The Ashanti people are a major ethnic group in Ghana, with their own language and culture. They established the Ashanti Confederacy and had a powerful trade in gold with the Islamic world. The Legend of the Golden Stool is a central part of their culture. They resisted European conquerors and were finally incorporated into the Gold Coast colony in 1900. Today, the Ashanti people remain the largest ethnic group in Ghana, but the country is more nationalistic than tribal.
Sometimes referred to as the Asante, the Ashanti people originated from the country of Ghana where they remain a major ethnic group within the country today. Their primary language is known as Twi, an Akan dialect that linguists consider to be very similar to Fante in pronunciation and sentence structure.
Prior to European colonization of western Africa, the Ashanti established a culture that was considered the most powerful of its time. Along with peoples such as the Akyem, Assin, and Denkyira, the Ashanti are considered to be descendants of the Akan nation who migrated from the northwest region of Africa after the collapse of the Ghanaian empire during the 13th century. Traces of the dominant rituals and customs have a great resemblance to the ancient Akan empire, which together with the similarities in the dialect, build a solid basis for this theory.
Once established in the area comprising today’s Ghana, the Ashanti people founded the Ashanti Confederacy, which flourished for several centuries. The pinnacle of their power is thought to have been when the Confederacy defeated the mighty Denkirya in 1701. Due to the presence of large quantities of gold deposits, the Ashanti established a regular and profitable trade with the Islamic world. This is evidenced today by the Ashanti word for money, sikki, which has its roots in the Arabic language.
The Legend of the Golden Stool plays a central role in the culture of these people. At a meeting of all the clan leaders who were part of the Ashanti Confederacy, it was reported that a golden stool was delivered from heaven at the behest of Okomfo Anokye, a powerful priest and adviser to the king. The stool came to rest in the lap of Osei Tutu I, the Ashanti fellow. The stool was declared a symbol of a united people and was used for oaths of allegiance to the empire and the king. Today, the golden stool remains a powerful symbol, as the stool is believed to contain the spirit of the Ashanti.
The arrival of the European conquerors was met with great resistance. To fight off the invaders, the Ashanti sought an alliance with the Dutch. For many years, the Ashanti were able to resist the onslaughts of Britain, but were finally defeated and incorporated into the Gold Coast colony in 1900.
Despite the incorporation, the Ashanti people continued to control much of the region’s government and culture. While attempts to locate and impound the Golden Stool were fruitless for years, it was finally discovered in 1920 and stripped of its ornaments. At that point, the stool itself ceased to matter to the Ashanti, as it had been desecrated. In 1935, the United Kingdom returned full control of the Ashanti people, through the Asantehene.
Contemporary Ghana is a combination of many ethnic groups, with the groups tracing their heritage to the Akan comprising the largest collective of groups and cultures. The Ashanti people remain the largest of these groups, and the current president of Ghana is an Ashanti. However, the tone in the country is much more along nationalistic than tribal lines. This does not mean that the traditions of the Ashanti people have faded from view, but that many have been reinterpreted for today’s world and tend to have a major impact on the language of the Ghanaian people, as well as some enduring national customs.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
