Akoma
Adinkra symbol of the heart: patience and tolerance.
Akoma is the Twi word for heart, and the Adinkra symbol drawn as a heart stands for patience and tolerance. In Twi, to tell someone nya akoma, have heart, is to tell them to be patient and to hold on. A person with heart, in this sense, is someone who can bear difficulty without giving up and without striking back too quickly.
It may come as a surprise that the heart here speaks less of romance than of endurance. In Akan thought the heart is where steadiness lives, and patience with others is a sign of inner strength rather than weakness. The symbol is also linked to love and faithfulness, especially in marriage, where patience is what keeps people together.
The shape is a simple heart, sometimes with small curls or a line through it. It is printed on Adinkra cloth, used in jewellery and given as a sign of affection and loyalty.
It is related in feeling to other symbols of the heart and of love among the Adinkra, such as Osram ne Nsoromma, the moon and the star, which speaks of faithful love.
Parents often say nya akoma to a child facing an exam or a long wait, and friends say it to someone going through a difficult season.
In dreams, a heart shape, a heart drawn on cloth or a wall, or someone pressing their hand to their heart can be read in an Akan way with this meaning. Such dreams often come in times of strain, in a relationship, at work or in the family, when patience is running low. Read with Akoma, the dream is not a promise that things will soon be easy, but an encouragement: have heart, the steadiness you need is already in you.
Related terms
- Sankofa Adinkra symbol of a bird looking back: go back and fetch what you forgot.
- Anansi (Kwaku Ananse) The clever spider of Akan stories, who through slavery also became known in Suriname and the Caribbean.
- Nsamanfo The ancestors in the Akan tradition, who counsel, warn and protect the family.
- Sunsum A person's spirit or personality in the Akan tradition; it is said to travel during sleep.
- Adinkra The symbols of the Akan, each with its own proverb or thought.
- Ɔkra The soul Onyame gives at birth, carrying destiny (nkrabea); the origin of the Winti kra.
- Onyame The creator and supreme god in the Akan tradition.
- Abosom The Akan deities, children of Onyame, who dwell in rivers, lakes and forests.
- Asase Yaa The earth as goddess among the Akan, invoked second after Onyame.
- Adae (Akwasidae) The sacred day of the Akan calendar on which the ancestors are honoured.
- Gye Nyame Adinkra symbol meaning "except God": the supremacy of Onyame.
- Nyame Dua Adinkra symbol meaning "God's tree": Onyame's altar, a sign of his presence.
- Denkyem Adinkra symbol of the crocodile: adaptability.
- Funtunfunefu Denkyemfunefu Adinkra symbol of two crocodiles sharing one stomach: unity in diversity.
- Dwennimmen Adinkra symbol of a ram's horns: humility together with strength.
- Adinkrahene The "chief" of the Adinkra symbols: greatness, charisma and leadership.
- Eban Adinkra symbol of the fence: love, safety and security.
- Mmusuyidee Adinkra symbol meaning "that which removes bad luck": good fortune and sanctity.
- Nkyinkyim Adinkra symbol of twisting: initiative, versatility and life's winding road.
- Aya Adinkra symbol of the fern: endurance and resourcefulness.
- Duafe Adinkra symbol of the wooden comb: beauty, care and good conduct.
- Hye Won Hye Adinkra symbol meaning "that which does not burn": imperishability and endurance.
- Osram ne Nsoromma Adinkra symbol of the moon and the star: faithful love and harmony.
- Mpatapo Adinkra symbol of the knot of reconciliation: making peace after strife.
- Bese Saka Adinkra symbol of a sack of cola nuts: abundance, power and unity.
- Fawohodie Adinkra symbol of independence: freedom, with the responsibility it brings.