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Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Ashanti Imperial Kingdom

Introduction
The Ashanti Kingdom (AK) came from a collaboration of various Akan states.  They got rich from trade. The government was a democracy that had checks and balances.  People were appointed to the bureaucracy based on merit.  There was a sophisticated legal system.  There was a unique way of communicating over long distances.  They created their own clothes and had their own healthcare system. There were menstruation celebrations and taboos.  They had various ceremonies.  The Asantehene had his own 'special police force'.  The AK became imperial under Osei Tutu.  There were slaves in the Ashanti Empire. The military was powerful and fought several wars.  
History
The AK started in the late 1600's.  Several Akan states were paying tribute to Denkyira.  They got tired of that so came together to put an end to it.  They had to figure out who would be the Asantehene.   Legend has it a magician told them that whoever had the golden stool is the Asantenhene. The golden stool came out the sky and landed it in front of one of the chief.  He became the Asantenhene. The Ashanti defeated Denyria in a war.  Denyria became a part of the Ashanti empire after that.  Ashanti means warriors.  The AK got rich from trading gold and farm goods.  AK traded with Songhai, Hausaland, Portugal, etc. There were roads that linked AK to trade cities. 
Government
Asantehene: King of the AK.  A descendant of Osei Tutu.  He has his own palace.  He was the only one that could give a person the death penalty.  The king represents the people of the AK.  He 'swears an oath to Mother Earth and his ancestors to perform his obligations.'  He will lay down his life for AK if need be.  The king can be de-stooled if the elders and the commoners disapprove of him.      
Obirempon: Governors of different regions of the Ashanti Empire.  They were selected by the Asantehene and they were judges 4 court cases.   

Elections: The oldest women related to the royal family pick nominees.  Then she asks the elders to pick a nominee.  Then the elders present the nominee to the general public.  If they approve that man becomes the Asantehene, if not the process starts over again. 

Council of Elders: They are the legislative branch.

Nmerante: Council of young people.  The elders must consult with them b4 making decisions.  

Bureaucracy: There were different departments to handle different situations.  There were departments for dealing with different governments.  People in the bureaucracy was determined by merit by the late 1700's.  

Legal System
Laws were based on religion.  "Capital crimes include murder, incest within the female or male line, and intercourse with a menstruating woman, and adultery with any of the wives of a chief or the King.  Assaults or insults of a chief or the court or the King also carried capital punishment." Doing magic for evil intent was against the law.  Laws were believed to come from Nyame and the ancestors.

Long Distance Communication

The talking drum was used for long distance communication.  The talking drum made sounds in like their language, so it was used to give people messages.  The messages may have been your wife have given birth, wise phrases, rituals, etc.  Talking drums are amazing!
Culture
The Ashanti wear kente cloth.  Different colors have different meanings.  When a girl becomes a woman, the mother tells the village with great glee.  Then women sing songs about menstruation.  Menstruating women couldn't cook 4 men nor enter the ancestor's shrine.  Women had to live in a sperate house when on their period.  [I heard woman are their most powerful when they menstruate.  Maybe men are afraid of the power, so they try to stay away from them.]   When someone was sick a doctor would figure out the spiritual cause of their disorder and prescribe herbs.  When someone dies there was a big celebration!  The belief was when someone dies they go to live with their ancestors.  Funerals are a big social gathering. Business deals are created there and people sometimes find their future spouse there too.  The Ashanti have a festival where they celebrate royal ancestors.  They have a war dance and they tell poems with drums. 
Religion
Odomankoma: Creator
Nyame: Sky father
Asase Yaa: Earth Mother
Anansi: Spider that is very wise.  He is a trickster.
Abosom: Deities
Nsamanfo: Ancestors

Sometimes Abosoms are prayed too.  Some Ashanti people are mediums and the Abosoms speak through them.  Ashanti people sometimes pour libation for Abosom and Nsamanfo.  During some rituals, people get possessed by abosom.  Sometimes they speak in tongues.
Special Police
The Asantehene employed Africans, Arabs, and Europeans in his special police force.  They were called ankobia.  They were used in different parts of Ashanti Empire.  Sometimes they would gather intelligence about groups that opposed the Asantehene.  Other times they were bodyguards for prominent figures.

Military

The size of the military was about 100,000 men, maybe more.  They had firearms.  There were platoons that took care of the army's medical needs.  The military helped create the Ashanti Empire.

Wars

AK first war was with the Denyria.  They defeated them and incorporated them into the empire.  The Asante Empire went to war with the Fante Empire.  This was because the Fante harbored fugitives.  The Asante Empire was victorious.  The Asante Empire teamed up with the Ga State and together they fought the Fante, Akwapim, and Akim.  The Asante Empire lost this war.  There were several wars with the British. The Asante Empire fought valiantly, but they lost in the end.
Imperialism
Osei Tutu made the AK imperial.  Denkyria was defeated when he was Asantehene.  AK also defeated Dagbon.   Dagbon paid tribute after its defeat.  Various Akan states were defeated and incorporated into the empire.  AK even conquered Bonoman.  Bonoman is the country Akan people lived in b4 they moved to the forest.

Slavery

Slaves were treated well in the Ashanti Empire.  Slaves were usually prisoners of war.  Sometimes slaves could become wealthy and get married.  Children of a marriage between a free person and a slave were born free. Other times they were sacrificed so they could serve their master in the afterlife.  They could pick a new master if they were being mistreated.  The Ewe were slaves of the Ashanti.  They learned the kente cloth from them.

Ghana

Morden day Ghana is a mixture of AK, Dagbon, and Eweland.  Eweland was where members of the Ewe tribe lived it was called British Togoland.  Ghana may come from other kingdoms as well.  AK is the richest region in Ghana.  AK still exists today!
Conclusion
The AK is amazing!!!!!!!!!  It has rich history and culture.  It has great government and religion.  The Kente cloth is sweet and AK has many great accomplishments.  AK has sweet arts and crafts.  They had a great military and legal system.  I give AK an A+.     

References
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashanti_Empire         
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/history/ashanti.php   
http://www.nathanielturner.com/ashantiempire.htm
http://asantekingdom.org/history/the-historic-and-present-importance-of-asante-its-culture-and-economy/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashanti%E2%80%93Fante_War
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonoman
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglo-Ashanti_wars
http://howafrica.com/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-the-ashanti-kingdom/
https://sites.google.com/site/afropublic/asante-empire
https://www.saylor.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Ashanti-Empire.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akan_religion
http://www.odwirafo.com/
http://www.everyculture.com/Africa-Middle-East/Akan-Religion.html
http://cec.vcn.bc.ca/rdi/kw-rel.htm
https://www.modernghana.com/news/653455/ashanti-a-rich-kingdom.html
http://www.museumofafricanart.org/en/past-exhibitions/ashanti-art,-culture,-heritage.html
Ashanti Empire
Ashanti Kingdom Doc
Fight of the Golden Stool
Asante Museum
Stool Story 

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