AdinkraCode

Adinkra code powered by Gamel Clodin

Congratulations for scanning through :),

It’s not a good bye (dinkra) but welcoming to join the movement of telling our own story.

What does Adinkra mean? Why written in codes called symbols?

Adinkra Is an Akan language meaning “saying goodbye”. Adinkra symbols however is believed to have originated from a Bono Leader; Nana Kofi Adinkra, King of Gyaaman who used to wear patterned clothes. This king was defeated and captured by the Asante people for copying the Golden Stool (the sacred symbol of the Ashanti Nation believed to possess the soul of the Asante people). Afterwards, his captors took the patterned cloths as trophy and also started painting Nana Kofi Adinkra’s traditional symbols unto their own cloths to be exclusively worn by royalty and spiritual leaders during important ceremonies like funeral or festivals.

The Asante people incorporated their own philosophies and culture into the cloth patterns making Adinkra Symbols go beyond mere cloth painting to convey meaningful/coded messages that represented expression of specific thoughts or behavior (such as confidence, peace, sorrow, bravery, power, compassion), concepts, popular proverbs and aphorisms, historical events, convey traditional wisdom etc.

In 1927, Robert Sutherland Rattray (Captain), an Africanist, student and writer of the Ashanti Kingdom, a barrister with Diploma in Anthropology from Oxford compiled a list of fifty three (53) adinkra symbols in his book, ‘Religion and Art’. For his immense contribution through studies and writings on Ashanti kingdom and its gold weights, Captain Rattray was honored by being named after an amusement park located in the center of the Ashanti kingdom (Kumasi metropolis).

Attributing to its unique decorative features, Adinkra symbols in present day are widely used for many purposes such as printing on fabrics, t-shirts, furniture, used as tattoos, logos, pottery, wall paintings, jewelry designs, architectural facets etc.

GAMEL Clodin seeks to project royalty, expression of thoughts and a representation of strength as codes in T-SHIRTS. We call it ADINKRA CODE. Which hasfour (4) distinctively selected ADINKRA symbols representing royalty, spirituality, identity with a fuse of exquisite modern day fashion and technology to project the true African identity unique to royalty.

1. Agyinduwuru: A symbol of spirituality, loyalty, vigilance, and responsibility. Seeks to honour the faithfulness of one Agyin, the Asantehene’s diligent servant and gong-beater. Also represents spirituality where the juice of a tree is sometimes squeezed into a gong and is said to make pleasing sound to the spirits.

2. Adinkrahene: This symbol is the Chief of all the Adinkra Symbols, and it represents greatness, royalty and leadership.

3. Akoben or Dwenini aben: It’s a war or Ram’s Horn that symbolizes vigilance and wariness, call and/or readiness to action, voluntarism.  

4. Gye Nyame: ‘Except for God’ or ‘Only God’ is a symbol that represents the supremacy of God and its by far the most used symbol in decoration as it deeply reflects Ghanaians high religious character

Now, take a moment to imagine a summer outfit that not only exudes confidence but also oozes pure ROYALTY, YOUR ROYALTY: ADINKRA CODE

A winter season where your outfits will not leave behind that unique Royal African look because it still matches spirituality of the weather: ADINKRA CODE

Just imagine yourself, family, and friends, having the opportunity to access and order a wide range of all your African wears just by scanning the Adinkra symbol on your Adinkra code wear: ADINKRA CODE GAMEL Clodin presents you all these whatever your location across the Globe. Get yourself Clothed in Royalty, Spirituality & Uniqueness: Just Spot ADINKRA CODE anywhere in town, Scan and it will take you straight to the ADINKRA CODE collections where you can make your choice from a wide range of clothing’s.

Join Us

With a story fixated on showcasing to the World African–centered, classy, upscale, versatile, and high-quality clothing, our identity is resonated to Adinkra of Africa (Ghanaian based symbol) and we are now showing to the World what Africa has got using Adinkra as the center of our communication.

GAMEL CLODIN is a Ghanaian lifestyle brand and fashion line that produces high-quality and already made or custom-made apparels based on the rich traditional African designs. Our designs are made to inspire and to give a high sense of power and confidence.

References:

http://kidworldcitizen.org/2011/12/17/adinkra-fabric-printing-from-ghana/

http://www.adinkra.org/htmls/adinkra_index.htm/

Works by or about Robert Sutherland Rattray at Internet Archive

Works by or about Robert Sutherland Rattray in libraries (WorldCat catalog)

Boddy-Evans, Alistair. “The Origin and Meaning of Adinkra Symbols.” ThoughtCo, Aug. 28, 2020, thoughtco.com/origin-and-meaning-of-adinkra-symbols-4058700.