Akan
/əˈkɑːn/noun
A group of related West African peoples, languages, and cultural traditions centered mainly in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire.
Did you know?The Akan are famous for Adinkra symbols, visual signs carrying philosophical meanings that function almost like a written language of wisdom.
Etymological Timeline
16th Century
Portuguese
Acan
“An early European rendering of the name for peoples encountered on the Gold Coast of West Africa.”
17th–18th Century
Dutch/English
Acan / Akan
“Forms used in European writing for related peoples and languages of the Gold Coast.”
18th–19th Century
English
Akan
“An ethnonym and linguistic label for a major group in the Gold Coast region.”
19th Century
Akan languages
Akan
“A broader indigenous and scholarly designation associated with related peoples and speech varieties, including Asante and Fante.”
Modern English
English
Akan
“A recognized name for the Akan peoples, their languages, and their cultural heritage in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire.”