GA SYMBOLS

In many African  communities symbols are used as a tool for communication, they are used for expressing messages and conveying them.

Symbols are the important aspect of traditions which gives understanding to an idea or set of beliefs. Most of this symbols are derived from proverbs, today traditional technology has helped in transforming proverbs into symbols which helps in communicating and creating new opportunities in art and culture.

 

GA SAMAI (GA SYMBOLS)

 

Just like how the Adinkra symbol from the Akans are known and displayed in various forms, the Ga Adangme people located in the south of Ghana, around the capital city,Accra also have symbols known as Ga Samai, meaning Ga symbols.

The Samai define the traditional background of the Ga people and it plays a role in their culture as a people. This are symbols which the Ga Adangme  tribe use to enforce cherish virtues and express important messages.

The Ga Samai are unique to the Gas just like how the Adinkra symbol is unique to the Akans.

 


  

ASHINAO

This is one of the Ga symbols which stands for Unity is strength, division is weakness. The Ashinao symbol is related to beads, Ashinao in Ga means precious beads. Unity was important to the GA’s while migrating from one place to the other so there was the need to be one to be able to fight against invaders during their journey. Among the GA’s there is a proverb about this symbol that says “Ashinao tser33 y3 onukpa hi3 ni eko aalaje”, meaning no beads gets torn in the midst of elders for one to get missing. And also we all know beads are supposed to be worn and not torn and even if it is torn and dispersed one needs to gather all and put them together. This symbol also means that no matter the problem been brought to the elders there will be a solution. Beading is one of the difficult things to do and it takes time to put beads together, a bead seller cannot also sell a single bead for someone but rather he or she has to put many beads together to get a beautiful bead for sale. This symbols advices us to be united as a people because this will strengthen us but division would rather weaken us.


The Ashinao symbol

The Ashinao symbol designed on a mug


https://youtu.be/B7PRJrs0rp0?t=1343&si=v8qOUocv0Np6v8F1


In order to sustain the existence of this important aspect of the Ga tradition(Ga Samai), it has become necessary to explore the possibility of preserving and popularizing them through the designing array of cloths for chiefs, queen mothers of the Ga state and the Ga state as a whole. A typical example is the Ga Samai cloth used by the Ga Mantse of the Ga State, which is now being produced on a larger scale by various textile industries.


Ga mants3 clads in the Ga samai cloth 

Ga mants3(in white) hugging the Asante hene 













The Ga samai cloth












Most people do not know this symbols but through designed items with the Ga samai, people are getting to know about it and this helps to preserve the culture of GA’s.
The Ga samai cloth used in crafting a bag

The Ga samai designed on a bag


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