What is the Meaning of "SANKOFA"

Sankofa is an Akan word that means, "We must go back and reclaim our past so we can move forward; so we understand why and how we came to be who we are today."
The Akan (Ghanaian vernacular) word, Sankofa means "one must return to the past in order to move forward."
The symbol of Sankofa is that of a bird whose head is faced in the opposite direction of its body. This is emphasising on the fact that even though the bird is advancing, it periodically makes it a point to examine/ return to it's past, since this is the only way for one to have a better future.
Some also interpret Sankofa to mean, no matter how far away one travels they must always return home. However Sankofa is interpreted, the basic and important meaning still lies; one's past is an important aspect of one's future. So in order to make the best of one's future, one must visit one's past.