Sankofa: A symbol of the Past to Build the Future

“It is not wrong to go back for that which you have forgotten.”

Akan proverb associated with Sankofa

Sankofa is about to land in Toronto. This Ghanaian Adinkra nature based mythical symbol has caused a stir in Toronto, Canada, where it has been chosen as the new name for Dundas Square. The square at the intersection of Yonge and Dundas, Toronto, and the associated subway stop will be renamed Sankofa.

Henry Dundas

The name change was sought to cleanse the connection its previous moniker had with Henry Dundas, (later Lord Melville), who is associated with being a key player in delaying the British abolition of the slave trade. There were also other accusations of misconduct against Lord Melville, including:

“In 1795, Members of Parliament accused Dundas of allowing British soldiers to commit atrocities against the Jamaican Maroons of Trelawney Town, which was a free black community that had signed a treaty with Britain in 1740. Dundas was defending the interests of Jamaican slave owners.”

^[10] Newton, “Henry Dundas, empire and genocide,” Huron Research.ca

Toronto in Flux

Toronto ‘the good ‘ which is now a metropolis of concrete towers, is a city in constant flux. Historic buildings come down, superstructures go up. The stretch between Dundas Square going north to Bloor Street along the world’s longest street, Yonge Street (pronounced ‘Young’) was once a vibrant hub of iconic stores, such as Sam the Record Man, World’s Biggest Book Store, and Sears, to name a few. There was also a vibrant music scene featuring cool Jazz venues. They have all gone the way of another bird, the Dodo.

Looking Back

Over the years, many popular buildings have been renamed for the highest bidder, with local maps struggling to keep up. Does anyone remember the O’Keefe Centre, or SkyDome, and what they are called today?

Just down the road from Dundas Square, another renamed institution, the Toronto Metropolitan University, formally Ryerson Polytechnic Institute, remains a bastion of education in the heart of the city. And the Dundas name will still remain on one of the longest streets in Toronto, so the name has not been entirely eradicated.

Sankofa is Coming to Roost

Sankofa has become a prominent symbol for the African Diaspora. It was carried to North America long ago via the inhumane slave trade from Africa. The symbols for Sankofa have been found in plantation iron work from that period in Savannah, Georgia and elsewhere on the trans atlantic trafficking map.

” A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.”

Marcus Garvey

There is already a precedent in a North American city where Sankofa is used as a focal point to look back at the past. At the African Burial Ground National Monument, New York, the resting place of the bodies of 419 enslaved Africans and their descendents. The burial ground uses the other Adrinka symbol for Sankofa, which is a stylised heart shape.

When I worked for the city of Toronto in a helping profession, it was always key to encourage clients to look back at issues from their past, especially those which they may have viewed negatively, as opportunities for change or improvement.

This is Sankofa, once you understand that there is something from the past that will help with a present issue, don’t be afraid to use it. Sometimes it takes maturity to see the wisdom of the elders.

There are things which our parents or elders used to do, forgotten over the years, until that day when a situation occurs and you get that aha moment. You try something you had forgotten from your past. And it works.

The knowledge of those affected by the delay in the abolition of the slave trade will live on in the supersymmetry of the Sankofa symbol.

As co-creators of our reality, Sankofa will remind us that change starts within each of us. As we pour out from the over-crowded Sankofa Subway station, there is an opportunity to be mindful of ways that each one of us can use our energy to transform this space.

Reggae legend and former long time resident of Toronto, Leroy Sibbles, co-composed a marvellous song which we can look back on and learn from:

I said common people like you and me
We'll be builders for eternity
Each is given a bag of tools
A shapeless mass and the book of rules

Book of Rules -Songwriters: Earl Morgan / Leroy Anthony Sibbles / Barrington Selvin Llewellyn

Final Thoughts

The message of this symbol is one of the most important for today. What do you need to return to your past for? Know your past and respect those who have helped shaped that past. Nothing is wasted and there is a lesson to learn from both the good and bad.

Sankofa can be welcomed as a brand to unite and inspire. Look back with love and bring understanding. Remember a small act of kindness can create harmony within yourself and shift the collective energy to one of harmonious interactions?

References

1. The first Sankofa image was obtained from the website of the Carter G. Woodson Center.
2. The second Sankofa image was obtained from CleanPNG.