Wisdom in the Adinkra for Adaptability: Denkyem

Proverb for Denkyem – ‘The crocodile lives in water yet breathes air.‘

Adinkra are ancient symbols from Africa which represent wisdom from the Ghanaian Akan people and are a gift for all people.

Adinkra Wisdom

Adinkra are aphorisms which have been passed down through the generations. They originate from the wisdom drawn from life experience with examples drawn from nature. They were used for ceremonial purposes including funerals. Today the Adinkra symbols adorn clothing and hold memorial significance for those in the diaspora.

Denkyem

The Adinkra symbol Denkyem is represented by the crocodile. In the West it is a creature to be feared, it is large and strong, a force to be reckoned with and avoided. In reality, crocodiles tend to retaliate when provoked, or when their habitat and food source become scarce.

The crocodile is an amphibious reptile found in Africa, Asia, Australia and the Americas. They have a very unique metabolism which allows them to control their body temperature and store enough energy from their food for a long period of time. As the saying goes they live in water and can breathe air, which gives them a unique advantage over the animals with whom they share their environment.

Like the crocodile, we live a life where we must consistently adapt. The natural environment is really our natural habitat but we have adapted to lifestyles in away from nature. We live in a world that is full of disconnection, yet we adapt to find peace within ourselves and our relations.

We all have an amazing ability to change according to our circumstance. By understanding this ability we can make it a positive experience. We as humans need to be in natural surroundings like the crocodile. We can live for a time without breathing fresh air, working behind baffle boards, in congested cities, without trees or nature, but at some point we must surface. That is why we go for hikes, why we retain national parks.

The ability to survive in unnatural spaces for a time is a survival strategy but is not conducive to our well being in the long term. For example, when working full time in the office was the norm, many workplaces started introducing height adjustable desks because the research showed that sitting all day was not good for the body. Then the pandemic showed that working from home was a viable option.

Intelligence and Strength

In Akan ideology the crocodile is considered a strong and intelligent animal. This symbol is also represents the dualities of the elements of water and air. There are There are attributes which cannot be measured by formal education but by achievements and how they empower individuals or the community.

Denkyem is a call to recognise our adaptability, which will enable us not only to survive in different environments, but also to thrive. As another saying goes, we adapt or die. Our world has changed so quickly in the last few years, not to mention the warp factor speed of technological and ethical innovations. Our interactions with each other and the planet may have become slightly skewed, but we have the ability to redirect our efforts for a more positive outcome.

Nature is really our natural habitat but many of us have adapted to lifestyles which keep us away from our own true nature.

How does Denkyem apply to you?

A gradual approach with easy steps is sustainable. As William Ernest Henley (Public Library) said in his poem Invictus

“I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my ship.”

William Ernest Henley

Being exposed to the natural world is a return to self. Our physical bodies include everything there is in the Earth. We can adapt to restore the harmony within ourselves which may have been lost to an industrialised lifestyle. For example, we adapt to being in enclosed spaces for long periods of time, working in jobs we do not enjoy, high rental housing, expensive food prices, changing relationships during our lives. Consider the duality of the crocodile which dwells in water and air, and the duality life and death.

What are your strengths?

Using a journal is a good way to record and reflect on your ideas. You will become aware of the many ways you adapt in your own life.

Special thanks to the Kasahorow team for sharing high quality images of about thirty Adinkra symbols through the Kasahorow Adinkra Library.