Adinkra Symbols - Akokonan

Guest Post - Tom Collins

As I mentioned in the last Adinkra post, Akokonan is one of my favorites among the symbols chosen for God Spare Life. My reason is not so much about its appearance or literal translation, but what it symbolizes: the parental love, nurturing, and protection that is so central to Claudia's life.

Akokonan was chosen to characterize the four chapters entitled "Daisy's Watch" that are written from the perspective of Claudia's mother, Daisy Mae Thomas.

Some insight into why can be found in the "Foreword" by Milfred C. Fierce, Ph.D., who's known Claudia and her family since her undergraduate days at Vassar. Dr. Fierce describes Daisy as protecting Claudia "with defiance, tenacity, and prayerful vigil" and finds a core theme of the book to be "a mother's love, faith, trust, and resolve."

(The Foreword and the first Daisy's Watch chapter can be read in the free sample pages from God Spare Life.)

And in the books's Dedications, Claudia herself described Daisy as "a woman who embodies the love, nurturing and sacrifice that is motherhood."

These descriptions from those who knew her well should help you understand why Akokonan was chosen for the "Daisy's Watch" chapters. But a bit more about why it bacame one of my personal favorites can be gleaned from this expanded explanation of the symbol at Jean MacDonald's site:

"The full name of this symbol translates to 'The hen treads on her chicks, but she does not kill them.' This represents the ideal nature of parents, being both protective and corrective. An exhortation to nurture children, but a warning not to pamper them."

Those who've read the book will appreciate how this applies so perfectly to both Daisy and to Claudia's father, Charles, as well.

Next time, God Spare Life, we'll take a look at Nea Onnim No Sua A, Ohu.