame