Kramo Bone

Description of Kramo Bone

The Kramo Bone is a representation of the importance of critical thinking, skepticism, and discernment in general. It serves as a cautionary tale about dishonesty, hypocrisy, and quack medicine. The Islamic proverb that the symbol originates from reads, “The bad Muslim makes it difficult for a good one to be recognized.” The symbol was designed to represent this idea. The Kramo Bone challenges us to think critically, to question everything, and to avoid unquestioningly accepting what we are told as the gospel truth. It serves as a reminder for us to be watchful for people who seek to deceive and mislead us, such as false prophets, charlatans, and fraudsters. Kramo Bone encourages us to seek knowledge and understanding through independent inquiry, and to use our own discretion in order to make decisions based on the information we have gathered.

Style Variations

Bold – Light – Outlined – Colorable
Each variation is included in the file package.

Adinkra main description

Adinkra Symbols

The Adinkra symbols come from West Africa, specifically a region that is modern-day Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire. The symbols belonged to the Asante (or Ashanti) peoples, who would print them on cloth, as well as pottery and metalwork. The Asante people resisted British colonial rule when it arrived in West Africa. It may be for this reason that much cultural tradition and symbolism survives to this day. The word ‘adinkra’ means ‘farewell’ or ‘goodbye’ in the Twi language, spoken by the Asante people. For this reason, Adinkra cloth was worn often on special occasions, particularly funerals. The Adinkra symbols are closely tied to the history, beliefs and traditions of the Asante people. Each symbol represents a small number of simple concepts, meaning that Adinkra cloth would traditionally be printed using bespoke patterns, telling a story about the wearer that could be read by those knowledgeable enough to understand the underlying symbolism. The Adinkra symbols, and their meanings, have survived to the present day. Cloth displaying Adinkra symbols is now mass-produced in bright colors, using modern techniques and is very popular both in Africa and the wider world. This is not to say that the traditional weaving and printing methods have died out. It is still possible to find Adinkra cloth that has been made by hand, printed using natural inks and traditional techniques.