Akoko Nan - The Nurturer (2018)

"The safety I feel with you on this throne compares to none.

We keep growing together here,

 wrapped in a peaceful light.

We feed on knowledge and wisdom.

Our favorite story is of a queen who was born on a sunny day to master the clouds.

A queen of patience and tolerance."

This painting was inspired by the Black Panther movie scene in which Queen Mother Ramonda prepares a heart shaped herb potion that she feeds to her son and instantly heals him.

To me, this scene represents the essence of motherhood. A mother is a nurturer. She feeds her child’s body but also feeds their spirit and brain through education. She helps and supports her child with unconditional love. That makes her a superhero.

The Supermom on this painting wears her logo on her chest which is Akoko Nan. It is the symbol of nurturing and discipline in the shape of the leg of a hen. The Akan people say that « the hen treads on her chicks but does not kill them. It is about the ideal nature of parents in their corrective and protective behavior towards their children » (adinkra.org). They must protect them but not spoil them.

So here we have a mother represented as a queen (with Adinkrahene symbolizing leadership on her crown) reading to her daughter. They are completely absorbed by this book entitled Akoma’s Blessings Part I. If you don’t know the painting I am refering to, please check the Incarnation section of the website ! 😉 This will enable you to better understand the link being built between these three women and get the dimension of this shared moment.

The two symbols at the back of he book have quite an important role. On the right side is Ananse Ntontan, symbol of creativity, wisdom, and complexities of life. The other one is Wawa Aba, symbol of hardiness, toughness and endurance which, by the way, you can see on Shuri’s T-shirt on her first appearance in the Black Panther movie. 😊

The location of the mother and child is also meaningful. As children we most often had a favored spot for such moments. It could be a chair, a sofa, a step or a bed where we felt comfortable and safe. This is what this throne stands for with its engravings. The symbol at the top is Mmusuyidee, symbol of good luck and sanctity. It is protection against evil. The symbol located on the inside of the armrest is Mframadan. It is about fortitude and ability to face vicissitudes of life.

Last words about this painiting will be about the two remaining symbols on the mother and partly on the child. The visible earring, Nyame Ye Ohene is made from the Gye Nyame symbol and means that God is King. Nyame Nti, linking each dress to their necklaces is the symbol of faith and trust in God. It litterally means By God’s grace. « It is a stalk depicted as the staff of life in many cultures. It symbolizes to the Akan people that food is a basis of life and that they could not survive if not for the food that God has placed here on Earth for their nourishment. » (The Adinkra Dictionary by W. Bruce Willis)

This painting was inspired by the Black Panther movie scene in which Queen Mother Ramonda prepares a heart shaped herb potion that she feeds to her son and instantly heals him.

To me, this scene represents the essence of motherhood. A mother is a nurturer. She feeds her child’s body but also feeds their spirit and brain through education. She helps and supports her child with unconditional love. That makes her a superhero.

The Supermom on this painting wears her logo on her chest which is Akoko Nan. It is the symbol of nurturing and discipline in the shape of the leg of a hen. The Akan people say that « the hen treads on her chicks but does not kill them. It is about the ideal nature of parents in their corrective and protective behavior towards their children » (adinkra.org). They must protect them but not spoil them.

So here we have a mother represented as a queen (with Adinkrahene symbolizing leadership on her crown) reading to her daughter. They are completely absorbed by this book entitled Akoma’s Blessings Part I. If you don’t know the painting I am refering to, please check the Incarnation section of the website ! 😉 This will enable you to better understand the link being built between these three women and get the dimension of this shared moment.

The two symbols at the back of he book have quite an important role. On the right side is Ananse Ntontan, symbol of creativity, wisdom, and complexities of life. The other one is Wawa Aba, symbol of hardiness, toughness and endurance which, by the way, you can see on Shuri’s T-shirt on her first appearance in the Black Panther movie. 😊

The location of the mother and child is also meaningful. As children we most often had a favored spot for such moments. It could be a chair, a sofa, a step or a bed where we felt comfortable and safe. This is what this throne stands for with its engravings. The symbol at the top is Mmusuyidee, symbol of good luck and sanctity. It is protection against evil. The symbol located on the inside of the armrest is Mframadan. It is about fortitude and ability to face vicissitudes of life.

Last words about this painiting will be about the two remaining symbols on the mother and partly on the child. The visible earring, Nyame Ye Ohene is made from the Gye Nyame symbol and means that God is King. Nyame Nti, linking each dress to their necklaces is the symbol of faith and trust in God. It litterally means By God’s grace. « It is a stalk depicted as the staff of life in many cultures. It symbolizes to the Akan people that food is a basis of life and that they could not survive if not for the food that God has placed here on Earth for their nourishment. » (The Adinkra Dictionary by W. Bruce Willis)

'' The safety I feel with you on this throne compares to none. We keep growing together here, wrapped in a peaceful light.

We feed on knowledge and wisdom.

Our favorite story is of a queen who was born on a sunny day to master the clouds.

A queen of patience and tolerance.''

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