Sankofa (pronounced SAHN-koh-fah) is a word in the Twi language of Ghana meaning “to retrieve" (literally "go back and get;" san - to return; ko - to go; fa - to fetch, to seek and take) and also refers to the Bono Adinkra symbol represented either with a stylized heart shape or by a bird with its head turned backwards… which translates as: "It is not wrong to go back for that which you have forgotten."

Mpuannum translates as "five tufts," and it refers to the hairstyle traditionally worn by the Asante priestess. The symbol implies a particular kind of religious joy. It also represents loyalty, faith, and duty.