What We Carry Forward · Letter No. 2
Sunsum, the Adinkra symbol of spirit
On Friday night, my mom invited me to a Charlie Wilson concert.
I’ll be honest, I almost said no. He’s more her generation than mine. But I went, and the moment the music started, I realized I knew every single song. Every one.
When he walked onto the stage, I was surprised. He moved a little slower than I remembered. Time had passed, and I found myself thinking about how much changes as we get older.
Then he started to sing.
His voice was still there. Sharp, warm, full. The whole sold-out room was on its feet, dancing and singing like it was decades ago. Nobody came that night because he could run across the stage. They came for his light. They came for what he was put on this earth to do.
And standing there next to my mom, I thought: that’s Sunsum.
In Akan tradition, Sunsum speaks to the spirit.
To me, Sunsum represents the light we carry within us. The part of ourselves that isn’t defined by our age, our accomplishments, or how the world sees us.
It’s our presence. Our essence. The part of us that people remember long after we’ve left the room.
Carry it this week
Sometimes we measure ourselves by what we can accomplish, how much we can do, or who we used to be.
But perhaps the most meaningful part of who we are was never measured by those things.
Your spirit is still yours.
Your light is still yours.
May you remember that.
With gratitude,
Nakia Duncan
Founder, Adinkra Charms
What We Carry Forward is a weekly letter on one Adinkra symbol. Subscribers receive each letter first, every Thursday evening.