To every African, festivals concur a special house inwards everyday life. They are occasions for re-union, remembrance together with merry-making. Festivals are also occasions of mixed feelings equally the dead are remembered through organized rituals together with mourning. The rituals are performed past times social groups nether clan heads who are responsible to contact the dead to invoke their blessings for the people.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene (King of the Ashantis) sitting inwards solid reason during Akwasidae festival of the Asante people, Kumasi, Ghana. Courtesy Anthony Pappone
Among the Akans, peculiarly the Asantes together with its allied groups similar Denkyira, Akuapim, Akyem, Kwahu together with others Akwasidae rituals together with events are held every half dozen weeks, honouring the ancestors together with inwards the Ashanti percentage the Ashanti king.
Akwasidae celebration at Kumasi, Ashanti Region, Ghana, Courtesy imknowmadic2
All Asantes (Ashantis) as good equally the Ashanti diaspora participate inwards this cultural festival. The Akwasidae Festival is adjacent entirely inwards importance to the National Day celebrations. Akwasidae, according to the Ashanti cultural archive records is an ornate ceremony, commemorating the appointment that the Ashanti Golden Stool was magically brought downwardly from heaven.
Asante daughter inwards her Kente fabric dancing at Akwasidae festival at USA
The festival thence features a golden stool amongst the fundamental characteristic of attention, the Ashanti King, who is carried on a palanquin through the procession of Ashanti people who guide maintain come upward to pay homage to him. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 see to Kumasi during an Akwasidae celebration is an invitation for spectacle. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 celebration which parades colourful canopies together with umbrellas amongst fontonfrom, kete together with mpintsin drummers, dancers, horn blowers together with singers who perform inwards accolade of their ancestral spirits.
Asante principal sitting inwards solid reason during Akwasidae festival inwards Kumasi, Ghana. Courtesy Anthony Pappone
Many guide maintain heard of together with witnessed Akwasidae festival of the Akans, only why the festival is called ‘Adae’ is lilliputian known to them. In Akan “adae” way residue place, so to bother you lot a bit, Akwadae is observed with a see past times the principal together with some of his elders to the stool-house (Royal Mausoleum) where past times chiefs had been buried to invoke their blessings for the people.
During such moments, a sheep is slaughtered together with some of the blood sprinkled on the stools, which is accompanied past times pouring libation amidst drumming. Akwasidae takes house inwards a 40-day bike together with inwards some years it is observed 8 times together with inwards others ix times.
King of the Asantes
Akan Calendar
The Akan annual calendar is divided into ix parts, each lasting unopen to half dozen weeks only varying betwixt 40–42 days inwards a period; the celebration of this current is called the Adae Festival.
The Adae Festival has 2 celebration days: the Akwasidae Festival is celebrated on the finally Lord's Day of the period, patch the Awukudae Festival is celebrated on a Midweek within the period. The Fri preceding 10 days to the Akwasidae is called the Fofie (meaning a ritual Friday). As the festival is ever held on Sundays (Twi inwards Kwasidae), its recurrence could live after xl or 42 days inwards accordance with the official Calendar of Ashanti. During the finally Akwasidae of the year, which coincides with the Adae Kese Festival, special attending is given to brand nutrient offerings together with donations for helping people. The festivals of Adae are non interchangeable equally they were fixed from ancient times
Late Asantehene Otumfuo Opoku Ware II at Akwasidae festival
Celebration
To celebrate the Akwasidae, elderly women versed inwards traditional songs, would become to the palace continue, towards the eve of Sat called Memenedae Dapaa, to sing, memorial songs until belatedly inwards the night.
Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 gathering called Akom occurs, hither drums are beaten together with horns sounded to welcome the festival amidst dancing together with merry making. In the early on hours of the morning time the drums are resumed to rouse the dead kings (nananom/nsamnafo ahenfo) together with their elders (nsamanfo) from their slumber to partake inwards the festival.
Between 6 a.m. together with vii a.m., the queen woman parent with some elders would become to the palace of the paramount principal to greet together with wishing him well.
The paramount principal dressed inwards his mourning costume would ride inwards a palanquin to the mausoleum. With the exception of the paramount principal together with the Banmuhene, no i is allowed to come inwards wearing sandals. What actually happens within the mausoleum?
In there, the stools are placed on a raised dais together with the paramount chief, divisional chiefs together with elders inwards social club of precedence, become inwards together with pay homage to the dead kings. Food inwards the shape of mashed yam (eto) which has been prepared inwards the mausoleum is offered together with rigid drinks to the dead kings.
Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 sheep is slaughtered together with the blood which is drained into a bowl used to smear the stools with pieces of meat including the lungs placed on the stools patch the fatty is spread over the centre back upward of the stools.
The belief is that the blood revitalizes the stools together with the ancestral spirits, together with the lungs; a symbol of breath of life serves the run of giving novel life to the stools. Concluding the ceremony inwards the mausoleum the paramount principal orders drinks to live served to all introduce who afterwards depart leaving the stools together with the ancestors to swallow together with drinkable what had been served them.
After the rituals inwards the morning, a Earth durbar is held at the fore courtroom of the Manhyia Palace where the Asantehene sits inwards solid reason for his people to pay him homage.
As early on equally vii a.m. preparations for the termination had begun together with past times 10 a.m. the forecourt is filled to capacity past times traditional rulers together with the full general public.
The arrival of the Asantehene at the durbar grounds is heralded past times a retinue of courtiers led past times a human being carrying a brasspan containing talisman together with herbs believed to receive away evil spirits.
Others acquit the traditional sandals of silvery together with golden keys (the Nsafoahene).
The key, inwards folklore, signifies that when the Asantehene is out of the palace all doors are shut.
The Asantehene emerges belongings a traditional sword inwards i mitt together with a whisk inwards some other together with dances to traditional music together with steps out of the palanquin.
As the procession passes, he bows gently to the chiefs together with other subjects to admit their presence.
During Akwasidae, traditional rulers unremarkably apparel mourning clothes (Kuntunkuni) only with this twelvemonth coinciding with the birthday of the occupant of the golden stool, they wore kente amongst others including Otumfuo himself who was dressed inwards a beautiful kente to stand upward for the occasion.
The golden ornaments he wore that twenty-four hr current made it hard for him at times to elevator his hand.
Only the Bantamahene, Baffour Asare Owusu Amankwatia V, was dressed inwards a traditional mourning cloth. This, according to tradition followed the revolt together with subsequent capture of the Bantamahene during the days of King Osei Tutu.
As he was freed he became the best ally of Osei Tutu together with since so whatsoever occupant of the Bantama stool has to live inwards perpetual mourning.
Sitting inwards state, he combined the celebration of the Akwasidae together with his birthday with pomp together with pageantry characterized with traditional drumming together with dancing which showcased the rich civilisation of Ashanti.
Role of Asante chiefs
In the Ashanti Region chiefs are highly visible together with organized strongly hierarchically, from the Asantehene, manlike individual monarch of Asante, at the top through the paramount principal (omanhene), divisional principal (ohene) together with local hamlet principal (odikro) to the clan or trouble solid unit of measurement caput (abusua panin).
In the literature, the individual together with role of the principal are really much connected to traditional religion (Busia 1951; Hagan 2003; Rattray 1969; Ray 2003b). Busia wrote inwards 1951 that ancestor-worship was the reason of the chief’s ascendency equally good equally the sanction for morality inwards the community. The belief that the ancestors were the custodians of the laws together with customs together with that they punished those who infringed them with sickness or misfortune acted equally a depository fiscal establishment check on commoners together with chiefs alike
(Busia 1951: 24, 136; Fortes 1962: 78. Cf Nukunya 1992: 128).
According to Rattray, the reason of the observe accorded to the principal is non entirely that the principal derives his ability from the people, only also that the stools, skins together with other symbols of business office guide maintain a spiritual significance –the principal deriving his ability from the ancestors together with mediating betwixt the people together with the ancestors (Rattray 2003b: 7).
Ashanti principal during the Akwasidae the keen celebration of the Ashanti inwards Kumasi.
Photosource:Anthony Pappone
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene (King of the Ashantis) sitting inwards solid reason during Akwasidae festival of the Asante people, Kumasi, Ghana. Courtesy Anthony Pappone
Among the Akans, peculiarly the Asantes together with its allied groups similar Denkyira, Akuapim, Akyem, Kwahu together with others Akwasidae rituals together with events are held every half dozen weeks, honouring the ancestors together with inwards the Ashanti percentage the Ashanti king.
Akwasidae celebration at Kumasi, Ashanti Region, Ghana, Courtesy imknowmadic2
All Asantes (Ashantis) as good equally the Ashanti diaspora participate inwards this cultural festival. The Akwasidae Festival is adjacent entirely inwards importance to the National Day celebrations. Akwasidae, according to the Ashanti cultural archive records is an ornate ceremony, commemorating the appointment that the Ashanti Golden Stool was magically brought downwardly from heaven.
Asante daughter inwards her Kente fabric dancing at Akwasidae festival at USA
The festival thence features a golden stool amongst the fundamental characteristic of attention, the Ashanti King, who is carried on a palanquin through the procession of Ashanti people who guide maintain come upward to pay homage to him. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 see to Kumasi during an Akwasidae celebration is an invitation for spectacle. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 celebration which parades colourful canopies together with umbrellas amongst fontonfrom, kete together with mpintsin drummers, dancers, horn blowers together with singers who perform inwards accolade of their ancestral spirits.
Asante principal sitting inwards solid reason during Akwasidae festival inwards Kumasi, Ghana. Courtesy Anthony Pappone
Many guide maintain heard of together with witnessed Akwasidae festival of the Akans, only why the festival is called ‘Adae’ is lilliputian known to them. In Akan “adae” way residue place, so to bother you lot a bit, Akwadae is observed with a see past times the principal together with some of his elders to the stool-house (Royal Mausoleum) where past times chiefs had been buried to invoke their blessings for the people.
During such moments, a sheep is slaughtered together with some of the blood sprinkled on the stools, which is accompanied past times pouring libation amidst drumming. Akwasidae takes house inwards a 40-day bike together with inwards some years it is observed 8 times together with inwards others ix times.
King of the Asantes
Akan Calendar
The Akan annual calendar is divided into ix parts, each lasting unopen to half dozen weeks only varying betwixt 40–42 days inwards a period; the celebration of this current is called the Adae Festival.
The Adae Festival has 2 celebration days: the Akwasidae Festival is celebrated on the finally Lord's Day of the period, patch the Awukudae Festival is celebrated on a Midweek within the period. The Fri preceding 10 days to the Akwasidae is called the Fofie (meaning a ritual Friday). As the festival is ever held on Sundays (Twi inwards Kwasidae), its recurrence could live after xl or 42 days inwards accordance with the official Calendar of Ashanti. During the finally Akwasidae of the year, which coincides with the Adae Kese Festival, special attending is given to brand nutrient offerings together with donations for helping people. The festivals of Adae are non interchangeable equally they were fixed from ancient times
Late Asantehene Otumfuo Opoku Ware II at Akwasidae festival
Celebration
To celebrate the Akwasidae, elderly women versed inwards traditional songs, would become to the palace continue, towards the eve of Sat called Memenedae Dapaa, to sing, memorial songs until belatedly inwards the night.
Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 gathering called Akom occurs, hither drums are beaten together with horns sounded to welcome the festival amidst dancing together with merry making. In the early on hours of the morning time the drums are resumed to rouse the dead kings (nananom/nsamnafo ahenfo) together with their elders (nsamanfo) from their slumber to partake inwards the festival.
Between 6 a.m. together with vii a.m., the queen woman parent with some elders would become to the palace of the paramount principal to greet together with wishing him well.
The paramount principal dressed inwards his mourning costume would ride inwards a palanquin to the mausoleum. With the exception of the paramount principal together with the Banmuhene, no i is allowed to come inwards wearing sandals. What actually happens within the mausoleum?
In there, the stools are placed on a raised dais together with the paramount chief, divisional chiefs together with elders inwards social club of precedence, become inwards together with pay homage to the dead kings. Food inwards the shape of mashed yam (eto) which has been prepared inwards the mausoleum is offered together with rigid drinks to the dead kings.
Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 sheep is slaughtered together with the blood which is drained into a bowl used to smear the stools with pieces of meat including the lungs placed on the stools patch the fatty is spread over the centre back upward of the stools.
The belief is that the blood revitalizes the stools together with the ancestral spirits, together with the lungs; a symbol of breath of life serves the run of giving novel life to the stools. Concluding the ceremony inwards the mausoleum the paramount principal orders drinks to live served to all introduce who afterwards depart leaving the stools together with the ancestors to swallow together with drinkable what had been served them.
After the rituals inwards the morning, a Earth durbar is held at the fore courtroom of the Manhyia Palace where the Asantehene sits inwards solid reason for his people to pay him homage.
As early on equally vii a.m. preparations for the termination had begun together with past times 10 a.m. the forecourt is filled to capacity past times traditional rulers together with the full general public.
The arrival of the Asantehene at the durbar grounds is heralded past times a retinue of courtiers led past times a human being carrying a brasspan containing talisman together with herbs believed to receive away evil spirits.
Others acquit the traditional sandals of silvery together with golden keys (the Nsafoahene).
The key, inwards folklore, signifies that when the Asantehene is out of the palace all doors are shut.
The Asantehene emerges belongings a traditional sword inwards i mitt together with a whisk inwards some other together with dances to traditional music together with steps out of the palanquin.
As the procession passes, he bows gently to the chiefs together with other subjects to admit their presence.
During Akwasidae, traditional rulers unremarkably apparel mourning clothes (Kuntunkuni) only with this twelvemonth coinciding with the birthday of the occupant of the golden stool, they wore kente amongst others including Otumfuo himself who was dressed inwards a beautiful kente to stand upward for the occasion.
The golden ornaments he wore that twenty-four hr current made it hard for him at times to elevator his hand.
Only the Bantamahene, Baffour Asare Owusu Amankwatia V, was dressed inwards a traditional mourning cloth. This, according to tradition followed the revolt together with subsequent capture of the Bantamahene during the days of King Osei Tutu.
As he was freed he became the best ally of Osei Tutu together with since so whatsoever occupant of the Bantama stool has to live inwards perpetual mourning.
Sitting inwards state, he combined the celebration of the Akwasidae together with his birthday with pomp together with pageantry characterized with traditional drumming together with dancing which showcased the rich civilisation of Ashanti.
Role of Asante chiefs
In the Ashanti Region chiefs are highly visible together with organized strongly hierarchically, from the Asantehene, manlike individual monarch of Asante, at the top through the paramount principal (omanhene), divisional principal (ohene) together with local hamlet principal (odikro) to the clan or trouble solid unit of measurement caput (abusua panin).
In the literature, the individual together with role of the principal are really much connected to traditional religion (Busia 1951; Hagan 2003; Rattray 1969; Ray 2003b). Busia wrote inwards 1951 that ancestor-worship was the reason of the chief’s ascendency equally good equally the sanction for morality inwards the community. The belief that the ancestors were the custodians of the laws together with customs together with that they punished those who infringed them with sickness or misfortune acted equally a depository fiscal establishment check on commoners together with chiefs alike
(Busia 1951: 24, 136; Fortes 1962: 78. Cf Nukunya 1992: 128).
According to Rattray, the reason of the observe accorded to the principal is non entirely that the principal derives his ability from the people, only also that the stools, skins together with other symbols of business office guide maintain a spiritual significance –the principal deriving his ability from the ancestors together with mediating betwixt the people together with the ancestors (Rattray 2003b: 7).
Ashanti principal during the Akwasidae the keen celebration of the Ashanti inwards Kumasi.
Photosource:Anthony Pappone
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