Kintinkantan Meaning: The Adinkra Symbol Against Arrogance
AURYN Editorial
Kintinkantan, also written Kuntinkantan, is an Adinkra symbol that warns against arrogance. When the anthropologist R. S. Rattray recorded Asante Adinkra stamps in 1927, he translated its name as "bent and spread out" and explained that it was used in the sense of "do not boast, do not be arrogant".
Puffed up and spread out
The image behind the name is of something swollen and sprawling, taking up more room than it should. As a symbol, it describes the person who puffs themselves up, and it counsels the opposite: modesty and restraint.
A symbol of humility
Because it names the fault it warns against, Kintinkantan is read today as a symbol of humility. It belongs to the large family of Adinkra symbols that teach conduct, reminding the wearer how to behave as well as what to believe.
Kintinkantan in jewellery
A Kintinkantan design is a quiet reminder to carry oneself without boasting.
