CARE: Culturally Aligned AI for Reflective Creativity Through Adinkra Semiotic Knowledge

Abstract

Creativity is shaped by cultural epistemologies, symbolic systems, and traditions of sensemaking. Yet many contemporary AI-driven creativity support tools remain rooted in Western models of cognition and representation. This paper introduces CARE, the Culturally Aligned Reflection Engine, a symbolically mediated generative system that retrieves culturally grounded symbolic frames such as Adinkra symbols and proverbs to condition creative interpretation. The system supports creative reframing and culturally meaningful interaction through proverb-based interpretation, positioning AI as a partner in sensemaking rather than a source of prescriptive guidance. This work demonstrates how activating cultural heritage within interactive systems can promote culturally grounded design and expand creative possibilities. Reflections from the design and prototyping process illustrate how culturally situated metaphors can enrich ideation, deepen reflective engagement, and offer pathways for cultural continuity in computational creativity.