Semester of Graduation
Summer 2026
Degree
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
Art History
Document Type
Thesis
Abstract
The Akan people of Ghana, like many other Sub-Saharan Africans, prioritized symbols in their daily life activities. This thesis examines how Ghanaian politicians used Akan Adinkra symbols in indigenous Ghanaian societies to reclaim national identity and African Personality in the postcolonial era. The study traces the evolution of these symbols from their traditional uses in textiles, regalia, and artifacts to their strategic adoption in postcolonial nation-building projects under Ghana’s first president, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, in the mid-twentieth century. The study also analyzes how selected Ghanaian artists, including modernist Kofi Antubam and contemporary artists such as El Anatsui, have reinterpreted and incorporated Adinkra symbols into their works. Through this artistic practice, Adinkra symbols have been mobilized to construct a distinctive national identity and to navigate the tensions between cultural authenticity and the global art market. This analysis examines the socio-political forces behind this reclamation and explores how the traditional meanings of Adinkra symbols are preserved, adapted, and transformed within contemporary artistic practice. The thesis emphasizes the Akan Adinkra symbols, which were strategically reinvented in postcolonial Ghana as tools for forming national identity and promoting Pan-Africanism, an idea pushed by political figures such as Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and sustained through reinterpretation by Ghanaian artists across generations. The thesis thus argues that Adinkra symbols should not be understood as static cultural artifacts; rather, they are dynamic tools for political and artistic expression that have been pivotal to the creation of Ghana’s postcolonial national identity.
Date
5-20-2026
Recommended Citation
Adade, Nicholas, "AKAN ADINKRA SYMBOLS IN INDIGENOUS GHANAIAN SOCIETIES AND THEIR RELEVANCE TO CONTEMPORARY GHANAIAN ARTISTS." (2026). LSU Master's Theses. 6386.
https://repository.lsu.edu/gradschool_theses/6386
Committee Chair
Darius A. Spieth
LSU Acknowledgement
1
LSU Accessibility Acknowledgment
1
Included in
Art and Materials Conservation Commons, Contemporary Art Commons, Fiber, Textile, and Weaving Arts Commons, Interdisciplinary Arts and Media Commons, Interior Design Commons, Other History of Art, Architecture, and Archaeology Commons, Painting Commons, Sculpture Commons