The
concept of Sankofa is derived from Adinkra of the Akan people
of West Afrika. Sankofa is transliterated in the Akan language
as "se wo were fi na wosan kofa a yenki."
Literally translated it means "it
is not taboo to go back and fetch what you forgot". Sankofa
is used today across the pan-African world to promote the idea that
African people must go back to our roots in order to move forward.
Visually and symbolically "Sankofa" is expressed as a mythic
bird that flies forward while looking backward with an egg (symbolizing
the future) in its mouth.
Popular Usage
The film by Ethiopian-American filmmaker Haile Gerima Sankofa (1993)
popularized the term, since then more recent films such as 500
Years Later have further popularized the symbol as part of the core philosophy
of the film.
