Greater Awareness ~ Balance ~ Destiny Fulfillment

Nyame Nwu Na Mawu is an Akan proverb that can be translated to "God does not die, so I will not die." It is meant to remind us that our souls (and the spiritual energy which we generate, live for, and live from) is imperishable energy that will be passed forward long after our bodies natural transition.

We do all things in awareness of the metaphysical realms. As Heaven, So Earth. As Above, So Below. As God, So Human. We draw from this awareness to bring fulfillment, divine oversight, and reverence into every offering, service, interaction and goal. It is this significance that reminds our people of their inherit power, larger purpose and greater destiny.

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Depth ~ Memory ~ Devotion ~ Trust ~ Divine Love

odo nnyew fie kwan is an Akan proverb that can be translated to "Love Never Looses Its Way Home." It is meant to remind us that love is the most powerful guiding force in life, and that true love withstands and overcomes all things. It symbolizes eternal love, devotion, loyalty, endurance, trust and affection.

We transcend fear in the vibration of love.

We dive beneath the surface and surpass the shallow systems and programmed perceptions of life in order to explore the wholeness of our soul to live a truly fulfilling life. We do all things centered in our divinely unique extension of Nyames love

Mami wata is perfectly described within Odo Nnyew Fie Kwan for the depth of her love, the devotional movement of her spirit, and her celestial governing over the memories she keeps for us. She has a way of guiding us, just as the ocean and water itself is a symbol of soul; a guiding force of divine order upon and beyond the earth realm.

Mami Wata has held the heartbeat of Africa in the midst of and following the multigenerational impact of the Ma'afa (transatlantic slave trade)- she holds the pain, the memories, the traditions, the sacrifices, the power and the strength of our ancestors. Through all the journeying our people have done across lands and seas, the spirit of the water has held the heart of our home and safekeeps our stories in every wave. She invites us into the deep to find out who we truly are, and wherever we devote ourselves to the divinity of love we will always be guided home. Every drop of water returns to the sea.

We embrace our divine place within the movement, we devote our hearts to paving the homeward path with the depths of divine love.

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Agreement ~ CommUnity Power ~ Collective Integrity ~ Open-Heartedness ~ Revolutionary Resonance

DONNO translates to "Bell Drum." This adinkra is a symbol of communication, rhythm, and expression.

We connect through the wisdom of donno by harmonizing our unique instruments, stories, personalities, destinies and characters into one great song of unity, interconnection, and purpose.

In the attunement of revolutionary resonance we transcend the sound of an individual instrument, we open our hearts to the spiritual evolution that is the rhythm of Akoma Ntoso.

Akoma Ntoso is an Akan adinkra symbol that can be translated to mean "linked hearts." It represents the importance of harmonious coexistence and the importance of mutuality and cooperation in building connections.

We hold the power to project any reality in which is collectively agreed upon. (For example, people only recognize that paper money has monetary value because over time on a grand collective level it has been decided to be true.)

We become stronger in numbers. We bridge our hearts together in transparency, openness and willingness to co-create.

We birth a community which integrates destinies harmoniously to contribute to the greater movement of liberation, fulfillment and unity.

We join in the vibration of pure love- each bringing forth the unique rhythms of our hearts. In a consciously collective agreement, we use our power to create a commonly chosen reality for a revolutionary sovereignty.

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Reverence ~ Intentional Impact ~ Divine Direction ~ Longevity

"esono anantam" is an Akan proverb that can be translated to "elephants footprint." It is meant to teach us the power of impact in the life we choose to lead.

We move through life with intention and consideration of how to leave a positive foundation and enlightening impact for generations to come.

Every step we take can hold the strength of an elephants footprint. and every step our honorable ancestors have taken is looked to in great respect and admiration so that we learn from the walks of the past to create a clearer road forward.

The footprints of our ancestors is why we walk forward. To honor them, we step in alignment with our unique souls truth to bring forth a truly intentional impact.

We hold the awareness that each action, thought, and step holds great power. We consider the spirit of the elephant as a way to stand firm in accountability and affirm aligned action upon our destined course so that when our descendants move forward they will hold undeniable respect, gratitude and responsibility in the continuation of the legacy of true liberated living

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Creativity ~ Alchemy ~ Adaptability

Ananse Ntontan is an Akan proverb that can be translated to "The Spiders Web." It is a symbol of the great spider figure in Akan folklore who is known for great intelligence and creativity. It's significant to Mami Wata Sanctuary because this space is a reflection of my alchemical movement through life.

We utilize the creative force of ritual, art and mental fortitude to adapt through lifes complexities.

We birth beauty from burden and connectivity from chaos. By moving through the web of life bonded with Nyame's intelligence and seeing through the eyes of an alchemist- we are Divine Weavers within the tapestry of existence.

We transmute tangled silks into true treasures and pass this lifestyle forward as a treasure trove of tools for generations to use on their walks of life.

With creative expression comes great healing, and healing brings forth great integration internally & collectively.

As we each carve our authentic puzzle piece from the stones set before us, we pave a path united by the mystic truth of our Ase.

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Divine oversight ~ Transparency ~ Character Refinement

ABODE SANTANN is an adinkra symbol which means "All-seeing Eye." It represents the omnipotent energy of Nyame.

As the All-seeing eye is Nyame's, it is within all things- and this, too, is the way of Mami Wata. As water exists in our bodies, our foods, the plants, the animals, the air... as water carries the spirits and memories of all time. Water is the universal solvent, and thus by working with the element of water or the spirit of Mami Wata, we are given the invitation to refine ourselves and keep clean of any debris that cakes up the truest flow of our being. We restore our holistic health by healing from and resisting the influence of oppression, colonialism and white supremacy as we root into our traditions in our own authentic manner. We choose to keep pure our beings by embracing the divine oversight of Nyame and living firm in the connection we have to our innermost Godliness through every practice, tradition, ritual, and occurrence of life.

We have refuge and sanctuary in the embrace of Nyame's watchful eye, knowing that it is an invitation to observe ourselves with love and awareness. We honor the nature of Nyame and live in alignment with nature's will. We utilize the knowing that Nyames energy is all places and in all things to refine and improve our character with grace and unconditional acceptance.

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Presence ~ Embodiment ~ Restoration ~ Wholistic Innovation

SANKOFA adinkra comes from an akan proverb "se wo were fi na wosankofa a yenkyi" meaning "it is not taboo to go back for that which you have forgotten/go back and get it." It emphasizes remembering our traditions, ancestry, cultural heritage and finding what has been lost/distorted.

By courageously traveling into our past we restore the truth and bring its wisdom into our future so that we stand and build upon the unwaveringly solid grounds of our story.

We rise up because we grow from roots that are settled within deep seated reverence and honor. The embrace of these roots is what inspires the fertility of our soils and the bloom of our being.

We acknowledge and nurture the whole of our being- past, present and future, so that we are wholistically well.

We hold steady faith in the process of becoming by practicing devotional presence. In presence, we are an empowered symbol of all that has been and all that will be- just by a single breath. We are the embodiment of a stable and balanced bridge between the past and future.

We access the wholeness of our gifts by being in the flow of the present. Rather than tangling our minds anxiously into the future or depressing into the past- we choose sovereignty by reclaiming our power through the presence of true aliveness and devotion to being a clear channel for our unique Ase.

As we are clear in this presence, we heal the past and harmonize the path forward.

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