Ashanti: West African kingdom of Asante (now in Ghana)
Ghana: Home of the Ashanti Hebrew Israelites
Ashanti, or Asante, are a major ethnic
group in Ghana. The Ashanti speak Twi, an Akan language similar to Fante. For the Ashanti (Asante) Confederacy see Asanteman.
Prior to European colonization, the Ashanti people developed a large and influential empire in West Africa. The Ashanti later
developed the powerful Ashanti Confederacy and became the dominant presence in the region.
The Ashanti are one of Africa's matrilineal societies where line of descent is traced through
the female. Historically, this mother progeny relationship determined land rights, inheritance of property, offices and titles.
The father role was to catalyze the conception and provides the
nkra or the soul of the child, that is, the child received its life force, character, and personality traits from the father.
Though not considered as important as the mother, the male interaction continues in the place of birth after marriage.
Typically, individual Ashanti did not own land, but rather occupied
that which came down from a previous ancestor. Both men and women can possess property made or acquired by individual efforts.
Heirlooms and carved stools -- all possessions of family and lineage property -- may be disposed of by individuals if they
choose to do so.
Historically, an Ashanti girl
was betrothed, if not in childhood, immediately after the puberty ceremony. They did not regard marriage as an important ritual
event, but as a state that follows soon and normally after the puberty ritual. The Ashanti require a bride price - various
goods given by the boy's family to that of the girl.A man marries a cross cousin -- his father's sister's daughter
or his mother's brother's daughter. Parallel cousins are members of the same 'abusua (family) and hence prohibited
as marriage partners. Sometimes nuptial arrangements were arranged before the birth of the couple. Parents allowed boys some
initiative, but he must receive the consent of the households, the only formalities required.
Ashanti was one of the few African states able to offer serious resistance to European colonizers. Between 1823 and 1896,
Britain fought four wars against the Ashanti kings (the Anglo-Ashanti Wars). In 1900, the British finally defeated the kingdom
and incorporated it into the Gold Coast colony. While tribal and ethnic identity are important for Ashanti and other Ghanaians,
they do not define a person nor carry as much weight as they did hundreds of years ago. Being an Ashanti now is mostly a point
of reference and a linguistic tie more than a strongly cohesive tribe. In other words, typically Ashanti and Ghanaians in
general do not place extreme emphasis on tribe and are more nationalistic.
In modern Ghana, there is no ethnic group or tribe which comprise a majority of the population. While the entire Akan
population make a plurality 49% of the population, Ashanti, Fante and other Akans make up
that percentage. However, it is estimated that Ashanti are 14% of Ghana's population, followed by Fante, the Ewe
and Ga. This along with their history makes them very influential both politically and economically. The current president
John Kufuor is an Ashanti and was elected in part with their support.
