Sankofa defined...
& about the
Founding Organization
Sankofa can mean either the word in the Akan language of Ghana that translates in English to "go back and take" (san=return, ko=go, fa= take) or the Adinkra symbols seen on the left and up above.
The Asante of Ghana use an Adinkra symbol to represent this same idea and one version of it is similar to the eastern symbol of a heart, and another version is that of a bird with its head turned backwards taking an egg off its back. It symbolizes one taking from the past what is good and bringing it into the present in order to make positive progress through the benevolent use of knowledge.
Adinkra symbols are used by the Akan to express proverbs and other philosophical ideas. These ideas are numerous and are used throughout the world because of their aesthetic and spiritual beauty. Sankofa has since been adopted by other cultural groups in the area and around the world including here in the United Virgin Islands where genealogical research has proven that many of us still here are offspring of our original West African Ancestors who were brought here to these islands during the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade.
During Sankofa Saturdays Youth Cultural Education Initiative while learning about our past, we also learn to use digital photography, videography, web design/maintenance and social media including facebook, youtube, skype and twitter to document and share cultural events and happenings in our present within or related to our United Virgin Islands community. Learn more on our
Facebook Site
and get the latest in what we're up to by following us on
Twitter _sankofasaturday
(it wouldn't allow for the extra"s" at the end).
The Sankofa Saturdays Youth Cultural Education Initiative, a project of
KWANZAA365, Inc.,
works through
Per Ankh, Inc.
, a
501(c)(3) non profit & non-governmental organization.
KWANZAA365
is not just another organization, a club or a business ...and it's not just a website:
In the way we unite individuals, families, agencies and beyond, it is a message, a mission statement if you will, to get across the idea that people need to get back to the 'village mentality' in order to teach ourselves and our leaders of tomorrow how to:
1. be unified at all times, in all ways, even if acting alone
2. be self-determined in all efforts
3. collectively work together and be responsible for one another and our environments
4. cooperatively gain economically
5. always know and remember our purpose(s) in life
6. use creativity in any situation
7. always keep the faith (in whatever 'faith' might mean to the individual) as consistency in their disciplines and religious practices shall be respected and encouraged (we firmly believe in this and that the fundamentals of most spiritual/religious systems are essentially analogous.
