Introduction

According to Jung, cultural symbols have been used to express eternal truths and are still used in

many religions. They have gone through many transformations and even a long process of more

or less conscious development, and have thus become collective images accepted by civilized

societies1. Jung’s and Frye’s ideas of the primordial are of two worlds: the “without” and

“within”. The symbols from the “within” are brought to the “without” in this mechanism of

symbol encoding and decoding. It foregrounds the existence of an internal ongoing action, a

priori mechanism according to Jung, with a pool of experiences that the individual, in

conjunction with his community, can draw from. There is a continuous remodeling of cultural

elements and values through the maintenance of meanings while the symbols and content remain

unchanged. According to Balogun (145) and Frazer this „continual‟ recurrence of the same or

similar incidents is always told in similar manner. Archetypes are, therefore, repeated symbols

hidden in mythical stories, and according to Frye (35), “they have peopled the heavens of all

roads from time immemorial. To discard them as values would be a distinct loss”.

The Adinkra is a collection of African traditional symbols used by the Akan peoples of Ghana

and the Cote d’Ivoire of West Africa.

Now, the Akan Ghanaian word, Adinkra simply means "saying good-bye to one another when

parting." But as it is often the case in human associations, saying good-bye brings mixed

feelings, in most cases there is optimism with the bright thought and cheering hope of meeting

again someday somehow. On the other hand, however, the despair at the indefinite time before

the future reunion, and the natural dread of death have been traditionally expressed by Ghanaians

in philosophical and poetical messages. These are represented by abstract symbols cut from

1
Jung C. G, Man and his symbols (Canada: Dell, 1968), 83
pieces of calabash and printed on to various colors of mourning cloths worn at various stages of

the funeral ceremonies. This, in short, is the part played by Adinkra in the symbolic art of Ghana.

The meaning of some of these Adinkra symbols can still be understood from their names and the

sayings that are associated with them. To a great extent the strength of a people's greatness lies in

their ability to keep alive, in the dark secrecy of symbolism, the cherished truths and values of

their life. In order to remain supreme forever, nature itself chooses to sustain its identity, and the

beginnings and ends of its creation in the cloudy mystical world of the unseen and unknown.

And, it would not be far from right to say that some of the best decisions in life are often taken in

the quiet secrecy of somber darkness, (Temple, 131). Symbolism in Christianity is the use of

symbols, including archetypes, acts, artwork or events, by Christianity. It invests objects or

actions with an inner meaning expressing Christian ideas. Christianity has borrowed from the

common stock of significant symbols known to most periods and to all regions of the world

These symbols which are regarded as messages from the elders, are printed on fabrics, originally

worn exclusively by royalty and spiritual leaders.

The elders of the Akans used this form of printing as a means of expressing their thoughts,

attitudes, world view and beliefs. Each motif, mainly abstract, has a name and meaning derived

from a proverb, historical event, and observations of life forms or objects.  Each Adinkra symbol

is meant to be a source of inspiration and a teaching tool. These symbols are variously rooted in

God as an Archetype of love, hope, endurance, courage, strength, protection, etc. The history of

symbolism shows that everything can assume symbolic significance: natural objects (like stones,

plants, animals, men, mountains and valleys, sun and moon, wind, water, and fire), or man-made

things (like houses, boats, or cars), or even abstract forms (like numbers, or the triangle, the

square, and the circle). In fact, the whole cosmos is a potential symbol (Jung, 257). Jung (257)
continue to argue that, man with his symbol- making propensity, unconsciously transforms

objects or forms into symbols (thereby endowing them with great psychological importance) and

expresses them in both his religion and his visual art.

In this paper, I will be examining six of the most popular Adinkra symbols within the framework

of the bible – Gye Nyame, Fihankra, mmsuyide, Funtumfunafu d3nky3mfunafu,

Nyamebiribiwosoro and Sankofa and the convergence of the symbols and the Christian faith.

The Adinkra Symbols and their meanings

The first symbol to be looked at is the “Gye Nyame” symbol.

This symbol has been explained as “Except God or God is the

answer” It is also derived from the Akan aphorism “Abᴐde

santann yi firi tete; obi nte ase a ᴐnim n’ahyƐase, na obi ntena

ase nkᴐsi n’awieeƐ, Gye Nyame,” which literally translate as

“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. This symbol reflects the

omnipotence and omniscience of God. The omniscience of God is that attribute by which God

knows all things past, present and future. Quarcoo (50) makes it clear that, the sign “Gye

Nyame” has a lot more to say than is usually assigned to it. It is the greatest single “little sign”

which epitomizes the attributes of the God of all creation. He is eternal, hence the spirit of man is

eternal. Although, He died, He lives and the atonement makes man alive. As long as God exists

man lives, and it is He alone who has the final jurisdiction over the spiritual self of man. A

correlation in the qualities of God with regards to His providence and care as demonstrated by
the “Gye Nyame” symbol and Matthew 6:26, 31-33 exist 2. Similarly, Ossom- Batsa and Apaah

(273) states that Christians relate the concept of “Gye Nyame” to the biblical text of

Ecclesiasticus 1:8 “There is one wise and greatly to be feared, the Lord sitting upon his throne.”

Nyame (God) of the Akan is the creator and redeemer of the world, who reveals himself in Jesus

Christ and who is loved, worshipped and adored by believers. Another scriptural reference that

highlights this symbols is “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord,

which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty 3. Several bible references affirms

the “Gye Nyame” ness of God4.

This symbol “Funtumfunafu DƐnkyƐmfunafu” has

been explained variously as meaning unity in diversity,

common destiny, democracy, and unity of purpose. It

is derived from the Akan expression meaning “A two-

headed crocodile fights over food that goes to a

common stomach because each relishes the food in its

throat. According to Ossom- Batsa and Apaah (274),

this symbol stresses the oneness of humanity in spite of

cultural diversity. It also emphasizes the need for

recognition of individuality in relation to one’s membership in society. They argue that while

community interests are to be pursued for the common good, individual rights, interests,

passions, and responsibilities must be respected. This symbol is also rooted in Christian theology

– the concept of the Akan unity and the body of Christ or the church5. It is about partnership in a

2
Acheampong, Christian Values, 1.
3
Revelations 1: 8 NKJV
4
Psalm 139:7-8 NKJV; Jeremiah 23:24 NKJV; Acts 17:28 NKJV
5
1 Cor. 12:14-20 NKJV
common enterprise that goes beyond race, ethnicity, and gender (Ossom- Batsa and Apaah, 275).

Unity in the church is one of the most important if not the most important requirement for the

growth of the church. It also shows that; the church belongs to Christ. Jesus Christ in John 17:

21-23 prayed for the unity in the church even as he and the father are united. Unity is the element

that enables a group of people to achieve unprecedented feats. The tower of Babel is an example

of what unity can do6.

“Fihankra” has been explained variously as a fortified

house, compound house, and complete circuit house or

enclosed dwelling. It is derived from the Akan

expression “Yebisa sε kyerε me asomasi ne fie, nnyε ne

sika dodo a ᴐwᴐ,”7 which is literally translated to mean

“We ask to be shown one's house, not how much

money one has.” It is a symbol of safety, security,

solidarity, and brotherhood. Ossom- Batsa and Apaah

(271) states that, unlike open houses, which are opened to vulnerability, people in enclosed

houses have security. Enclosed houses also enhance the cordial relationship of its inhabitants. He

relates these virtues to Matthew 12:25 and Psalm 133, which admonish Christian believers to

live in love, peace, and harmony.

They (Ossom- Batsa and Apaah, 272) further explains that the sign of the household is a

reminder of the universal brotherhood. This is again the message of the church, which is also a

Ghanaian value expressed visually. Christian theology underlines this same idea: the sons of God

are marked out by love for one another as expressed in the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke
6
Genesis 11:6 NKJV
7
Ossom- Batsa G. and Apaah F, International Review of Mission 107, 1. June 2018
10:33). The significance of the symbol is that all who enter the house of God should live as

people of one household. Christians also relates the concept of fihankra to the biblical text of

Ecclesiasticus 22:19: “A frame of wood bound together in the foundation of a building shall not

be loosed: so neither shall the heart that is established by counsel.” This also demonstrates the

security Christians have in the Lord. Quarcoo sums it up:

“A synthesis of the idea depicted by the signs in the minds of those who enter the chapel should

be a great means of impressing on them the reality of the God they seek to worship. Above all,

the identity of the “indigenous God” to the Christian God appears to be revealed. The curtain is

raised and the dis-illusion that often comes to the Ghanaian Christian in times of crisis may also

be mitigated”8. The Lord Jesus, gave his disciples a new command on living together as a family.

In John 13:34, he says “a new commandment I give you, that you love one another: just as I have

loved you, you are to love one another”9.

Mmusuyide has been explained to mean a sacrificial

item. It is derived from the Akan aphorism “Kerapa ye

Nyame ahoboa; ᴐte seᴐkra, ᴐkyirifinaᴐkram fi te

sepetenti na Nana-nom de no yi mmusuo,” which

literally translates as “Sanctity is part particle of the

good; it is like a cat; it abhors filth and it clears filth like

the vulture, that is why it is used to drive away evil and

diseases” (Ossom- Batsa and Apaah, 274). Christians

notes that “a cloth stamped with the musuyide design lay along the side of the King of Ashanti’s

bed, and that the first act he performed each morning when he rose, was to place his left foot on
8
Quarcoo, “A Debut of Ghanaian Traditional Visual Art into Liturgical Art,” 57
9
Other scriptural verses include, John 13:35 NKJV; John 15:12 NKJV; John 15:17 NKJV
the cloth three times. The number three, it will be recalled, is a sacred number in Akan.” Idlib

(274) continues to assert that “musuyide” is a symbol of religious sacrifice or purification

associated with an offering to a deity, with the hope of gaining favor or avoiding adversity. The

idea of purification is deeply rooted in the instincts of humanity and in various religious

traditions. Christian theology underlines this same idea. Acheampong juxta-poses the Old and

the New Testaments and draws attention to the difference between the idea of purification and

sacrifice. While he associates ritual washing as a form of purification to the old covenant (Heb.

9:18–22), purification is attained through the blood of Jesus Christ under the new covenant (Heb.

10:12–14). Quarcoo (57) points out that “musuyi” (sacrifice) is a familiar occurrence among the

Akan; consequently, the idea that the Son of God as a ram, dwennimmen, was sacrificed is

comprehensible. And Christian sums up the correlation between the concept of “musuyi” and the

Christian understanding of purification with a quotation from Psalms 5:3–5, which is a prayer

requesting purification or the removal of evil by God the sanctifier.

This is the adinkra symbol "eban" which signifies love,

safety and security. The fence symbolically separates

and secures the family from the outside. Because of the

security and the protection that a fence affords, the

symbol is also associated with the security and safety

one finds in love. In the bible, the Lord is seen as our

protector, our shepherd, our refuge and fortress. He

watches over us and shields us from hard. He does this

because of the love he has for us and for seeing us as his children. In Psalm 23, it is written “The

LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me
beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s

sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your

rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my

enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will

follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever”. In several

other verses in the bible10, God has shown himself to be our security and “fence”.

The Akan people have an important symbol known as

Sankofa. It is expressed in the Asante Adinkra symbols as

a bird whose body is heading in one direction, but whose

head is turned in the opposite direction. What the symbol

is teaching is that we cannot go forward without first

going back to our past to understand how it is we got to

where we are. The above is an Akan maxim meaning, “to

return for something, is not abhorred”. Sankofa means,

“return for

it” (Gyekye, 1996). Admitting wrong doing and going back to fix it, is not an easy enterprise.

The bible in several places have shown the power in reconciliation. The story of the prodigal son

in Luke 15: 11-32 is a classical representation of “Sankofa”. The father’s love which existed in

the unconscious, is the only thing that will convince a person like the “prodigal son” of his

father’s love and acceptance. Second Chronicles 7:14 states “if my people who are called by my

name shall humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then

I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land”. This verse shows how God

10
Psalm 121 NKJV; Psalm 91 NKJV; 2 Samuel 22:3-4 NKJV; Psalm 138:7 NKJV; Isaiah 41:10 NKJV
is ready to accept man unto himself when man realizes his need for God and returns to him. The

Akan people uses “Sankofa” as a tool for resolving conflicts and bringing about reconciliation.

Sankofa can be a powerful tool in the church today to help believers realize the need to always

find a way to go back and right the wrong.

Convergence of Adinkra and the Christian Faith

Ghanaians have been religious before the arrival of the Missionaries from the west. I agree with

Mbiti (817) that “the missionaries who introduced the gospel to Africa in the past 200 years did

not bring God. Instead, God brought them, for the God described in the Bible is none other than

the God who was already known in the framework of our traditional African religiosity”. Dr.

Mbiti (817) continues to argue that God is the Creator of all things, his activities in the world

must clearly go beyond what is recorded in the Bible. He must have been active among African

peoples as he was among the Jewish people. Did he then reveal himself only in the line of

Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Samuel and other personalities of the Bible? Didn’t our Lord let

it be clearly known that "before Abraham was I am" (John 8:58)? Then was he not there in other

times and in such places as Mount Fuji and Mount Kenya, as well as Mount Sinai? The decisive

word here is "only." The point Dr. Mbiti is trying to make is, the more you peeped into African

religious insights about God, the more you felt utterly unable to use the word "only" in this case.

In its place there emerged the word "also." This was an extremely liberating word in his

theological thinking. With it, one began to explore afresh the realm of God’s revelation and other

treasures of our faith. He finds the traditional Western distinction between "special revelation"

and "general revelation" to be inadequate and unfreeing. This is not a biblical distinction. If they

are two wavelengths, they make sense only when they move toward a convergence. When this
happens, then a passage such as Hebrews 1:1-3 rolls down like mighty waters, full of exciting

possibilities of theological reflection.

The Adinkra symbols of the Akans in Ghana shows clearly that, God has been among them and

operated among them from the very beginning. Their interaction with the spiritual through

objects and symbols like stones, trees, water, etc. has been part of their very existence. The

introduction of the bible and Christianity only came to confirm their religiosity. The psychology

behind the symbols and their relation to God, arising from the unconscious confirms Jung’s

assertion11 that, There is a religious instinct in all human beings – an inherent striving towards a

relationship with someone or something that transcends human power (a higher force or being).

Conclusion

All the available literature has shown and confirmed that, symbolism has been part of human

existence from the very beginning and cannot be divorced from him (human kind). Symbolism

and religion can be seen as “bed fellows”- they bring meaning and essence to each other. The

symbols we use as a representation of a particular archetype arises from the unconscious and the

psyche.

The Adinkra symbols has become man’s means of expressing and manifesting the unconscious

and also serve as a means to relate to the supernatural. It has become clear that, the supernatural

(God) has been with the people of the Akan tribe in Ghana before God sent the Missionaries with

the bible. The significance and the spiritual connotations of the symbols were confirmed in the

bible. I will therefore conclude that, the “Adinkra Symbols” of the Akans in Ghana brings

meaning to the word of God and makes the bible come alive through it symbolic expressions.
11
This is a takeaway from Jung on Religion. One of the takeaways I got from reading the book “Man and his
Symbols.
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