Ashanti Empire (original) (raw)

THE ASHANTI KINGDOM

The Ashanti Kingdom in Ghana was founded in the seventeenth century by King Osei Tutu I. He was able to do this with the help of his Fetish Priest Okomfo Anokye. Tradition has also said that Okomfo Anokye conjured the famous Golden Stool from the sky and landed it on the lap of King Osei Tutu, the first King of the Ashantis. The Fetish Priest declared that the soul of the new nation resided in the stool and the people must preserve and respect it. The safety of this Great Stool which united the Ashanti Kingdom has however been fought for on certain occasions.

Although located in the heart of the forest, the Ashanti Kingdom was extended by military and political skill towards the European rulers. In March 1900, a Governor in the then Gold Coast told the Ashantis to bring the stool for him to sit on. This demand was rejected and War broke out between the Ashantis and the British. The Supreme Commander in this war was a brave and intelligent Ashanti woman called Yaa Asantewaa the Great.

She was born in 1863 at Ejisu, near Kumasi, in Ashanti and later became the Queen Mother of Ejisu. Brave and fearless as she was, she led the men of Ashanti or the �Ashanti Warriors� to fight the British when the Asantehene (Ashanti King), Nana Prempeh I and other important chiefs were captured and sent to the Seychelles island. She and her army fought well, but they were defeated by the British army. After the war, the British arrested Yaa Asantewaa and took her also to the Seychelles Island. She died there in 1923. She became the first woman commander of the Ashanti Kingdom.

Most of these great Ashanti Kings returned to the country in the late 1920`s after their release by the British. Notable among them was Nana Sir Agyeman Prempeh II, who ruled from 1931 until his death in 1970. Otumfuo Opoku Ware II, a professional surveyor born into the royal Oyoko clan, succeeded him. He was loved by all his subjects and contributed immensely to the development of the Ashanti nation. He unfortunately died on 25thFebruary 1999 after ruling for 29 years.

The current Asantehene or Ashanti King is the son of the Asantehemaa or Queen Mother by the name Otumfuo Osei Tutu II. Known in Private life as Nana Kwaku Dua, he was trained in Britain and has a private company based in Kumasi, the Ashanti Capital. This Great Ashanti King is also referred among his people as �King Solomon� and was recently awarded doctorate degrees by two universities in the United States of America.

The Ashanti Kingdom also expanded with trade. Many travelers all over the world visit this great nation at the very center of Ghana. Accompanied by the rich gold reserves, this kingdom also became famous for wonderful works of art especially in the field of Kente weaving.

THE GOLDEN STOOL

The famous Golden Stool for the People of Ashanti is their spiritual symbol. Covered with pure gold, it flew out from the sky in thick cloud of white dust and rested on the knees of Osei Tutu I who united the Ashanti Kingdom. This happened on a famous Friday at a gathering of chiefs from Ashanti and was made possible by an intelligent and powerful fetish priest, Okomfo Anokye.

This Golden Stool is never allowed to touch the ground. When a new Ashanti King is enstolled, he is merely lowered and raised over it three times without touching it. Whenever the golden stool is taken out on special occasions, the Asantehene follows it.

The Ashantis have never lost the Golden Stool and it serves as an enduring symbol of their culture. It has also helped to keep the Asante people as one people.

Tradition also has it that, this stool contained the spirit of the Asante people. Just as a man could not live when his soul is departed, so the Asante people would disappear from history if ever the Golden stool were taken away from them.

On the advice of the Fetish Priest Okomfo Anokye, Osei Tutu I also established the great annual festival called Akwasidae (or Odwira). On the occasion of this festival, all the Asante kings assemble at Kumasi and renew their allegiance to the Golden Stool and their loyalty to the Asantehene.