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The Asante, also known as Ashanti in English (), are part of the Akan people ethnic group and are native to the Ashanti Region of modern-day Ghana. Asantes are the last group to emerge out of the various Akan civilisations. Twi is spoken by over nine million Asante people as their native language.
The Asante people developed the Ashanti Empire, along the Lake Volta and Gulf of Guinea. The empire was founded in 1670, and the capital Kumasi was founded in 1680 by Asantehene Osei Kofi Tutu I on the advice of Okomfo Anokye, his premier. Sited at the crossroads of the Trans-Saharan trade, Kumase's strategic location contributed significantly to its growth. Over time a number of peculiar factors have combined to transform the Kumase metropolis into a financial centre and political capital. The main causal factors included the unquestioning loyalty to the Asante rulers and the Kumase metropolis' growing wealth, derived in part from the capital's lucrative domestic trade in items such as gold, slaves, and bullion.
The territory Asante people settled is home to a volcanic crater lake, Lake Bosumtwi, and Asante is bordered westerly to Lake Volta within the central part of present-day Ghana. The Ashanti Region (Kingdom of Asante) territory is densely forested, mostly fertile and to some extent mountainous. There are two seasons—the rainy season (April to November) and the dry season (December to March). The land has several streams; the dry season, however is extremely desiccated. Ashanti Region is hot year round.
Today Asante people number upwards of 10 million. Asante Twi, the majority language, is a member of the Central Tano languages within the Kwa languages. Asante political power combines Asantehene Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu II as the political head of the Asantes and the Ashanti Region, with Asante semi-one-party state representative New Patriotic Party, and since the Ashanti Region (and the Kingdom of Asante) Political union with Ghana, the Asante remain largely influential.
Asantes reside in Asante and Brong Ahafo Regions in Ghana. Kumase metropolis, the capital of Asante (Kingdom of Asante), has also been the historic capital of the Asante Kingdom. The Ashanti Region currently has a population of 11 million (11,000,000).
Today, as in the past, the Ashanti Region continues to make significant contributions to Ghana's economy. Asante is richly endowed with industrial minerals and agricultural implements, Ashanti Region is responsible for much of Ghana's domestic food production and for the foreign exchange Ghana earns from cocoa, agricultural implements, gold, bauxite, manganese, various other industrial minerals, and timber. Kumase metropolis and Ashanti Region produces 96% of Ghana's exports.
Realizing the weakness of a loose confederation of Akan states, Osei Tutu strengthened centralization of the surrounding Akan groups and expanded the powers judiciary system within the centralized government. Thus, this loose confederation of small city-states grew into a kingdom or empire looking to expand its land. Newly conquered areas had the option of joining the empire or becoming tributary states.Giblert, Erik Africa in World History: From Prehistory to the Present 2004 Opoku Ware I, Osei Tutu's successor, extended the borders.Shillington, loc. cit.
The Ashanti Empire was one of the few African states that seriously resisted European colonization. Between 1823 and 1896, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland fought four wars against the Asante kings: the Anglo-Asante Wars. In 1901, the British finally defeated the state following the 1900 War of the Golden Stool and the Ashanti Empire was made a British protectorate, in 1902, and the office of Asantehene was discontinued, with the Asante capital Kumasi annexed into the British empire; however, the Asante still largely governed themselves. Asante gave little to no deference to colonial authorities. In 1926, the British permitted the repatriation of Asantehene Prempeh I – whom they had exiled to the Seychelles in 1896 – and allowed him to adopt the title Kumasehene, but not Asantehene. However, in 1935, the British finally granted the Asante self-rule sovereignty as Kingdom of Asante, and the Asante King title of Asantehene was revived.
Though not considered as important as the mother, the male interaction continues in the place of birth after marriage.
Historically, an Asante girl was betrothed with a golden ring called " petia" (), if not in childhood, immediately after the puberty ceremony. They did not regard marriage " awade" as an important ritual event, but as a state that follows soon and normally after the puberty ritual. The puberty rite was and is important as it signifies passage from childhood to adulthood in that chastity is encouraged before marriage. The Asante required that various goods be given by the boy's family to that of the girl, not as a 'bride price', but to signify an agreement between the two families.
In the bragoro rites, girls' heads are shaved and dyed black. Every day during the rites, younger girls in the community feed the chosen girls boiled eggs, fish, and Etor. (2025). 9781920620240, Cluster Publications. ISBN 9781920620240 As well, older women in the community, called mmerewa, teach the girls about marriage, motherhood, and morality. The mmerewa bathe the girls in a neighboring stream. Then, the mmerewa dress the new women in white cloth ( ntoma) and gold jewelry. Afterward, the girls are showcased to the entire community with songs, dances, and praises.
For the Asante, every color and object has cultural significance, which reflects the meaning of womanhood in Asante culture.
Ntoma/cloth
The white color of the ntoma (cloth) that the girls are dressed in signifies vitality, sanctity, victory, and purity.
Gold jewelry
The gold/yellow color of the jewelry that the girls are adorned with signifies royalty, continuous life, and wealth. This is related to the matrilineal system of the Asante. The matrilineal system of the Asante culturally gives women a sense of authority, continuity, and the right to become a breadwinner and make money. This is displayed in the roles of adult women in society, obaapanin (female elder), and the ohemaa (queen) stool, which ranks higher than the male counterpart.
Fish
In the bragoro rites, eating fish signifies the obtaining of wisdom and knowledge. Wisdom and Knowledge are seen as a keen part of womanhood for Asantes. In Ashanti Empire, the Asantehemaa (queen mother) is seen as the advisor of the Asantehene (king), full of wisdom and knowledge. This thought is carried through Asante culture and society to characterize the everyday woman, and convey a key aspect of Asante womanhood–being an advisor.
The Asante language and Asante Twi have some unique linguistic features like tone, vowel harmony and nasalization.
Asante people received the religion of Islamic North Africa within their talismanic tradition, making amulets with Quranic citations, name of the Arabic angels or Jinn. Amulets were also set in the corners of houses or soaked in water to produce liquids for drinking and for washing that were believed to have thaumaturgical properties. (here cited p. 516)
According to BioMed Central (BMC biology) in 2012, the average Jamaican has 60% of Asante matrilineal DNA and today Asante is the only ethnic group by name known to contemporary Jamaicans. Marcus Garvey and his first wife, Amy Ashwood Garvey, were of Asante descent. Comparative studies of South Asia, Africa and the Middle East, Vols 17-18, Duke University Press, 1997, p. 124. Also are Jamaican freedom fighters during slavery: Nanny of the Maroons (now a Jamaican National Heroine) and Jack Mansong or Three-finger Jack. "Nanny" is a corruption of the Asante word Nana, meaning "king/queen/grandparent", and Mansong is a corruption of the Asante surname Manso, respectively.
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