Culture & Etiquette

1. Kente

   Kente (traditional Akan woven cloth)

   Usage

   A bright cloth woven in narrow strips and sewn together. Once worn by kings and chiefs, it is now worn at ceremonies and graduations. The Asante town of Bonwire is famous for it

   Grammar Note

   Kente is spelled the same worldwide and Akan uses it unchanged. The colours and patterns have meanings, and the seller will usually explain them.

2. Adinkra

   Adinkra (symbol patterns stamped on cloth)

   Usage

   A set of symbols that stand for Akan proverbs and ideas. Stamped on cloth and used on gates, carvings, signs and logos

   Grammar Note

   Twi Wikipedia also writes Adinkra Ahyɛnsodeɛ (ahyɛnsodeɛ means mark or symbol). Each symbol has its own name.

3. Sankofa

   Sankofa (a symbol meaning go back and fetch it)

   Usage

   A symbol of learning from the past, best known as a bird turning its head back. It appears often in Ghanaian monuments and design

   Grammar Note

   Sankofa is used only as a single name. Its meaning is explained as go back and fetch, but the word is not split in use.

4. Gye Nyame

   Gye Nyame (a symbol meaning except God)

   Usage

   One of the adinkra symbols, praising the power of God. Often seen on Ghanaian logos, building decoration and crafts

   Grammar Note

   Gye Nyame is two words meaning except God. It is a symbol tied to belief, so treat it with respect even as a souvenir.

5. Anansesɛm

   Ananse stories (spider tales)

   Usage

   Akan folk tales about Ananse, the clever, mischievous spider. Loved by children and adults and traditionally told in the evening

   Grammar Note

   Anansesɛm is Ananse (spider) + sɛm (word or story), the title used on Twi Wikipedia. Ananse alone also names the same character.

6. Asantehene

   Asantehene (the king of the Asante)

   Usage

   The title of the king of the Asante, who lives at Manhyia Palace in Kumasi. It is an office, not a personal name, and is deeply respected throughout Ghana

   Grammar Note

   Asantehene combines Asante with ohene (chief, king). Speak of the office respectfully.

7. Sika Dwa Kofi

   The Golden Stool (the symbol of the Asante)

   Usage

   The sacred stool said to hold the soul of the Asante nation. Nobody sits on it and it is not shown to the public

   Grammar Note

   Sika Dwa Kofi is a traditional name explained as the golden stool born on Friday. It is sacred, so do not joke about it.

8. Adowa

   Adowa (a traditional Akan dance)

   Usage

   A graceful dance of hand and foot movements performed at funerals and festivals, to drums, bells and song. It is often danced by women

   Grammar Note

   Dictionaries also list adowa as the word for an antelope. As the dance name it is written with a capital letter.

9. Kete

   Kete (royal drumming and dance)

   Usage

   Drum music and dance performed at the Asante court, which you can hear at occasions such as the Akwasidae festival

   Grammar Note

   Used as a single proper name and written with this spelling.

10. Fontomfrom

    Fontomfrom (the great royal drums)

    Usage

    A set of large drums played at the events of kings and chiefs. The powerful sound you hear at Asante ceremonies

    Grammar Note

    Fontomfrom is the name of the drums and sounds like an imitation of their beat. Use this spelling.

11. Highlife

    Highlife (music that began in Ghana)

    Usage

    Light, guitar-and-horn music that began in Ghana in the early 20th century and spread across West Africa. Live bands play it in bars and restaurants

    Grammar Note

    Highlife is a genre name from English, written the same way in Akan. Twi Wikipedia also has the title Highlife.

12. Azonto

    Azonto (a Ghanaian dance craze of the 2010s)

    Usage

    A lively dance that mimics everyday actions and spread from Ghana with its music in the 2010s. Danced at clubs and parties

    Grammar Note

    Used as a single proper name and written with this spelling.

13. Kpanlogo

    Kpanlogo (Ga drumming and dance)

    Usage

    Drumming and dance created by the Ga people of Accra and popular with young people since the 1960s. It is a Ga word, not Akan

    Grammar Note

    Kpanlogo is a Ga name, so it contains kp, a spelling Akan itself lacks. Use the name as it is.

14. Kente yɛ fɛ

    Kente is beautiful

    Usage

    What to say when admiring kente cloth. You can replace Kente with another noun

    Grammar Note

    The adjective fɛ (beautiful) follows yɛ (to be): "X yɛ fɛ", built like Dwom yi yɛ fɛ elsewhere in this deck.

15. Mepɛ sɛ mehwɛ adowa

    I want to watch adowa dancing

    Usage

    How to say you want to watch a traditional dance. You can replace adowa with another word

    Grammar Note

    mehwɛ is me (I) + hwɛ (look). The dance name is also written in lower case in running text.

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