History and Significance of Sankofa Bird

The Akan people were led by King Adinkera in the 19th century. He went to war with King Asantehene who led the Ashanti people. This historic conflict took place in west Africa, what is now called Ghana. King Asantehene was victorious and took the cloth King Adinkera wore as a trophy. The cloth was special because it had symbols stamped into it. The cloth was not merely a garment but also medium for communication. These symbols are today called Adinkra, in reference to the defeated king.

The Sanfoka bird is one of the most recognized of the Adinkra symbols today. In the Akan language, Sanfoka means “it is not wrong to go back for that which you have forgotten.” The Sanfoka bird is depicted as a bird in flight looking backward over its shoulder. In its beak is an egg. The egg represents the future. A future unborn and unknown. The bird is in flight, representing the fact that history is constantly moving forward. The bird is looking into history, taking the lessons there to help form and create the future.

The Sanfoka bird appears in many African-American study courses. This powerful symbol is used to demonstrate the importance of learning and understanding the history of a people. Not just the history of Ghana. Where we come from is as important as who we are. If we don’t understand our own history, how can we truly understand ourselves? This is message the Sanfoka bird has for each of us today.