From: Akan, West Africa
Source: Akan (Ghana) Adinkra proverb tied directly to the Sankofa symbol, documented in adinkrasymbols.org, Wikipedia's Sankofa entry, and Stockton University's Sankofa program page. The three agree on the meaning but spell the Akan differently (wosankofa / wosan kofa, yenkyi / yenkyiri); the wording stored here is Wikipedia's.
The source explains it: It symbolizes taking from the past what is good and bringing it into the present in order to make positive progress through the benevolent use of knowledge.
. The wording of the meaning is ours.