This shirt is part of The Sankofa Theory project that explores the legacy of Africa, the African Diaspora, the trauma of colonialism, and yet the persistence and resilience of African people around the world. The artwork on this shirt draws on textile prints of some of the peoples of West and Central Africa who were brought to the Americas during the Transatlantic Slave Trade, who formed the basis of African culture in the America. They include the Mende (Sierra Leone), the Ashanti (Ghana), the Bamileke(Cameroon), the Yoruba (Nigeria), and peoples of Mali. These patterns are made by skilled craftspeople , weavers, who form an essential part of the cultures they come from and African society. These craftspeople have made the textiles and clothing that everyday people and nobles have worn throughout history. The artwork represents the different African cultural groups and genetic elements of peoples in the African Diaspora. There is uniqueness and difference, but the strands are all woven together, and connect, just as the peoples of African, on the continent and abroad.
The bird in the design is the African Sacred Ibis, important in ancient African spirituality. The Egyptian god Tehuti is represented by this bird. This symbol is in referrence to the African legacy of philosophy and science that has guided us and influenced the world.
On the back of the shirt is an educational message, along with the meaning of the Adinkra symbols embedded in the artwork. In the Akan language, they read:
Boa Me Na Me Mmoa Wo- Cooperation and Interdependence
Nea Ope Se Obedi Hene- Service and Leadership
Mframadan- Fortitude and Preparedness
Dweennimenn-Strength and Humility
This garment is made of 100% Ringspun Cotton