Asante spectacle

The Afro-American who insisted on calling himself Akwasi (Sunday-born) Davis may be pardoned for breaking down in tears at the spectacle that Sunday. After all, back in 1817, when he was confronted by a similar display, English emissary T.E.Bowdich said:
"Our observations taught us to conceive a spectacle exceeding our original expectations; but they had not prepared us for the extent of the display of the scene which here burst upon us; an area nearly a mile in circumference was crowded with magnificence and novelty... The sun reflected, with a glare scarcely more supportable than the heat, from the massy gold ornaments, which glistened in every direction."
Bowdich did not have any ties whatever to the crowds he described. Davis, an African-American, was an emotional participant - he was experiencing directly the customs and traditions which his ancestors knew and shared and from which slavery tore them to become Americans. Akwasi Davis was sharing in the climatic moments of Adae kesie (great Adae) to celebrate the 25 years ascension to the famouos Golden Stool (Sikadwa Kofi) of the Asante kingdom.
Said Davis:
"When you've lived practically all your life fed on the falsehood that the stock from which your spring was, and is, primitive, the emotional shock is devastating when you come to realize that you've been fed hogwash all these years."
The reality for Davis and the thousands of African-Americans and other foreign tourists at the durbar was more than the display of opulence; and then there was plenty of that. The morning sun reflected blindingly the massive gold headgear and knee-length necklaces, the innumerable rings and other adornments all intricately-wrought and some dating back to the periods when some of the people calling Africans primitive were, in the words of Lauren Hansbury in A Raisin in the sun, "still painting themselves".
No! The reality was the display of age-old customs evident in each gesture, each intricate move of a dance, the language spoken and, even more evident, in the institution of chiefship. This was emotionally draining to Davis who, between sobs, kept
muttering, "It's so beautiful, it's so beautiful!"
Otumfuo Opuku Ware II is the 16th Asantehene (king of Asante) since the Akans broke up into different kingdoms - Asante, Akyem, Wassa, Denkyira, Akuapim, Fante, Kwanu and so on. London-trained lawyer, former Commissioner for Transport and Communications, ambassador-designate to Italy, the 76-year old monarch was called to succeed his uncle the late Otumfuo Sir Osei Agyeman Prempeh II whose administration was marked by the new political changes that led to Ghana's independence in 1957.
Since coming to the Golden Stool, Otumfuo Opoku Ware has presided over a peaceful kingdom where numerous ethnic groups from Ghana and the neighbouring countries have lived in a real melting pot: Burkinabe, who were represented at the anniversary durbar by their King, living side-by-side with Yorubas from Nigeria, Zabrama from Mali and so on.
The year-long celebration of the anniversary was timed to coincide with Akwasidae Kesie when Asantehene sits in state to receive homage. In Akan belief, one does not die: one sleeps the long sleep. Every 40th Sunday, those who are asleep are called away to join the living for a meal - that is, the living hold a remembrance for the dead. Akwasidae Kesie is when all the kings and nobles are included. And what a spectacle was this particular Akwasidae Kesie!

Spectacle on Kumasi sports stadium
Before sun-up on Sunday, August 13, 1995, multitudes thronged the sports stadium which normally has a capacity of 80,000 when Kumasi Asante Kotoko, Africas most popular football club and the third most popular club in the world, plays a major international match. On durbar Sunday, however, when the lesser chiefs and the ordinary people swarmed to the stadium, the number more than doubled. The invited guests and the Amanhenes (paramount chiefs) began to arrive at mid-morning.
Ghana's president Jerry John Rawlings (whose real name is Jerry Rawlings John) arrived accompanied by gun-toting bodyguards to be hailed by carefully planted party faithfuls. But the high point of the day was the arrival of Otumfuo Opoku Ware himself at about 10.30 a.m. accompanied by Nana Asantehemaaa ( the Asante Queenmother).
Asantehene in procession is usually led by the Nsenefo - the couriers, messengers and orderlies who clear the road and shout the praises of the king. In ancient times, these would be generally perspiring, often hungry and thirsty, and unmindful of heat or personal discomfort. These would be followed by the king's bodyguards, from different ethnic backgrounds, in battle dress with severe faces. The heralds will follow with their silver or gold breast-plates and headgear. They will be followed by the body of captains and officers (in bloodstained battle dresses) and then the pages of court including horn-blowers, drummers, carriers of horse-tail whisks, wearing ostrich feather headgear.
Among those groups named above will be those who will be carrying the Msafoa, the gold, silver and steel keys of the palace - signifying that all doors are closed and locked when the Otumfuo is out of the palace - and those responsible for carrying the Krokowa, the foot-stool for Otumfuo's feet in public and the Banwoma, the rug for the Golden Stool.
There will also be those carrying the Samanka, the brass pan bearing the powers contained in herbs, talismans, amulets and so on that will ward off any evil spirits from the king's path and the heavily-guarded Dwete-kuduo, the silver casket which is the "credit card" or "imprest box" in which gold dust, small souvenirs and gifts and such like are kept for the Otumfuo's spending on the move or when he wishes to give donations or souvenirs.
The lesser chiefs, with fewer attendants but still dignified, will strut along followed by the Abirempong or Amanhenes (Paramount Chiefs), heads of the various divisions of the Asante Confederacy, in their palanquins accompanied by their Queenmothers who are quite distinct from their wives (in fact, the queenmother may be the chief's mother or sister or aunt and is the most powerful individual in the institution because she nominates the next chief) and accompanied by each Paramount Chief's wife or wives, daughters, sons and attendants.
By tradition, Otumfuo himself is preceded by the Krontihene of Asante and his own close relation, the only one among the Paramount Chiefs permitted by tradition to match the attire of Asantehene in public, Nana Dwabenhene. This year, Otumfuo was led to the durbar grounds by the Omanhene of New Dwaben traditional area, Nana Oti Boateng, who led his junior brother but his senior chief, Nana Otuo Serebuor, Omanhene of Old Dwaben.
Otumfuo's arrival in his leopard-skin covered palanquin accompanied by Nana Asantehemaa (Asante Queenmother), Otumfuo's wife, daughters, sons and other close family members and attended by dwarfs, cretins and buffoons who entertain the king, brought a justified stir among the sea of human heads filling the stadium stands and the playing area. Behind him were five black-painted Royal chairs with the ultimate symbol of Asante unity itself, the Sikadwa Kofi (the Golden Stool which came into being on a Friday) decorated with a long golden pipe, some vessels, bells and other gold adornments, resting on the back/shoulders of its carrier following.
The orderliness of the event, the pomp and pageantry and the show of opulence: for Ghanaians who have suffered hardships of all descriptions in the past decade and half, it was gladdening to be able to watch something pleasing to the eye and confirming the confidence that they feel, even in adversity, knowing that, at the best of times, they were equal in traditions and culture to any peoples anywhere. For the foreigner who is curious about the people called Ghanaians, it was a surprise that would force rethinking of many views about these people fostered by the dishonourable intentions of missionaries who needed to paint a very negative picture of "natives" for their countrymen in order to raise funds for their church activities.
The Asante Confederacy came into being because of war. Indeed, Asante is two Twi words combined and means because of wars. (Esa means war; asa means wars and nti means because of). Akans of Ghana of which the Asante are a major component broke up into several kingdoms when they arrived in this part of the continent. The first to break away were the Fantes (Fante is a corruption of efa a etee ne ho - a part that broke away) who migrated to the coast. The next to move were the Denkyiras who moved toward the coast but ended up short of the coast proper.
For many years, Denkyira terrorized the rest of their compatriots who remained in the interior and exacted tribute from them each year. Osei Tutu Kwamena, reputed to be the most astute of the Asante kings, who became king of Kwaman, united the states, gave them the Golden Stool, with the help of his friend Okomfo (priest) Anokye, as a symbol of unity to fight their common wars. Legend has it that the Okomfo Anokye conjured the Stool out of the skies. But it is a historical fact that Anokye counselled and guided Osei Tutu, helped him build a capital, now Kumasi, and helped the Confederacy to defeat Denkyira and expand Asante power.
The Asante were the main reason why the English never had the tight grip on the Gold Coast (former name of Ghana) which they did elsewhere in Africa. Until the Yaa Asantewaa Wars of 1900 which led to the capture and exile of King Prempeh I first to Sierra Leone and then to the Seychelles, they gave the English no peace.
Asante is attached to the Akan culture the way no other Akan kingdom does. The Asante believe that a people without a culture do not deserve to live. It is, thus, not accidental, that the National Cultural Centre was started by the Asante Traditional Council to preserve and promote Akan culture before the government of Ghana adopted it as a national institution.
The Twi spoken in Asante is purer than anywhere else among the Akans; they hie closer to the traditional Akan attire, eat more local foods and are addicted to local music more than any part of Ghana where foreign imports are worshipped. And indigenous craft and industry is centred mainly in Asante where it is tainted least by foreign ideas.
Asante is also the heart of Ghana politics. Where, elsewhere, in Ghana people maintain a detached attitude toward the governance of the country. Asante people involve themselves closely in national affairs and express their views frankly and even robustly if necessary. Not surprisingly, the late Prime Minister of Ghana, Prof Kofi Abrefa Busia observed: "Kumasi is the heart of Ghana politics."
And one may add that it is, in fact, the heart of Ghana culture - and Ghana pride!

Photos:
1. Asante warriors with their captain under an umbrella
2. Otumfuo Opuko Ware II, Asantehene (King of Asante) arriving at the durbar grounds at the Kumasi Sports Stadium accompanied by close family members and attendants

* Note that Ashanti which is commonly used is the result of semi-literate colonial officers who were unable to pronounce "s" and instead pronounced it "sh" and, consequently wrote it Ashanti instead of Asante.

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