Akakpo & Co: Ghanaian culture in modern Jewelry

At Akakpo & Co. they believe in thoughtful design. Their drinkware, tableware and jewelry is made with great care, and whether you’re buying something for yourself, a friend or loved one, they want that gift to be lasting.

The Adinkra symbols they feature have long been a part of Ghanaian culture, and can be found on fabrics, pottery and in art throughout the country.

Designer Ebenezer Akakpo has made these ancient symbols uniquely his own by creating depth and movement in each pattern. Each has special meaning, and their hope is that you find a personal connection to the symbol that you choose.

Above all, you can feel good about the products that you purchase. Akakpo & Co regularly partners up with organizations that do meaningful work to benefit communities throughout the world.

Their colourful Emekor earrings support The Better Water Maker Project, which provides free water purification systems to the rural poor. Akakpo & Co also proudly supports Indigo Arts Alliance, a Portland, Maine-based organization that embraces black-led and multi-racial creative projects.

At Akakpo & Co they believe that our lives are designed to connect us to the larger world, and we hope that gifting our designs is a part of that connection.

Meet the founder

Multi-faceted designer Ebenezer Akakpo has made his home in Maine for over two decades. His award-winning work has been highlighted in the Boston Globe, Down East Magazine, and Portland Press Herald, among others.

Akakpo has long been fascinated with symbols, lines and patterns. His design abilities, coupled with his passion for exploring how objects are made, were cultivated during his school age years in Ghana.

Encouraged by his father to explore jewelry making, he apprenticed with a local goldsmith and jewellery designer to learn the craft.

From Ghana, he travelled to Florence, Italy and received a formal education in design and stone setting at Le Arti Orafe.

Akakpo credits his time in Italy for discovering the importance of symbols in paying homage to history and culture. While visiting nearby jewelry shops, he noticed that designers often personalized classic symbols to create signature pieces.

Akakpo went on to receive his Bachelor of Fine Art at the Maine College of Art in Portland, where he further honed his skills in metalsmithing and jewelry, while also working in fields of drawing and sculpture.

Curiosity about technology’s role in modern design led Akakpo to earn certifications in Internet Technology, and later a Master of Fine Art in Industrial Design at Rochester Institute of Technology in New York.

Since then, Akakpo has been committed to creating pieces that not only carry personal and cultural power, but also as a means to promote positive change in the world.

Source : European Life Media