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In many parts of West Africa, there is an old chieftaincy tradition, and the Akan people have developed their own hierarchy, which exists alongside the democratic structure of the country. The Akan word for the ruler or one of his various courtiers is "Nana" (English pronunciation / ˈ n æ n ə /). In colonial times, Europeans translated it as ...
The Akan waged war on neighboring states in their geographic area to capture people and sell them as slaves to Europeans (Portuguese) who subsequently sold the enslaved people along with guns to the Akan in exchange for Akan gold. Akan gold was also used to purchase enslaved people from further up north via the Trans-Saharan route.
The stool is used as a symbol of chieftaincy (particularly male) in special and private occasions, and is seen as a symbol of royalty, custom and tradition. Queen mothers may be seen in public sitting on the traditional stool as a seat of authority, communicating messages about the nature of leadership. [ 3 ]
Led by their leader Gyedu Nkansa, a quarter of the Guan settled in present-day Akuapem mountains. Prior to the founding of Akuapem State, the institution of chieftaincy as we know of today was non-existent. The leadership of highland community made up mainly of Guans and the Kyerepongs consisted of priests and priestesses.
Asafo are traditional warrior groups in Akan culture, based on lineal descent. [1] The word derives from sa , meaning war , and fo , meaning people . The traditional role of the Asafo companies was defence of the state.
The list of Akan people includes notable individuals of Akan meta-ethnicity and ancestry; the Akan people who are also referred to as (Akan: Akanfo) are a meta-ethnicity and Potou–Tano Kwa ethno-linguistic group that are indigenously located on the Ashantiland peninsula near the equator precisely at the "centre of the Earth".
The fetish priest wielded both political and religious functions. Due to the influence of Akan Chieftaincy institutions, each Guan state later adopted a chief and the office of a priest was separated from that of a chief. The clan heads of each state formed a council of elders that assisted the chiefs in decision-making.
In the Akan tradition and Akan chieftaincy, the child of a king or chief does not ascend the throne when his or her father dies due to their Matrilineal inheritance and succession. [5] [6] [7] However the children are given the title Oheneba which means the ''chief's child'' or the ''king's child''.