These symbols and their interpretation were taken from a chart entitled Meaning
of Symbols in Adonkra Cloth, researched, written, and designed by Dr. KwakuOfori-Ansa
, Associate Professor of African Art History, College of Fine
Arts, Howard University, Washington, D.C.

GYE NYAME ("Except God")
Symbol of the Omnipotence of God Proverb: "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 God."

SANKOFA ("Go back to fetch")
Symbol of the wisdom in learning from the
past in building the future Proverb: "It is not a taboo to go back and re-
trieve if you forget."

ANANSE NTONAN ("The spider's web")
Symbol of wisdom, craftiness, creativity, and
complexities of life Folk tales and poems of Ananse the spider
abound both on the continent of Africa and in
the African dispora.

The color red was chosen in consistency with its traditional liturgical use
as a symbol of the Holy Spirit and suffering. As such it symbolizes the
blood and life of suffering which Black people endure in the United States
and throughout the world because of their continued racial, gender, and
class oppression. The power of the Holy Spirit has allowed them to survive,
thrive, and overcome human obstacles to a full life.

Asanta symbols are traditionally used by Ansante fabric weavers for cloth
woven for spiritual leaders and used in sacred ceremonies and rituals. Our
three symbols suggest that the omnipotent creator God has given African
American people the wisdom to go back and retrieve the truth of their
human equality and dignity as recorded in the history, song, and proverbs
of Africans and African Americans. The retrieval of these truths makes it
possible for us to learn from the past in order to build the future. Histori-
cally, African American thought and creativity empowered by the omnipo-
tent God has enabled us to build communities and organizations to protect
and nurture black life despite the negative social, political, and economic
forces which militate against our lives in our complex journey to overcome
our marginalization and devaluation as African peoples. We must continue
in that journey until all humanity no longer suffers humanly constructed
structural and interpersoanl injustice.--Jamie T. Phelps, O.P.

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