African Textile Print demonstration at Claremont Middle School

On Tuesday January 15, 2019 a Bay Area artist by name of Asual Aswad came to Claremont Middle School to perform an African Textile print demonstration. The purpose of the demonstration was to help promote this as a new after school program enrichment. 6th, 7th, and 8thgrade students surrounded Asual eager to learn more about the history of the Adinkra symbols.

Adinkra symbols have been around since 1817 and to see today’s youth create art using their symbols is refreshing. The reason being is that in today’s society art is not perceived as “cool” or popular as it once was. Technology has evolved immensely which means most millennials prefer to play video games while staring aimlessly at a monitor or screen for hours. Opposed to learning a new form of art and enhancing their artistic skills.

Based on the pictures taken of the demonstration most students gravitated towards the Adiknrahene, Akoma, Gye Nyame, and Kintinkakan. Adiknrahene symbolizes chief of adinkra and means greatness, charisma, and leadership. The significance of this symbol is monumental because all of these meanings are characteristics humans should emulate on a daily basis. Perhaps if we had more leaders and charismatic people in the world this country would be at its greatest when everyone is working together in unison. After all this is what Martin Luther King Jr fought before his untimely death some 55 years ago. Akoma symbolizes the heart and means patience and tolerance. Gye Nyame symbolizes except for god and means supremacy of god. Kindtinkakan symbolizes puffed up extravagance which means arrogance or extravagance.

In conclusion, traditional art can be interpreted in numerous ways. African textile print art such as Adinkra symbols have different symbols. When these symbols are put together on a kente cloth they tell a profound story about West African history. West African history is full of wisdom, life knowledge, and known for promoting peace as well as spreading love.