Akoma

A stylised heart shape.

Also known as: Heart adinkra symbol, Patience symbol adinkra

CulturalHistorical & archaeologicalStandard profile

Meanings

The adinkra symbol akoma, a heart, documented as standing for patience and endurance rather than for love.

Culturally establishedVerified fact
Is an adinkra symbol of the Akan peoples of Ghana.
Contexts: Language and transcription
Culturally establishedDocumented interpretation
Is documented as standing for patience and endurance, not for romantic love, which is the reading a European viewer supplies from the shape and which the literature does not support.
Contexts: Language and transcription

Visual description

A rounded shape narrowing to a point at its base, symmetrical about a vertical line.

Symmetry: vertical
Orientation: upright

Confidence

IdentityHigh confidence: High confidence because the identity is documented in encyclopedic references.
Historical originModerate confidence: Moderate confidence because the historical origin is documented in encyclopedic references, but early or supporting evidence is limited, but the regional or cultural match to this specific claim is not precise.
Current useHigh confidence: High confidence because the current use is documented in encyclopedic references.
Visual matchHigh confidence: High confidence because the visual match is documented in encyclopedic references.

Sources

Adinkra Symbols of West Africa
West African Wisdom project, Wesleyan University · retrieved 2026-08-23
An academic compilation of adinkra symbols with their Akan names and associated proverbs. Cited for a symbol's name, its associated proverb and the reading that proverb supports; it is one documented account of a living tradition rather than an authoritative canon.
Adinkra cloth and symbols — collection documentation
The British Museum · retrieved 2026-08-23
Museum collection documentation for Akan adinkra cloth. Cited for the existence, form and documented reading of individual symbols. Adinkra meanings are a living oral tradition with variation between sources, and records say where a reading is one account among several.

Last reviewed 2026-08-25

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Meanings

The adinkra symbol akoma, a heart, documented as standing for patience and endurance rather than for love.

Culturally establishedVerified fact

Is an adinkra symbol of the Akan peoples of Ghana.

Contexts: Language and transcription

Culturally establishedDocumented interpretation

Is documented as standing for patience and endurance, not for romantic love, which is the reading a European viewer supplies from the shape and which the literature does not support.

Contexts: Language and transcription

Confidence

IdentityHigh confidence: High confidence because the identity is documented in encyclopedic references.
Historical originModerate confidence: Moderate confidence because the historical origin is documented in encyclopedic references, but early or supporting evidence is limited, but the regional or cultural match to this specific claim is not precise.
Current useHigh confidence: High confidence because the current use is documented in encyclopedic references.
Visual matchHigh confidence: High confidence because the visual match is documented in encyclopedic references.

Sources

Adinkra Symbols of West Africa
West African Wisdom project, Wesleyan University · retrieved 2026-08-23
An academic compilation of adinkra symbols with their Akan names and associated proverbs. Cited for a symbol's name, its associated proverb and the reading that proverb supports; it is one documented account of a living tradition rather than an authoritative canon.
Adinkra cloth and symbols — collection documentation
The British Museum · retrieved 2026-08-23
Museum collection documentation for Akan adinkra cloth. Cited for the existence, form and documented reading of individual symbols. Adinkra meanings are a living oral tradition with variation between sources, and records say where a reading is one account among several.

Last reviewed 2026-08-25