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What meaning does adinkra cloth have?
An Akan scholar thinks that adinkra means ’to leave one another‘ or ’to be separated‘ and this links to the use of the cloth for mourning. Akan refers to a related group of peoples in Ghana and Côte D’Ivoire that includes the Asante. Adinkra cloths are thought to have a protective function and they communicate messages through their designs, which relate to sayings or proverbs. Proverbs and sayings are a very important part of Asante culture and are used in public speaking as well as in all kinds of art and decorative design. When a person uses them to make a point in an argument or discussion, he or she shows his/her wisdom and cultural knowledge, and adds weight to what they are saying. People may also choose designs with special meanings for cloth they wear at a funeral to give a particular message about the dead person or their relationship to him or her. In this section
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