Adinkra Cloth
Adinkra is a technique in which symbols are stamped on a cloth in a grid pattern. There are hundreds of adinkra symbols, so each cloth carries its own message based on the combination of symbols used. The technique originated in Ghana and was traditionally used for funerals (adinkra means “goodbye”). Adinkra cloth is now used for a variety of occasions.
Lisa's Approach to Adinkra
"I always create adinkra cloth with a sacred intention. I start with a meditation in which I focus on the purpose of the cloth, its recipient, and the intended message. Then I choose symbols reflecting that message. With my intention in mind, I prepare white fabric for dyeing. I make deliberate choices regarding colors and patterns to further support the message. While creating the cloth, I hold the recipient in my mind and work with a sense of love and reverence. I have created cloth with a healing message for sick friends, as a blessing for a new home or baby, and with thoughts of love for a wedding or funeral. I have also created adinkra cloth that helps me accept and make sense of disturbing events, both personal and in the larger world. These adinkra cloths allow me to express my thoughts of hope for the future and our world."
Adinkra Workshops
Lisa shares her interest in adinkra with others through workshops in which participants create a personal adinkra cloth. They reflect on themselves and their lives and create a cloth with symbols that are meaningful to them. See the Workshop Schedule for more information about the Adinkra workshop.
Adinkra Commissions
Lisa creates adinkra cloth on a commission basis. Typical uses for a commissioned adinkra are wedding or new home blessings, baby blankets and healing cloths or shawls. Each cloth is a one-of-a-kind adinkra cloth, created specifically for the intended recipient. Lisa consults with the individual requesting the cloth to determine which symbols and colors are most appropriate for the intended purpose and recipient. For more information on commissioned adinkra cloth contact lisa@lisakerpoe.com.