African Symbol of the Month - Mate Masie
Bôhten eyewear strives to improve sustainable living in Africa. To shed light on our African roots, we are introducing meaningful symbols from Ghana that focus on the importance of Ethics in the social environment.
Mate Masie
The symbol of the month is “Mate Masie” and is an Adinkra symbol that means “What I hear, I keep”. This symbol represents wisdom, knowledge and prudence. The implied translation is “I understand” and highlights the significance of learning and gaining knowledge through the discretion and prudence of listening to what other persons have said. Essentially, one can gain knowledge and wisdom simply by listening to their community and environment and having the foresight to do so.
For us, this speaks to the importance of listening to others and the ability to adapt and learn in both old and new spaces. It's something we try to work on daily as there's always, always an opportunity to learn.
Adinkra are visual symbols, originally created by the Gyaman (Ashanti) people of Ghana and the Ivory Coast. The symbols hold a great deal of meaning and not only present the rich Akan culture, but serve to communicate deep truths, wisdom and knowledge using imagery.
If you're curious to learn more about Adinkra symbols, you can find more about them here.