Black Families Now and Long Ago
Symbols represent ideas. The idea behind the Adinkra symbol of Sankofa is that the past informs our future. By studying Adinkra symbols, we can learn the traditions and values of the Ashanti people in West Africa.
Another way ideas are passed over time is through folktales. The folktales of Anansi the trickster spider are from the country of Ghana in West Africa, where the Ashanti people and culture originate. Folktales are a way of teaching a lesson about right and wrong —a moral— by telling a story.
We can tell stories about our families in this same way and this helps us always remember our history. For example, in Ghana, entire families eat dinner together and if a guest arrives during a meal, they are invited to join and eat with the family. Do you have traditions in your family?
Traditions like these have been passed down from generation to generation. Like folktales, traditions are passed down from long, long ago from the family’s ancestors until now. You and I know of these traditions because the stories keep them alive.
