Why the name WaWa?

We get this question a lot - why WaWa - especially because it is a chain of convenience stores that run through some of the east coast of the US - contrary to what you may have thought, we are completely unrelated to that establishment. So then where in the world did we get WaWa…? We wish we could take the credit but read on and learn why WaWa.

WAWA is an Adinkra symbol from the Asante people of Ghana. It has been the tradition of the Asante people to wear cloths decorated with Adinkra symbols on important occasions, especially at funerals of family and friends.

The Adinkra symbols expresses various themes that relate to the history, beliefs and philosophy of the Asante and can depict historical events, human behavior and attitudes, animal and plants, or shapes of objects. They often have rich proverbial meaning as proverbs play an important role in the Asante culture and are considered a mark of wisdom.

WAWA ABA literally means the “seed of the wawa tree,” which is a symbol of hardness, toughness and perseverance. The seed of the wawa tree is extremely hard. In Asante culture, it represents someone who is strong and tough, an individual who has persevered through hardship. We’ve chosen this as the name and symbol of this project to represent the obstacles faced and the corresponding success that those living with disabilities can achieve with education, support from their communities, and more opportunities for growth.