Kete Pa – Symbolism and Importance
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Kete Pa is an Adinkra symbol which means ‘good bed’ and the symbol is believed to represent a good marriage.
This symbol features several horizontal and vertical lines, placed across each other, resembling a square, woven mat. Its pattern is said to represent the marriage bed.
According to Akan beliefs, a woman who sleeps in a good bed will have a good marriage. It was this saying that inspired the creation of the symbol. Fulfilment and contentment are two of the main characteristics of a good marriage and for the Akans, sleeping on a good bed means that all is well and peaceful at home.
FAQs
The phrase ‘kete pa’ means ‘good bed’ in the Akan language.
This symbol represents the marriage bed, and a happy and peaceful marriage with fulfilment and contentment.
Kete pa is a highly significant symbol that has been used in cloth in West Africa. It can be seen logos, pottery, jewelry, and fabrics.
What Are Adinkra Symbols?
Adinkra are a collection of West African symbols that are known for their symbolism, meaning and decorative features. They have decorative functions, but their primary use is to represent concepts related to traditional wisdom, aspects of life, or the environment.
Adinkra symbols are named after their original creator King Nana Kwadwo Agyemang Adinkra, from the Bono people of Gyaman, now Ghana. There are several types of Adinkra symbols with at least 121 known images, including additional symbols that have been adopted on top of the original ones.
Adinkra symbols are highly popular and used in contexts to represent African culture, such as artwork, decorative items, fashion, jewelry, and media.
