4322) "Adinkra Symbols of Ghana, West Africa", Canada: Commemorating Black History Coin Series: The Royal Canadian Mint (RCM) has minted a $20 (Twenty Dollars - CAN) 1 oz. Fine Silver Proof Coin depicting the Adinkra Symbols: Date/Year of Coin release: 10.02.2026:
Links to posts on our visit to Ghana:
1) Adinkra symbols of Ghana, West Africa
2) Lake Bosumchwe or Bosumchwi, Ghana
3) Mole National Park, Ghana
4) El Mina Castle/Fort, Ghana
5) Funerals in Ghana
6) Larabanga Mosque and the Mystic Stone
7) Food and culture of Ghana
8) visit to Ghana
9) Qware: The ancient National Game of Ghana
We visited Ghana in 2013 and explored every part of Ghana with trips to every part of Ghana during our trip of nearly one month. Both Sumita and I wrote about our experiences/impressions of everything we had seen in our nine posts listed above.
We found the Ghanaians a very friendly people who would go to any lengths to give us directions in case we were lost or looking for a passage to our destinations. The Ghanaians are a football loving country and if a football match was taking place in which Ghana was playing, then all activity would stop to watch the game. In fact, on our trip up to Ghana, there was a well-known football player seated next to us on the flight and special care was being taken by the stewardesses.
When we had gone to Ghana, I knew of 51 Adinkra Symbols. In Ghana I took pictures of several other symbols and came back knowing about 109 symbols.
All in all, we have fond memories of our trip, thanks to our friend Arvind (known to the Ghanaians as "Mr. Arvin").
So I was very happy that the Royal Canadian Mint had brought out this $20 (Twenty Dollars) Silver Coin on the Adinkra Symbols.
What are the Adinkra symbols?
The Adinkra symbols are an age-old pictorial presentation/depiction of the values that have stood the Akans in good stead over the centuries.
The Adinkra symbols are used to express feelings and sentiments that one may be undergoing at a particular moment or one is expected to follow.
In effect, the Adinkra symbols are a collection of wise sayings based on the experiences of generations gone by.
The Adinkra symbols: Originally a lost Ashanti cultural heritage?
During the latter part of the nineteenth century some cultural valuables were purported to have been captured by the Ashantis from Nana Karikari Adinkra of the Gyaman kingdom of La Cote D’Ivoire during a war in which Nana Karikari Adinkra was himself killed.
These “treasures” included some textile motifs which came to be identified with the name of Nana Karikari Adinkra.
Thus, the Adinkra symbols have now been known to be associated with the Ashantis for more than a century now.
The war with Nana Adinkra took place because, initially his Gyaman kingdom was vassal to Ashanti, but he had defiantly made a golden stool to compare his State with the status of the Ashanti Kingdom. It is believed that a Golden stool had fallen from the heavens for Okomfo Anokhye, the King of the Ashantis and is much revered in Ashanti folklore, signifying his divine approval to rule as a King. (Presently, it is found in a museum in Kumasi (the second largest city in Ghana).
Nana Adinkra was therefore declared an imposter, attacked by the Ashantis and slain. His “fake” golden stool, Adinkra cloths showing the Adinkra symbols and other valuables were taken to Ashanti.
However, some years before this Ashanti-Gyaman war, it seems that the Gyamans themselves had migrated from Ashanti during one of the Ashanti wars and crossed over to La Cote D’Ivoire apparently with Adinkra clothes and other valuables and items of Ashanti culture, since they themselves were fugitive Ashantis.
Adinkra symbols are, thus, ancient visual symbols originally created by the “Akan” people of Ghana and the “Gyaman” of Cote d’Ivoire in West Africa, which represent concepts or aphorisms.
Hence, it seems that the Ashantis had brought back only those items/symbols which were essentially their own cultural heritage.
Ashantis themselves were once a part of the Akan settlement near Takyiman who called themselves Abono which means first, original or inception.
Before their settlement at Bono, the Akans were said to have been the descendants of a people of Northern origin called Ntafo (meaning twins in Akan).
The word Adinkra can carry different meanings depending on the context, but in the Twi language of the Asante people of Ghana, it means “farewell” or “goodbye.”
Adinkra is also the name of a traditional cloth, originally worn at funerals to honour the passing of a loved one into the afterlife.
Over time, Adinkra symbols - once stamped mainly on cloth—have found their way into architecture, ceramics, jewellery, and more.
Their meanings continue to grow and adapt as artists and communities around the world reinterpret them in new ways.
The Akans culture and values:
The Akan were very famous for their exquisite culture. Ideas and values of this culture are expressed in words that are used in ordinary language, idiomatic expressions, proverbial renditions, songs, ministrels. Sometimes these values are found in pure sounds, like the sound of the drum or the gong or the flute.
These ideas are also expressed in the form of gesticulation, dancing, facial and other body movements. Colour symbolism and geometric figures too feature greatly in the communication of ideas of the Akan.
The Akan are a religious culture. In whatever one is engaged, one is fully involved in a religious experience. Hence these symbols not only express ideas about life in general but concepts about God and religious beliefs.
The language spoken:
- Asante Twi (pronounced Chwi) is the language /dialect spoken in the following Regions:
- Asante, Adanse, Akyem, Abuakwa, Akyem Kotoku, Akyem Bosome, Brong-Ahafo, Kete Krakye, Kwawu, Gyaaman, New Juaben, Sahwi, Twiforo, Wasa, Asen, Dankyira Sahwi.
- The language has seven vowels with the approximate equivalent phonetic sounds of the letters being as follows:
- “A” as in gather
- “E” as in hate
- “e” as in set
- “I” as in see
- “O” as in coal
- (Reverse C) as in pot
- “U” as in food
The Adinkra symbols in detail can be found in the following link on this blog:
Adinkra symbols of Ghana, West Africa
1) GYE NYAME – Except God:
(This symbol stands for the Omniscience and Omnipotence of God)
“Nyame” means “God” who has created the Universe. The “Gye Nyame” means “except for God” and signifies the all-knowing Power of God.
A detailed meaning of this symbol is described 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. God knows everything that the human mind cannot even conceive or comprehend”.
This symbol is also a reflection of the religious character of the Akan people.
The Gye Nyame symbol is the best known Adinkra symbol. This is the most popular symbol of the Akan and can be seen everywhere in daily life in Ghana. It is used in decorations, clothing and Artwork, on chairs, on cars, in shops, in residences, particularly in the Chiefs’ palaces etc.
From cloth to coin:
Symbols of respect, peace, nature, community, diversity.
Originating from the Akan people of Ghana, Adinkra symbols hold deep meanings tied to values, proverbs, and historical wisdom.
For many Canadians, especially those with roots in West Africa, this complex visual language serves as an anchor to a rich ancestral heritage that predates colonialism.
Each symbol represents concepts such as respect (Mekyia Wo), peace (Mpatapo), and community (Nkonsonkonson) - themes that resonate strongly within Canadian Black History, where stories of migration, resistance, and cultural survival are central.
Rooted in African heritage and Black identity, the Adinkra symbols featured on the 2026 Commemorating Black History coin are not simply juxtaposed with Canadian values - they embody and affirm them, revealing a shared language of unity and human connection.
Symbols speak:
Through Adinkra symbols drawn from African heritage and Black identity, the 2026 Commemorating Black History coin reflects a vision of Canadian identity grounded in unity, reconciliation, and shared humanity.
The Commemorative Coin:
As with previous Commemorating Black History coins, the 2026 edition features a maple leaf pattern on its obverse.
The Reverse and Obverse of the $20 (Twenty Dollars - CAN) Silver Proof Coin
The Reverse of the Coin has been designed by Canadian artist Kwame Delfish and features three concentric rings of traditional Adinkra motifs encircling a central maple leaf representing Canada.
The innermost ring consists of a repeating vertical pairing of two Mpatapo symbols, the peace knot of reconciliation.
(The Mpatapo symbol is a significant Adinkra symbol representing pacification, forgiveness, and reconciliation. It is often described as a knot that has no beginning or end, symbolising the ability to restore peace after conflict.
The Mpatapo symbol encourages individuals and communities to seek harmony, resolve disputes, and embrace understanding and compromise. It teaches the importance of forgiveness and the value of unity, reminding us that peace can be achieved through cooperation and reconciliation).
A second ring features a repeating sequence of four Adinkra symbols (clockwise from top): the Asase ye Duru (“the Earth has weight”) symbol representing the divinity of Mother Earth, the Funtunfunefu Denkyemfunefu (“Siamese crocodiles”) symbol of unity in diversity, and the Mekyia Wo (“I salute you”) symbol of respect and greeting, followed again by Funtunfunefu Denkyemfunefu.
The outermost ring is anchored at the cardinal points by the maple leaf atop two Mpatapo symbols, echoing the innermost layer, while each quadrant displays the Asase ye Duru symbol flanked by two Nkonsonkonson (“chain link”) symbols representing unity and human relations, creating a sense of community and connectedness.
The Obverse of the $20 (Twenty Dollars - CAN) Silver Proof Coin features a maple leaf pattern and the effigy of Charles III facing left designed by Steven Rosati.
The specifications of this Coin are:
Coin minted by: Royal Canadian Mint (RCM); Mintage: 5,000 pieces; Metal Composition: 99.99% pure silver (Ag); Weight: 31.39 g or 1.00 oz; Diameter/Size: 38.00 mm; Edge: Serrated Face Value: $20 (Twenty Dollars); Coin Quality/Finish: Proof (P); Packaging: Black clamshell with black beauty box; Designers: Kwame Delfish (Reverse), Steven Rosati (Obverse). Shipping: Expected to be shipped on Feb 10.
Links:
1) Adinkra symbols of Ghana, West Africa
2) Lake Bosumchwe or Bosumchwi, Ghana
3) Mole National Park, Ghana
4) El Mina Castle/Fort, Ghana
5) Funerals in Ghana
6) Larabanga Mosque and the Mystic Stone
7) Food and culture of Ghana
8) visit to Ghana
9) Qware: The ancient National Game of Ghana
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