Eban
Adinkra symbol of the fence: love, safety and security.
Eban means fence, and the Adinkra symbol of the fence stands for love, safety and security. In Akan tradition a home with a fence around it was seen as an ideal residence: the fence keeps out what could harm the household, and keeps the family close together inside. The symbol draws that enclosure as a diamond with four smaller diamonds inside it: the fence around the home.
The meaning goes beyond the physical. Eban speaks of the protection that love gives: the safety of belonging, of a family that looks after its members, of a place where you can rest. It is often given to newly married couples or used in homes as a wish for a secure and loving household.
Like other Adinkra symbols, it is printed on cloth with carved calabash stamps, and it is common in decoration, jewellery and architecture across Ghana. Its message fits well beside Akoma, the heart of patience, and Nyame Dua, the altar that brings God's presence into the home.
The fence is never only a wall against the world. A good fence has a gate, and the tradition values hospitality as much as protection.
In dreams, a fence, a wall around a house, or a gate that opens or closes can be read in an Akan way with this meaning in mind. A strong fence around your home is often felt as a sign of safety and belonging. A broken or missing fence is read not as a prediction of danger, but as a question about what feels unprotected in your life now, and who or what could help you feel safe again. As with every symbol on Dreamkin, the rest of the dream decides what fits.
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.
- Akoma Adinkra symbol of the heart: patience and tolerance.
- 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.