The Adinkra tradition traces its roots to the Gyaman people of present-day Côte d’Ivoire and was later absorbed into the Ashanti Kingdom after their encounter with Nana Kofi Adinkra, a Gyaman ruler. Initially, these symbols were stamped on cloth with natural dyes derived from the bark of the badie tree, often worn during funerals to communicate messages of mourning, remembrance, and the wisdom of the ancestors. Over time, Adinkra evolved beyond funerary use to become a visual language of philosophy.