The Ashanti people began to print Adinkra symbols on cloth on the 19th century. They originally got the symbols from the cloth of the defeated king of Gyaman Kingdom in present day Côte d’Ivoire. When the Ashantis brought him down to Kumasi (present day Ghana), this was the cloth he wore.
At that time the wearing of the cloth was an expression of sorrow, worn only during funerals. Ironically, the word “Adinkra” means “good bye” in the Twi language, spoken in Ghana.
