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62-721: According to imminent historian F.K.Buah, the Adansiland is considered the origin of some Akan people . In the 17th century, the Adansi were powerful people known for their ability to build beautiful structures. The Akan office of Okyeame (linguist) is said to have originated in Adansi. History also tells the ancestors of Adanis 'Akrofuom' may lived at Kokobiante nearby the Seben River in Adansi Town. In 1873, Adansi Kobina Obeng sought independence from Ashanti because to his geographic location near

124-810: A Kwa group living primarily in present-day Ghana and in parts of Ivory Coast and Togo in West Africa . The Akan speak languages within the Central Tano branch of the Potou–Tano subfamily of the Niger–Congo family . Subgroups of the Akan people include: the Agona , Akuapem , Akwamu , Akyem , Anyi , Ashanti , Baoulé , Bono , Chakosi , Fante , Kwahu , Sefwi , Wassa , Ahanta , and Nzema , among others. The Akan subgroups all have cultural attributes in common; most notably

186-646: A bachelor's degree or master's degree program. The Akan language is spoken as the predominant language in the Western, Central, Ashanti, Eastern, Brong Ahafo regions of the akan clan. A language with some Akan influence called Ndyuka is also spoken in South America (Suriname and French Guiana), with the Akan language coming to these South American and Caribbean places through the trans-Atlantic slave trade and Akan names and folktales are still used in these South American and Caribbean countries (another example can be seen in

248-466: A candidate for the stool to the kingmakers of the lineage. Once accepted their candidate rules till death. This means until all the Jaase have presented their candidates they have to wait their turn. Akan Kings of whatever rank have other nobleman who serve them as sub-chiefs. These sub-chiefs do not have hereditary titles and therefore do not have black stools. Besides, each King has a female co-ruler known as

310-723: A confederacy or an empire regardless of clan or abusua they belong to, while those outsides of the Akan people or the abusua were usually conquered or annexed via war or mutual agreement. For example, the Guan state of Larteh and the Akyem state of Akropong joined to form the Akwapim Kingdom to avoid the Akwamu, who the Guan deemed as oppressive. Under the State there are Divisions and under these Divisions are towns and villages. The Fantes also upon migrating from

372-620: A cross or an airplane. The Fante battle formations eventually had some European influences and many Asafo Frankaa (battle flags) incorporated the British Union Jack after 1844 when they allied with them. The battle formation has the Frontline, the West Flank, an East Flank, the main body and the Vanguard. There are, therefore, five divisional chiefs in each Paramountcy. These are followed in rank by

434-498: A different household. According to one source of information about the Akan, "A man is strongly related to his mother's brother (wɔfa) but only weakly related to his father's brother. This is perhaps viewed in the context of a polygamous society in which the mother/child bond is likely to be much stronger than the father/child bond. As a result, in inheritance, a man's nephew (his sister's son) (wɔfase) will have priority over his own son. Uncle-nephew relationships, therefore, assume

496-417: A dominant position." "The principles governing inheritance, generation, and age – that is to say, men come before women and seniors before juniors."... When a woman's brothers are available, a consideration of generational seniority stipulates that the line of brothers be exhausted before the right to inherit lineage property passes down to the next senior genealogical generation of sisters' sons. Finally, "it

558-699: A nobleman. He only has to be suitable for the position he is to occupy. Some sub-chieftaincy positions can be abolished at will. They include the heads of the ruling house or Mankrado, the Linquist, the Chief Kingmaker or Jaasehen/Gyaasehen, the Supi (Fante) or General of the Army, the Captains of the Army or Asafohen(Fante) among others. The way Akans ruled their nation fascinated the tribes and peoples of other West African nations and as

620-537: A population of 168,641 people, according to Ghana's 2010 Population and Housing Census. It is the largest settlement of the Adansi people. Situated on the railway line from Kumasi to Sekondi, it is known for its Obuasi Gold Mine, now one of the nine largest on Earth , gold having been mined on the site since at least the seventeenth century. 6°29′00″N 0°11′00″E  /  6.4833333°N 0.1833333°E  / 6.4833333; 0.1833333 Akan people The Akan ( / ˈ æ k æ n / ) people are

682-428: A spider, human, or a combination thereof. Elements of Akan culture also include, but are not limited to: These are the basic concepts of Akan philosophy and inheritance: Many but not all of the Akan still practice their traditional matrilineal customs, living in their traditional extended family households. The traditional Akan economic and political organization is based on matrilineal lineages , which are

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744-536: Is inherited only by matrilineal kin. Each lineage controls the lineage land farmed by its members, functions together in the veneration of its ancestors, supervises marriages of its members, and settles internal disputes among its members. The political units above are likewise grouped (into traditionally seven) but as of today, eight larger groups called abusua : Aduana, Agona, Asakyiri, Asenie, Asona, Bretuo, Ekuona, and Oyoko. The members of each such abusua are united by their belief that they are all descended from

806-716: Is ruled by the Oyoko Clan. However, the Bretuo or Twidanfo (in Fante), as well as other clans, rule States, Divisions, Towns, and Villages within the Kingdom. The Fante-speaking peoples usually have the Asona Clan ruling most of their States (like Mankessim). Certain sub-clans or lineages have exclusive rights to some stools within Akanland such as the lineage of Afia Kobi in the Oyoko Clan who alone sits on

868-572: Is studied in major universities in North America and the United States, including Ohio University, Ohio State University, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Harvard University, Boston University, Indiana University, University of Michigan, and the University of Florida. The Akan language has been a regular language of study in the annual Summer Cooperative African Languages Institute (SCALI) program and

930-586: Is when all possible male heirs have been exhausted that the females" may inherit. Certain other aspects of the Akan culture are determined patrilineally rather than matrilineally. There are ancestrally 12 patrilineal Ntoro (spirit) groups, and everyone belongs to his or her father's Ntoro group, but not to his family lineage and abusua . Each Ntoro group has its own surnames, taboos, ritual purifications, and forms of etiquette. A person thus inherits one's Ntoro from one's father but does not belong to his family. A recent (2001) book provides an update on

992-592: The Akwamu in St. John , and Coffy , who was the leader of the 1763 Berbice slave uprising in Guyana. Fante war lord Chief Takyi also led a slave rebellion in Jamaica. The Akans consider themselves one nation. Akan means first, foremost, indicating the enlightened and civilized. While traditionally matrilineal, they are also united philosophically through 12 patrilineal spirit groups called

1054-815: The Anglo-Ashanti wars : the War of the Golden Stool and other similar battles. By the early 1900s, Ghana was a colony or protectorate of Great Britain, while the lands in the Ivory Coast were under the French. On 6 March 1957, following the decolonization from Great Britain under the leadership of Kwame Nkrumah , the Gold Coast was united with British Togoland and the Northern Region , Upper East Region , and Upper West Region of

1116-514: The Denkyira ). In Asante's case, as an Empire, the Asantehene reigned over the non-Oyoko clan city-states and ruled over the kings of those states as an Imperial head or Emperor (a hardly used but an equivalent term for Emperor or the king of kings ). Next there are divisional Chiefs, they are primarily arranged according to the five divisions of an Akan army. The Fante army or Asafo formation resembles

1178-509: The Ntoro . Within the Akan nation are branches based on many dialects, widest and possibly the oldest one being used is Twi as well as Fante. Each branch subsequently holds a collection of states and stemming from city-states. The state or Ɔman are typically ruled by several kings known as Amanhene ( Ɔmanhene , singular) or Ahemfo ( Ɔhene , singular. The state is the basic unit of Akan polity. Several states and city-states can band together to form

1240-642: The Pra River to the south to the Asante paramountcy of Bekwai to the north. It is also bound to the southwest by the Twi -speaking Denkyera tribe. Obuasi is a town in the southern Ashanti Region and is the capital of Obuasi Municipal, a district lying south of Kumasi in the Ashanti Region. Obuasi is the second-largest urban settlement in the Ashanti Region and the eighth-most populous settlement in terms of population, with

1302-626: The Queen-mother . The Queen-mother is more like a figurehead representing the King's or Emperor's eldest sister and hence the mother of the next King or Emperor, she could rule as a King if she wishes (e.g. queen-mothers mainly from the House of Asona clan: Nana Abena Boaa who ruled Offinso 1610–1640, Nana Afia Dokuaa who ruled Akyem Abuakwa 1817–1835, and Nana Yaa Asantewaa who ruled Edweso 1896–1900) as well as Komfo Muna who ruled Mankessim 1830–1872. They present

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1364-463: The abusua framework presented above. Akwamu Akwamu was a state set up by the Akwamu people in present-day Ghana. After migrating from Bono state , the Akan founders of Akwamu settled in Twifo-Heman . The Akwamu led an expansionist empire in the 17th and 18th centuries. At the peak of their empire, Akwamu extended 400 kilometres (250 mi) along the coast from Ouidah , Benin in

1426-519: The Akan language is regulated and administered by the Akan Orthography Committee (AOC). Some of Akan's language characteristic features include tone , vowel harmony , and nasalization . Akan culture is one of the traditional matrilineal cultures of Africa. Akan art is wide-ranging and renowned, especially for the tradition of crafting bronze gold weights, using the lost-wax casting method. The Akan culture reached South America,

1488-512: The Akan people are located, the Kings, Assistant Kings, Princes, and Noblemen of the Akans serve mostly a symbolic role. Modern politics has side-lined them in national politics although it is common to find that an elected or appointed official to be of Akan royalty. And, especially in the villages and poor areas, traditional Kings are still very important for organizing development, social services and keeping

1550-427: The Akan, stating that some families are changing from the above abusua structure to the nuclear family . Housing, childcare, education, daily work, and elder care, etc. are then handled by that individual family, rather than by the abusua or clan, especially in the city. The above taboo on marriage within one's abusua is sometimes ignored, but "clan membership" is still important, with many people still living in

1612-605: The Akans conquered or formed alliances with these nations, parts of it were transmitted to them. The British particularly felt the Akan system was highly efficient and tried to establish it throughout their dominions in West Africa using the Indirect Rule System. The Ewes and the Ga-Adangmes with their close affinity to the Akans have modified certain aspects of it to fit their societies. In Ghana and other modern states where

1674-633: The Akuapem area, including Kyerepon and Larteh, Denkyera, Ga-Adangbe; and the Ladoku states of Agona, Winneba and Afram plains. The powerful King Otumfuo Ansa Sasraku I annexed the Guan and took over the traditional areas of the Kyerepon. He ruled over them until Asonaba Nana Ofori Kuma and his followers, after a succession dispute in an effort to form their own state, engaged them in a fierce war. The Akwamu were driven away from

1736-522: The Akyem, Ga, Kyerepong, and the Dutch forces, and lost half of their empire. The Akwamus were pushed to Akwamufie, the location of their current capital. Asamankese and Nyanoase served as the main capitals of Akwamu. The seat of the Akwamu government was located at Nyanoase. Between 1681 and 1701, it was from Nyanoase that the government administered over several ports across the Gold and Slave Coasts . Aside from

1798-521: The Ashanti but withdrew their aid, because a diplomatic agreement with British government signed in 1867. Despite this, Akwamu and the Ashanti Empire were still strong allies. They fought in many wars as allies, such as in the "Krepi war" in 1869. After the death of Nana Ansa Sasraku, he was succeeded by two kings collectively, Nana Addo Panin and Nana Basua. It was during this time that the Akwamu took over

1860-512: The British protectorate, just north of the River Pra. After Sir Garnett Wolseley attacked Kumasi and dethroned Kofi Karikari, his successor, Mensah Bonsu, made every attempt to reclaim lost Ashanti dependencies after taking office late in 1874. With the exception of Kwahu, he was able to accomplish this over the course of several years. Adansi is part and parcel of Asante. The Adansi land stretches from

1922-460: The Caribbean, and North America. Some of their most important mythological stories are called anansesem , literally meaning "the spider story", but in a figurative sense also meaning "traveler's tales". These "spider stories" are sometimes also referred to as nyankomsem : "words of a sky god". The stories generally, but not always, revolve around Kwaku Ananse , a trickster spirit, often depicted as

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1984-735: The East to Winneba , Ghana, in the West. The Akwamu are one of the oldest Akan states, along with the Fante and Akyem states. The Akwamu were ruled by the king of the Yaa Ansaa Royal Family of the Aduana abusua (maternal clan). The Aduana along with the Asona are the only groups where intermarriage between the same clan members is allowed among Royals. Akwamu expansion started between 1629 and 1710. They expanded into

2046-545: The Fante and Ashanti conflicts, resulting in a high number of military captives being sold into slavery. Coromantee ex-soldiers now slaves and other Akan captives were known for various slave revolts and plantation resistance tactics. Their legacy is evident within groups such as the Maroons of the Caribbean and South America. Some notable Akan descendants include the Coromantees sold from and around Anomabo (Fantelands) in Jamaica,

2108-495: The Gold Coast to form Ghana. Ivory Coast gained independence on 7 August 1960. Many people across the Americas can trace their lineage to the Akan people due to the trans-Atlantic slave trade. According to one estimate, roughly ten percent of all slave ships that embarked from the coast of West Africa contained Akan people. Although gold was the primary source of wealth in their economy, the capture and sale of Akan people peaked during

2170-536: The Golden Stool of Asante. The Akans are traditionally a Matrilineal people of the African continent. Matrilineal inheritance makes it easier to trace the line of succession. Within each lineage or House are the branches. The chief of a family is called an Abusuapanyin (or family-elder). Ranking above a family chief (a family's Abusuapanyin) is the clan's chief (or clan's Abusuapanyin). These branches are called Jaase/Gyaase or Kitchens. Each Kitchen takes its turn to present

2232-464: The Kings of the city and then the Kings of the town and then king of the suburbs. The Akan peoples mostly have seven Abusua (Matrilineal clans/tribes) in each state. They do not have the same names in each state but each has an equivalent clan (e.g. in Fante areas along the coast, the Asante clan of Oyoko is referred to as Dehyena or Yokofo). The clans are assigned States which they rule by their status as founders of that jurisdiction. The Ashanti Kingdom

2294-536: The Maroons of Jamaica and their influence with Akan culture and loanwords specifically from the Fante dialect of the Central Region of Ghana ) in the language of Jamaican Maroon Creole or Kromanti. With the present state of technology, one can listen to live radio broadcasts in Akan from numerous radio stations and receive mass media and public broadcasts in Akan from numerous multimedia and media broadcasting. Akan

2356-590: The National House of "Chiefs". Akan Kings who once warred with each other and Kings of other nations within Ghana now sit with them to build peace and advocate development for their nations. The identity of an Akan nation or meta-ethnicity is expressed by the term Akanman . The Akan word ɔman ( plural Aman ) which forms the second element in this expression has a meaning much of "community, town, nation, state". (A)man has been translated as "Akanland". Akan refers to

2418-482: The army was centred on the musketeers , bowmen and spearmen. Akwamu might have influenced the military organization and civil administration of the Ashanti Empire . Akwamu and the founder of the Ashanti Empire had formed an alliance since the late 17th century. Akwamu also formed an alliance with some Fante westwards. During the reign of King Akwonno, the Dutch signed a treaty with Akwamu on 3 April 1702 which saw

2480-463: The basis of inheritance and succession. A lineage is defined as all those related by matrilineal descent from a particular ancestress. Several lineages are grouped into a political unit headed by a council of elders, each of whom is the elected head of a lineage – which itself may include multiple extended-family households. Public offices are, thus, vested in the lineage, as are land tenure and other lineage property. In other words, lineage property

2542-436: The candidate for consideration as King. An assistant king does not have a Queen-mother as his title is not hereditary. A Prince or Daakyehen(Fante)(lit Future-king ) is any of the members of the lineage eligible to sit on a stool. However, not all royals are Princes as some may be ineligible. A prince is not necessarily the son of a King but rather the former King's nephew on the mother's side. As such, royals strive to achieve

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2604-412: The coast, Akwamu established trade networks with Dagbon and Gonja up north, Akyem northwest, while eastward, they traded with Adra and Whydah . Akwamu generated wealth through commodity circulation, fines, taxes and tributes. An account of the city in 1684 is the oldest recorded description of the city which Swartz and Dumett quote as: The King [Ansa Sasraku (d.1689)] lives twelve leagues from

2666-650: The dynamics in the Gold Coast and the New World changed. Thus, the Akan people played a role in supplying Europeans with indentured servants, who were later enslaved by the Europeans for the trans-Atlantic slave trade . In 2006, Ghana apologized to the descendants of enslaved Africans for the role played in the slave trade. Akan people, especially the Ashanti people , fought against European colonialists and defeated them on several occasions to maintain autonomy. This occurred during

2728-481: The enslaved people along with guns to the Akan in exchange for Akan gold. Akan gold was also used to purchase enslaved people from further up north via the Trans-Saharan route. The Akan purchased enslaved people to help clear the dense forests within Ashanti . About a third of the population of many Akan states were indentured servants ( i.e. Non-Akan peoples). The Akan went from buyers of slaves to selling slaves as

2790-473: The interior Takyiman conquered other Guan tribes including Efutu and Ewutu and merged them into Mfantseman Akan kings are ranked according to their jurisdiction. The head of an inter-clan Confederacy is usually considered a King, as in the Kings of Ashanti, Fante, Akyem and the Akwapim. Under these are the heads of the constituent states who equates an Emperor that only heads an Empire (e.g., Asante Empire and

2852-459: The language of the Akan ethnolinguistic group and the Akan language which was and is the most widely spoken and used indigenous language in the Akan peoples in Ghana. Each ethnic group having its own dialect Akan is officially recognized for literacy in the Akan-majority regions, at the primary and elementary educational stage (Primary 1–3) K–12 (education) level, and studied at university as

2914-469: The late 17th century that the capital was two Danish miles long and 160 feet wide as there was a single major street that contained the royal residence at the center of the city. The street was flanked with state buildings, courts, council buildings, stool and treasury houses as well as shrines. Nyanoase along with other metropolitan cities, contained large plantations; some of which were royal or state plantations. Taxes or tributes were paid occasionally by

2976-499: The life of King Osei Kofi Tutu I of Ashanti by protecting him from Denkyira . It was at Akwamu that Osei Tutu met Okomfo Anokye . With the aid of Akwamu, Ashanti embarked on a series of campaigns which led to the defeat of the Denkyira. The Akwamu empire fell after it was subgjudicated by the Akyem in the 18th century. During the third and fourth Anglo-Ashanti wars , Akwamu tried to help

3038-403: The mountains. These Asona family members and their followers were given a piece of land by the Guan and Kyerepon, the original settlers, to form the Akuapem state. Most of the present Akuapem still have their roots at Akwamufie, especially those bearing the names Addo and Akoto, who are from the Aduana family. According to Akwamu tradition, Otumfuo Ansa Sasraku I, also played an important role in

3100-537: The origin of the Akan people is unknown, they don't reject the Sudanese origin and maintain that oral tradition must also be considered. The ancestors of the Akan eventually left for Kong (i.e. present day Ivory Coast). From Kong they moved to Wam and then to Dormaa, located in present-day Bono Region of Ghana. The movement from Kong was necessitated by the desire of the people to find suitable savannah conditions since they were not used to forest life. The state of Bonoman

3162-499: The peace. Some Kings have decided to push ahead with the leadership of their Kingdoms and States in a non-political fashion. The Asantehen and okyehen have emphasized Education and Environmental Sustainability respectively. Others push the national government and its agents to fulfill promises to their people. In modern Ghana, a quasi-legislative/judicial body known as the House of "Chiefs "(a colonial term to belittle African Kings because of

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3224-602: The position of a prince in their families or for their children. All Akan clans are considered royal in the context of their matrilineal society. Each clan, known as abusua , plays a significant role in inheritance, succession, and the selection of chiefs. The eight main Akan clans—Oyoko, Bretuo, Agona, Asona, Asenie, Aduana, Ekuona, and Asakyiri—are integral to the governance of their respective communities. Members of these clans are viewed as royals, as chiefs are traditionally chosen from them, reinforcing their royal status within Akan culture. A sub-chief does not, however, need to be

3286-412: The possession of the trading Danish Castle at Christianborg at Osu , in present-day Accra. At the peak of their power, the Akwamu state encompassed much of the eastern part of the present-day Ghana. The Akwamu also conquered the Ga people and occupied the old Ga Kingdom. In 1693, the Asimani of Akwamu led a raid and seized Osu Castle from the Danish colonists. The Akwamu thus controlled many of

3348-407: The racist belief to not equate an African King with a European King in rank) has been established to oversee "chieftaincy" and the Government of Ghana as the British Government once did certifies the Chiefs and gazettes them. Several Akan Kings sit at the various levels of the National House of "Chiefs". Each Paramountcy has a Traditional Council, then there is the Regional House of "Chiefs" and lastly

3410-402: The rise the Empire of Ashanti (1700–1900). From the 15th century to the 19th century, the Akan people dominated gold mining and trading in the region; throughout this period they were among the most powerful groups in Africa. The Akan goldfields , according to Peter Bakewell, were the "highly auriferous area in the forest country between the Komoe and Volta rivers." The Akan goldfield

3472-442: The same ancient ancestress – so marriage between members of the same group (or abusua ) is forbidden, a taboo on marriage. One inherits or is a lifelong member of, the lineage, the political unit and the abusua of one's mother, regardless of one's gender or marriage. Members and their spouses thus belong to different abusuas , with mother and children living and working in one household, and their husband/father living and working in

3534-404: The sea; he is one of the greatest rulers of Guinea. The place where he lives is well-policed, and the Frenchmen whom I sent there assured me that they have never seen a place of greater beauty; the streets of the town, which are thirty feet wide, are lined up for a distance of three leagues with trees. He has 600 officers at his court with numerous soldiers and much gold. Erik Tileman documented in

3596-402: The towns and villages within the jurisdiction of the empire. European forts on the Accra coast paid rents for their forts and lodges in the form of gold, cowries or imported merchandise. According to historian Ivor Wilks , "Akwamu possessed such an array of cannon that Sir Dalby Thomas thought the days of European forts might well be over." Despite possessing artillery , the bulk of

3658-622: The tracing of royal matrilineal descent in the inheritance of property, and for succession to high political office. All Akans are considered royals in status, but not all are in royal succession or hold titles. Akan people are believed to have migrated from smaller kingdoms in the western Sudan region to their current location around the 11th century. Around 750 AD, these kingdoms grew into Awkar or Koumbi Saleh . 11th century Arab historian Al-Bakri wrote about this great kingdom based on accounts by Berber merchants, who often traded with these ancient Ghanaians. Because historians admit

3720-404: The trade routes from the interior to the coast in the eastern half of what is now Ghana and created a capital at Nyanoase. In the 1720s a civil war in the Akwamu state caused great hardship. The victors sold most of the King's allies as slaves and they were transported to the Caribbean island of St. John . In 1733 they fomented a slave revolt on the island. In 1734 the Akwamus were defeated by

3782-427: Was established as early as the 12th century. Between the 12th and 13th centuries a gold boom in the area brought wealth to numerous Akans. During different phases of the state of Bonoman, groups of Akans migrated out of the area to create numerous states based predominantly on gold mining and trading of cash crops. This brought wealth to numerous Akan states such as the Akwamu Empire (1550–1650), and ultimately led to

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3844-434: Was one of three principal goldfields in the region, along with the Bambuk goldfield, and the Bure goldfield. This wealth in gold attracted European traders. Initially, the Europeans were Portuguese, soon joined by the Dutch and the British in their quest for Akan gold. The Akan waged war on neighboring states in their geographic area to capture people and sell them as slaves to Europeans (Portuguese) who subsequently sold

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