
Available
48" × 72"
An African man can be seen as head of the house. He's a king and a semi god. Looking closely at this piece, one can see the "Gye Nyame" symbol of the Adinkra symbols of the Akan people. “Gye Nyame” translates to "if not for God the omnipotence and immortal," in the Akan language of West Africa, dominantly Ghana. An offspring of the Divine God, the symbol is indicative of man's headship and dominance over his household and his communities. Further, the war horn on the right side of the eyes over the hands represents the man's alertness and readiness to protect his family, the same way that God's eyes watch over His children on earth. The left eye with a cowry shell(money) depicts the man's role as the breadwinner and provider of the family. Under the cowries shell eye are the wives of an African man. In traditional African societies, poligamy is a norm and only a strong man can have more than one woman in his household.The faces on the left side are the kids and other family members. The hut houses on the top right corner are the houses they call home. Family, nuclear and extended, is sacred. They enjoy the community and are oftentimes seen together. They work together and have fun together, Music is an escape. Who doesn’t love music? One can see the piano and the drums below the wives called “alumole”- they are representative of an African man's love for music. The four round eyes together in adinkra “me ware ro” means “I shall marry you.” It's a symbol of commitment alluding to an African man's commitment to his family. Lastly, the circle mouth connotes authority, greatness and leadership qualities associated with a king. An African man is a "god" in his home and community and is placed on this earth to dominate this realm.