Owner: Johan Snaggs
Yoruba inspired, after our founder’s original ancestry. The Yoruba is a language, a culture and a peoples. The language is spoken by over 30 million people and has influences dialects across the African diaspora globally; making it the mostly widely spoken African language outside of the continent. It was orally passed down for generations until colonists, in the 18th century, documented it. ọṣọ translates into “decolonization,” “wealth” and “prosperous.” We’ll adopt them all. aṣa translates in to “culture” or “tradition.” Hence our name and translation; decolonization culture. In the tradition of the griots , as family ancestry was orally passed down from generation to generation. Our owner is a descendant of JaJa of Opobo; Chieftain, leader, revolutionary. We’re claiming that heritage and conveying it on every garment we produce!
If you look closely, our logo resembles a face with Yoruba tribal marks under the “o’s” or eyes. We’re told that the marks or scarring became tribal tradition that may have originated as a result of the slave trade. Yoruba families marked their children in the event that they were captured by colonizers and slave traders. The premise being, that they would recognize their children, family, tribe or village members by the scarring on their face. A reminder that we belong somewhere, that we are seen, that we are missed, that we are loved. Today, as descendants and survivors of the colonial condition, we will recognize each other. Our products say it boldly. We see you. ọṣọ aṣa.
