Adinkra Virtues

No	Virtue	Ghanaian proverb	English Transliteration	Meaning
1	Diversity	funtunfunEfu nEC denQemfunEfu wcn aCfuru bom nansoC woCrECdidi a na wcrECkoC efiri se aCduanEC de yetEC noC wc mECnECtwitwiE mu	Funtunfunefu and denkyemfunefu (two conjoined crocodiles) have their stomachs joined together yet when they eat they fight because the sweetness of the food is felt as it passes through the throat,	Democracy and unity in diversity
2	Vigilance	kckcsaCQi si ctoC nEC kosua wc soCroC, efiri se bcmmcfoCc hoC ye hu.	“Though I am not edible,” says the vulture, “yet I nurse my eggs in the branches of a tall tree because man is hard to be trusted.”	We must remain vigilant and avoid activities that attract unnecessary attention.
3	Procrastination	BECre aCnnuru aCnnuru a, etra.	It’s not time yet, it’s not time yet, until it is too late.	Procrastination is the thieve of time.
4	Reincarnation	cdoCmankoCma bc owuo ma owuo kum noC.	The Creator created death only for death to kill him.	Immortality of God.
5	Respect	enam obi soC na obi ye yiE.	It’s always through the help of someone that you get somewhere.	We should help each other.
6	Harmony	EfiE rEChyEC a, mbarima nkoC.	Two men in a burning house must not stop to argue.	We should avoid unnecessary arguments.
7	Financial Responsibility	yendidi pii nsi dan.	One cannot both feast and become rich.	We must practice saving.
8	Togetherness	dua baakoC nndanEC qaECe.	One tree cannot be a forest	We achieve more if we work together.
9	Po w er	tumi tEC se kosua, woCsc mu dECn a, epaEC; na se woCanso mu yiE nsoC a, efiri woC nsa bc fam ma epaEC.	The responsibility of power is like holding an egg. Grasp it too tightly and it will drip through your fingers; hold it too loosely and it will drop and break.	We must temper justice with mercy.
10	Uniqueness	maCko Ninaa mpaCtu mmECrEC.	All peppers do not ripe simultaneously.	Everyone is unique.
11	Protection	cbaa ye nhwiren wc aCfiQifuo; nEC kunoC ye nEC ban.	A woman is a flower in a garden; her husband is the fence around it.	Husband must protect his wife.
12	Caution	ANiGa sECsEC gakE agama Do na afc aNi blEwuu.	Though the earth is solid, the chameleon makes cautious steps on it.	We must exercise caution in out daily activities.
13	Advice	yEtu woC foC na waCntiE a, woCkc antECadEC.	If you do not heed advice, you go to Anteade (the town for those who don’t heed advice).	We must listen to good advice.
14	Money	sika ye nam sECn sECkan.	Money is sharper than a sword.	We must have respect for money.
15	Patience	ckoCtre a chwe noC hoC soC noC, oNini danEC apcnQECreni.	A lizard that knows how to hide grows to become a crocodile.	We must improve ourselves daily to become a better version of ourselves.
16	Understanding	se woC wECre firi na woC san kcfa a yenQi.	We must go back and reclaim our past so we can move forward: so we understand why and how we came to be who we are today.	It is not taboo to return and fetch it when you forget.
17	Truth	noCqarEC ye ayarECsa.	Truth is a cure	We must uphold that which is true.
18	Unity	esEC nEC tekrema cmoC koC aCduanEC hoC, ensoC ekc yEfunu baakoC mu.	The teeth and tongue fight to get food into the same stomach	Having different views but united in purpose.

Category: Adinkra Virtues

Share this: