Ashantiland

This article is about the homeland of the nationand ethnic group; Ashanti people. It is not to be confused with Kingdom of Ashanti or Ashanti Region.
Ashantiland
Asanteman  (Ashanti)
Kingdom of Ashanti
Asanteman
South Ghana
Flag Emblem
Location of  Ashantiland  (dark green)
Location of  Ashantiland  (dark green)
Ashantiland map and its six regions.
Ashantiland map and its six regions.
Status State union with the Kingdom of Dagbon and Volta accumulating Ghana
Capital
and largest city		Kumasi
National language Ashanti (Akan)
Demonym Ashanti
Area
 -  Total 120,761 km2
46,626 sq mi
Population
 -  2014 estimate 11,700,000
 -  Density 1917/km2
4,965/sq mi
Time zone GMT (UTC+0)

Ashantiland (Ashanti: Asanteman) formerly known as Ashanti Empire, is the name given to the homeland of the Ashanti people ethnic group on the Gulf of Guinea that spans the border between Black Volta River to its north; Lake Volta to its east; Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocea to its south; and to its west by Ivory Coast. It is the oldest documented Akan name for the greater area they inhabit, dating to the 12th century.

Ashantiland comprises the Ashanti founded territorial six regional entities Ashanti region, Brong-Ahafo region, Central region, Eastern region, Greater Accra region and Western region.[1] Ashantiland is a non-governmental cultural region and a linguistic area (South Ghana) that is defined by the Ashanti traditions and Ashanti language. The majority of the Ashanti-speaking population in Ashantiland identify as ethnic Ashanti.

The Ashanti Akan ethnic group settlement Bonoman (Brong-Ahafo) was established as early as the 11th century,[2] Bonoman is credited with the foundation of much of Ashantiland's culture and customs and between the 12th and 13th centuries a gold boom in Ashantiland brought wealth to Ashantiland.[3] During different phases of the Kingdom of Bonoman ancient Ashantis migrated out of Bonoman to create numerous states within Ashantiland based predominantly on gold bars and various industrial minerals mining and trading of cocoa and cash crops.[4][5][6][7] This brought wealth to Ashantis,[8] and ultimately led to the foundation and rise of the powerful Ashanti empire, the Empire of Ashanti by Ashanti King Asantehene Osei Kofi Tutu I (1700–1902).[9] Ashanti established Kingdom of Ashanti Empire Ashantiland had been subjugated in 1902 by British Gold Coast following the four Ashanti Anglo-Ashanti wars and the Ashantiland War of the Golden Stool.[10] Ashanti Kingdom of Ashanti Ashantiland regained its independence and sovereignty in 1935 under Ashanti King Asantehene Osei Tutu Agyeman Prempeh II; On 6 March 1957, under Ashanti King Asantehene Osei Tutu Agyeman Prempeh II the Ashanti Kingdom of Ashanti Ashantiland entered a state union following the decolonization of the British Gold Coast by the United Kingdom, the Kingdom of Ashanti Ashantiland which included the Ashanti founded territorial six regional entities Western region, Central region, Ashanti region, Eastern region, Brong-Ahafo region and Greater Accra region;[1] under Ashanti King Asantehene Prempeh entered into a state union joining with Volta (formally named British Togoland) and the Kingdom of Dagbon in-order to form current sovereign-nation Ghana. The current reigning king of Ashantiland Kingdom of Ashanti (Asanteman) is Ashanti King Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II Asantehene.[11] Ashanti King Asantehene Osei Tutu II ascended the Golden Stool throne on 26 April 1999.[11] By name, King Asantehene Osei Tutu II is in direct succession to the founder of the Empire of Ashanti Ashantiland, Otumfuo Osei Tutu I.[11]

Etymology

The identity of an Ashanti nation-state is expressed by the term Asanteman.[12] The Ashanti language word man (plural aman) which forms the second element in this expression has a meaning much of "community; nation, state". It has been translated as "Ashantiland".[12]

History

Pre-history (500–1000 AD)

Main article: Bonoman

Bonoman (Bono State) or Brong-Ahafo region was a trading state created by the Ashanti ancestors in the 11th century following establishing settlement in the 6th century. Bonoman was a medieval Ashanti kingdom in what is now Brong-Ahafo Region and eastern Ivory Coast.[13] It is generally accepted as the origin of the subgroups of the Akan people who migrated out of the state at various times to create new Akan settlement states in search of gold.[13] The gold trade, which started to boom in Bonoman as early in the 12th century, was the genesis of Ashanti power and wealth in the region, beginning in the Middle Ages.[13]:334[14] Various aspects of Ashanti culture stem from Bonoman, including: the umbrella used for the kings, the swords (Akrafena) of the Ashanti nation, the stools, goldsmithing, blacksmithing, Kente Cloth weaving and goldweighing.[15]:30

Gyaaman and early settlements (1400–1600 AD)

Main articles: Gyaaman and Denkyira

Gyaman (also spelled Jamang) was a medieval state founded by the Ashanti ancestors in 1450, mostly located in what is now Brong-Ahafo region. In the nineteenth century, Gyaman was subjugated under Ashanti King Asantehene by the Ashanti Kingdom of Ashanti.[16]

Denkyira was a powerful state founded by the Ashanti ancestors under Ashanti King Asantehene in 1620 in what is Central region and Western region. All Ashanti territorial establishments including Denkyira (Assin, Fante Confederacy, Mankessim Kingdom); and Akyem (Akwamu, Akuapem, Kwahu); and Ahanta (Aowin, Sefwi, Wassa) along with the Ashanti foundation of Denkyira originated from Bono state.[17]

Kingdom of Ashanti (1670–1902 AD)

Main articles: List of rulers of Asante and Kingdom of Ashanti
Ashanti King Asantehene Osei Kofi Tutu I

By the 12th century, the Ashanti ancestral settlement Bonoman (Bono State) or Brong-Ahafo region was established.[7] During the 13th century, Bonoman and later other Ashanti ancestral settlements began to rise to prominence as the major players in the gold bar trade.[7] It was Bonoman and other Ashanti ancestral settlements like Denkyira, Akyem, Akwamu which were the predecessors to what became the all-powerful Ashanti Empire of Ashanti.[7] By the 17th century an Ashanti people were identified as living in a state called Kwaaman.[7] The location of the state was north of Lake Bosomtwe in Ashanti region.[7] The state's revenue was mainly derived from trading in gold bars and kola nuts, cocoa and clearing forest to plant yams.[7] Ashantis built towns between the Pra and Ofin rivers.[7] Ashantis formed alliances for defense and paid tribute to Denkyira one of the more powerful Ashanti ancestral settlement states at that time along with Adansi and Akwamu.[7] During the 16th century, the Ashanti Kingdom of Ashanti society experienced sudden changes, including population growth because of cultivation of New World plants such as cassava and maize and an increase in the gold trade between the coast and the north.[7]

By the 17th century, the Ashanti King Asantehene of the Ashanti Empire of Ashanti Osei Kofi Tutu I (c. 1695–1717), with help of Okomfo Anokye, unified what became the Ashanti Kingdom of Ashanti into a confederation with the Ashanti royal throne Golden Stool as a symbol of their unity and spirit.[18] Ashanti King Osei Tutu engaged in a massive territorial expansion.[18] Ashanti King Osei Tutu built up the Ashanti Kingdom of Ashanti army based on the Ashanti ancestral settlement state of Akwamu, introducing new organization and turning a disciplined militia into an effective fighting machine.[18] In 1701, the Ashanti Kingdom of Ashanti conquered the Ashanti ancestral settlement state of Denkyira, giving Ashanti access to the coastal trade with Europeans, especially the Dutch.[18]

Ashanti Kingdom of Ashanti map

Ashanti King Asantehene of the Ashanti Empire of Ashanti Opoku Ware I (1720–1745) engaged in further expansion, adding other southern Ashanti ancestral settlement states to the growing Ashanti Kingdom of Ashanti empire.[18] Ashanti King Opoku Ware I turned north adding Techiman, Banda, Gyaaman, and Gonja, settlement states on the Black Volta.[18] Between 1744 and 1745, Ashanti King Asantehene Opoku attacked the northern state Kingdom of Dagbon of Dagomba, gaining control of the important middle Niger trade routes.[18] Ashanti King Asantehene of the Ashanti Empire of Ashanti Kusi Obodom (1750–1764) succeeded Opoku.[18] Ashanti King Kusi Obodom solidified all the newly won territories.[18]

Ashanti King Asantehene of the Ashanti Empire of Ashanti Osei Kwadwo (1777–1803) imposed administrative reforms that allowed the Ashanti empire to be governed effectively and to continue its military expansion.[18] Ashanti King Asantehene of the Ashanti Empire of Ashanti Osei Kwame Panyin (1777–1803), Ashanti King Asantehene of the Ashanti Empire of Ashanti Osei Tutu Kwame (1804–1807), and Ashanti King Osei Bonsu (1807–1824) continued Ashanti territorial consolidation and expansion.[18] The Ashanti Kingdom of Ashanti Empire included (Ashanti territories Ashanti region, Brong-Ahafo region, Central region, Eastern region, Greater Accra region and Western region) or all of present-day Ghana and large parts of south-east Ivory Coast.[18] Throughout the 19th century and into first two years of the 20th century, the Ashanti Kingdom of Ashanti Empire remained powerful.[10] The Ashanti Kingdom of Ashanti Empire was later subjugated in 1902 by British Gold Coast following the four Ashanti Anglo-Ashanti wars and the Ashanti War of the Golden Stool.[10]

Re-independence and State union (1935 AD–1957 Present)

Ashanti King Asantehene Osei Tutu II of Ashantiland, the Absolute Ruler of Ashantiland Kingdom of Ashanti on a state visit at the National Museum of African Art.

The Ashanti Kingdom of Ashanti includes the Ashanti territorial six regional entities Ashanti region, Brong-Ahafo region, Central region, Eastern region, Greater Accra region and Western region in 1902 the Ashanti territorial six regional entities forming the Kingdom of Ashanti Ashantiland (Western region, Central region, Ashanti region, Eastern region, Brong-Ahafo region and Greater Accra region) had been subjugated by British Gold Coast.[1] The Ashanti Kingdom of Ashanti Ashantiland regained its independence and sovereignty in 1935 under Ashanti King Asantehene Osei Tutu Agyeman Prempeh II. On 6 March 1957, under Ashanti King Asantehene Osei Tutu Agyeman Prempeh II the Ashanti Kingdom of Ashanti Ashantiland entered a state union following the decolonization of the British Gold Coast by the United Kingdom overseen by head of state Kwame Nkrumah, the Ashanti Kingdom of Ashanti Ashantiland which included the Ashanti founded territorial six regional entities Western region, Central region, Ashanti region, Eastern region, Brong-Ahafo region and Greater Accra region;[1] under Ashanti King Asantehene Prempeh entered into a state union joining with Volta (formally named British Togoland) and the Kingdom of Dagbon (which includes three territorial regions Northern region, Upper East region and Upper West region) of the protectorate of the Kingdom of Dagbon (Northern Territories) that concurrently forms Ghana.[19][20]

Politics

NPP President Nana Akufo-Addo speaking to members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

Ashanti objectives and politics are represented by major Ashanti political party New Patriotic Party (NPP) founded in 1992. New Patriotic Party (NPP) has been the dominant of the three Ashantiland political parties since 2001 the other two political parties being Convention People's Party (CPP) founded in 1949 by Lenin Peace Prize recipient Kwame Nkrumah and Progressive People's Party (PPP) founded 2011 by businessman Paa Kwesi Nduom . Nana Akufo-Addo won 48% of the votes in the first round of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) delegates election in 2007 and ultimately secured the nomination in the second round, making Nana Akufo-Addo the New Patriotic party’s president util 7 August 2010,[21] when the New Patriotic Party (NPP) re-elected Nana Akufo-Addo as its president.[21] Nana Akufo-Addo received the votes of 79% of the New Patriotic Party delegates election in 2010 making Nana Akufo-Addo the New Patriotic party’s president till present.[21]

Geography and biodiversity

Bird's-eye view of Kumasi in Ashanti (left) and of Accra in Greater Accra (right)

Historically the territory of Ashantiland formed the Ashanti Kingdom of Ashanti. Ashantiland contains six greater territorial regional entities; Ashanti region, Brong-Ahafo region, Central region, Eastern region, Greater Accra region and Western region the largest Ashantiland territorial regional entity is Brong-Ahafo region and the smallest Ashantiland territorial regional entity is Greater Accra region. The historic capital of the Ashanti Kingdom of Ashanti Kumasi is designated as the capital and largest metropolitan area of Ashantiland followed by Accra. The largest river of Ashantiland is the Pra River; the largest inland-lake of Ashantiland is Lake Bosumtwi which is also the location of an impact crater and the largest lake and reservoir of Ashantiland is Lake Volta which is also the largest artificial lake and reservoir by surface area on planet Earth. The highest point of Ashantiland is Atewa Range and lowest point of Ashantiland is Cape Three Points. The main territorial Islands of Ashantiland are Bobowasi Island off the Gulf of Guinea on the Atlantic Ocean and Dodi Island on Lake Volta.

Ashantiland
Region Regional Capital Map
Ashanti Kumasi
Brong-Ahafo Sunyani
Central Cape Coast
Eastern Koforidua
Greater Accra Accra
Western Sekondi-Takoradi

Territorial Borders

Ashantiland is bordered to the North by the Black Volta River to the East by Lake Volta to the South by the Gulf of Guinea and Atlantic Ocean to the West by Ivory Coast.

 Black Volta River
style="width:33% rowspan=3 |  Ivory Coast Lake Volta
   Ashantiland  
Atlantic Ocean Gulf of Guinea and Atlantic Ocean Lake Volta and Gulf of Guinea

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ashanti peoplpe.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ashanti Empire.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "History of the Asante (Ashanti) People" (PDF). anglogold.com. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  2. ↑ The Techiman-Bono of Ghana:an ethnography of an Akan society Kendall/Hunt Pub. Co., 1975
  3. ↑ Title: Africa a Voyage of Discovery with Basil Davidson, Language: English Type: Documentary Year: 1984 Length: 114 min.
  4. ↑ Africa from the 12th to the 16th century Joseph Ki-Zerbo, Djibril Tamsir Niane, James Currey, 1997, 294 pp.
  5. ↑ Indigenous medicine and knowledge in African society. Psychology Press, 2007 - Health & Fitness.
  6. ↑ MacLean, Iain. Rational Choice and British Politics: An Analysis of Rhetoric and Manipulation from Peel to Blair, 2001. Page 76.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 7.8 7.9 Collins and Burns (2007), p. 139.
  8. ↑ "Akwamu - Encyclopedia Article and More from". Merriam-Webster. 13 August 2010. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  9. ↑ Africa: a Voyage of Discovery with Basil Davidson, Documentary, 1984, 114 minutes.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Davidson (1991), p. 242.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Kingdom of Ashanti Kings And Queens Of Asante
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Transactions of the Historical Society of Ghana, Volumes 7–9, p. 28
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Djibril Tamsir Niane, Africa from the Twelfth to the Sixteenth Century, Unesco. International Scientific Committee for the Drafting of a General History of Africa.
  14. ↑ Effah-Gyamfi, Kwaku (1987). "Archaeology and the study of early African towns: the West African case, especially Ghana", West African Journal of Archaeology.
  15. ↑ Kwasi Konadu, Indigenous Medicine and Knowledge in African Society, Routledge, 2007.
  16. ↑ Muhammad, Akbar (1977). "The Samorian Occupation of Bondoukou: An Indigenous View". International Journal of African Historical Studies 10 (2): 242–258. doi:10.2307/217348.
  17. ↑ Shmuel Noah Eisenstadt, Michel Abitbol, Naomi Chazan (1988). The Early State in African Perspective: Culture, Power and Division of Labor. Brill Academic Publishers. ISBN 90-04-08355-3.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 18.5 18.6 18.7 18.8 18.9 18.10 18.11 Collins and Burns (2007), p. 140.
  19. ↑ "Ghana, A living History". September 1960. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  20. ↑ "United Nations member States - General Information". Un.org. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 Kumasi (7 October 2012). "NPP Has Track Record… of protecting the public purse, says Nana Addo". The Chronicle. Archived from the original on 7 October 2012.

Coordinates: 5°27′N 0°58′W / 5.450°N 0.967°W