PROJECT REPORTS 21. THE ASHANTI RESEARCH PROJECT The following is an extract from an up-to-date Progress Report N o. 1 (1963-1966) on the Ashanti Research Project. ' Project A: Stools History of Ashanti So far 180 reports have been received from Mr. Agyeman-Duah, a part-time Senior Research Assistant of the Institute. They bear rhe clas- sification numbers: IAS. ace. no. 1-180. Work in connection with this project is in three stages: Stage 1: Involves (a) (b) (c) checking the serial arrangement of the reports; reading through a selected number, 25, taking at random, to know and note points of immediate interest; and preparing a Code Book on the basis of this know- ledge . Work on this is completed, but it can be expanded from time to time to take account of new material. Stage 2: :• . Involves (a) (b) preparing code cards for each of the 180 reports; transferring information from the reports on to the cards, using code numbers. To de-code the i n- formation on the cards, the Code Book is to be referred to. Work at this stage is tedious and time-consuming, since it involves patient reading and careful analysis of the 180 reports. least three months to complete this assignment. It may take at 22. Stage 3: PROJECT REPORTS Involves (a) (b) preparing statistical tables; and submitting a preliminary report. (Target date: March 1967). Note: Since our interest is not specifically on the provision of statistical data, it may not be necessary to transfer the coded information on to the IBM cards for processing; but the preservation of these cards is essential for easy reference work at the Institute. They will be stored at the Statistical Section here in our Branch. Section B: Other Collections These other collections include reports on the Volta Basin (VB); Traditions of the Ewe Tribe (tet); History of the Brong-Ahafo (BA), etc. submitted by Messrs Ameyaw, Kumah, Aduamah, and the rest. After reading through a few of these reports, I noticed interesting similarities of occurrences relating to the role of certain historical indivi- duals, such as the Hunter; of certain religious inanimate objects, such as the Stone, etc., in helping to build nations. These must be classified, codified and documented for the benefit of research workers. Here, one can find the problem of synthesis a matter of research interest. As a result, special cards have been issued for each subject under the following categories: "H": The role of the Hunter as Pathfinder of States, Kingdoms or Oman; "S": The significance of Stone + in tradi- tional religions, e.g. fetishism; "Co": Contraditions in OraFTraditional History; "Cl": Evolutions of Clans and their place in traditional admini- stration; "My": Traditional Mythology; "Dw": Drums with death, war, or terror-implied message; etc. Referring to any such card, one could not only know the range of similar historical references to a particular medium, but could use the codified list as a bibliography in an auxilliary sense. PROJECT REPORTS 23. A special Report on Cross-cultural Symbolisms (based on analysis of the Collections) will be submitted in due course. Section I I; CODE-ITEMS About 60 of the 80 cells have so far been used thus: A: General Classification Cell 1: Cell 2: Cell 3: Cell 4: Cell 5; Cell 6: Cell 7; Cell 8: Cell 9: Answers the question "to whom does the stool occupant swear oath of allegiance". The kind of Sword used by the stool occupant when swearing to the Asantehene or Chief. Whether the stool occupant has direct access to the Asante- hene, or whether he has to pass through another stool occupant - Multiple Jp) SKo. (b) Shoves the Division (military or otherwise) of the Asanfehene to which the stool occupant belongs. ding :h"e abusua (clan) of the stool occupant. (c) The category under which the stool occupant is traditionally classified. Descent of the Stool: Matrilineal; Patrilineal; Both Matrllineal and Patrilineal; Esom Dwa; Akofo Dwa, etc. Which one? Indicates the status of the stool occupant: royal or non- royal; ancestral or non-ancestral; hereditary or non-here- ditary, etc* Refers to the non-hereditary stool whose occupant owes his appointment by the exercise of the Royal (Asantehene's) Prerogative. Refers to created stools, and the Asantehene - the re- ferent King, who created them. Reasons as to why the stools were created. 24- PROJECT REPORTS Cell Nos. 10-20: The total number of occupants on each stool from.* Cell 10 : Cell 11: Cell 12: Cell 13: Cell 14: Cell 15: Cell 16: Cell 17: Cell 18: Cell 19: Nana Prempeh I to Nena Prenipeh il Nana Osei Tutu to Nana Prempeh II Nana Osei Kwadwo to Nana Prempeh || Nana Opoku Ware to Nana Prempeh li Nana Pre-Obiri Yeboah to Nana Prempeh II Nana Osei Kwame to Nana Prempeh II Nana Kwaku Duah I (Fredua Agyeman) to Nena Prempeh II Nana Obiri Yeboah to Nana Prempeh )| The Present Asantehene, Nana Sir Agyeman Prempeh II Nana Osei Tutu Kwame (Osei Asibe Bonsu) to Nana Prempeh II Nana Osei Yaw Akoto to Nana Prempeh II Cell 20: 3k -a. B. War. Records - Military Service Number of wars (and their names) fought by the stool occu- pant in the reign of: (21-33) Cell 21: Cell 22i Cell 23: Cell 24: Cell 25: Cell 26: Cell 27: Cell 28: Cell 29: Cell 30: Cell 31: Cell 32: Cell 33: Cell 34: Cell 35: Nana Obiri Yeboah Nana Osei Tutu Nana Opoku Ware Nana Osei Kwadwo Nana Osei Kwame Nana Osei Tutu Kwame (alias Nana Bonsu Panyin) Nana Osei Yaw Akoto Nana Kwaku Duah I (Fredua Agysman) Nana Kofi Karikari Nana Prempeh I (Kwaku Duah HI) Nana Sir Agyeman Prempeh II Prior to Obiri Yeboah Nana Mensah Bonsu Blank Cell Unclassified wars (wars without referent kings) ., PROJECT REPORTS 25- C: C e" 3 6i OF ANCESTRAL STOOLS Cell Nos. 37-40: Blank Cells r- D. Cell Cell Cell Cell Cell Cell Cell Cell Cell Cell Cell Cell Cell Cell Cell Cell Cell Cell Cell Cell 41: 42: 43: 44: 45: 46: 47: 48: 49: 50: 5 1: 52: 53: 54: 55: 56: 57: 58: 59: 60: Cell Cell Nos 80: DESTOOLMENT of Stool Occupants: Causes and Motivation: e.g. colonial intrigues; customary demands; Nkrumab-political pressure, or what? Also indicates the number of abdications, executions, deportations, etc. of stool occupants, under each of the following succesive referent AshantJ Kings: (41-56): ' " Nana Oti Akenten Nana Obiri Yeboah Nana Osei Tutu Nana Opoku Ware Nana Kusi Bodom Nana Osei Kwadwo Nana Osei Kwame Nana Opoku Fofie Nana Osei Tutu Kwame (Osei Bonsu Panyin) Nana Osei Yaw Akoto Nana Kwaku Duah I (Fredua Agyeman) Nana Kofi Karikari Nana Mensah Bonsu Nana Kwaku Duah II (Agyeman Badu Kofi) Nana Prempeh I (Kwaku Duah III) Nana Sir Agyeman Prempeh II (Present Asantehene) Data without referent Asantehene Blank Cell Blank Cell Total Number of Destoolments, abdications, etc., suffered by the stool from the time of its first occupant to the present. 61-79 Blank Cells Total number of wars fought by the stool and its occupants from 'its beginning1 to the present. •SP* 26. PROJECT REPORTS Section Ills BIBLIOGRAPHY (ASHANTl STOOLS HISTORY) A. REGALIA AND RELICS 1. Sword; * 2. Horns •. • 3. Drums; ~~ . As/8, p. 1; As/16, p.6; As/27, p. 1; As/33, pp. 2, 6; As/37, p . l; As/38, p.4; As/158, p . l; As/168, p . l; As/177, pp. 1-2. (Lists to be extended). As/1; As/16, pp.3-4; As/22, p.3; As/24f p.2; As/26, p . l; As/52, p . l; As/57, p p . l- 3; As/95, p.2; As/106, p.2; As/145, p p . l- 3; As/150, pp. 1-2. (To be extended). As/5, p.3; As/6; As/8, p.2; As/18, p.8; As/24, p.2; As/33, p.2; As/36, p.2; As/70, pp.1-3; As/114, pp.1 -2; As/149, p . l; As/158, p.6; As/167, p.4; As/174, p.2. (To be extended). , 4. Miscellaneous Stool Propert'iest As/3, p . l; As/8, p p . l- 2; As/14, p.l; As/22, p.6; As/33, pp.1-6; As/39, p.7; As/43, p.3; As/58, p.3; As/59, p.l; As/61, p.l; As/63, pp.1-4; As/70, pp. 1-2; As/79, p.2; As/81, pp. 1-5; As/89, p.3; As/92, p.l; As/97, p.l; As/98, p.l; As/113, p.2; As/114, p.2; As/121, pp.3-6; As/124, p.l; As/131, p.l; As/132, p.l; As/138, p.3; As/139, p.l; As/140, p.l; As/143, p.3; As/146, p.l; As/147, p.2; As/150, p.2; As/151, p.5; As/156, pp. 1-2; As/164, pp.1, 2; As/166, pp.1, 2 , 3; As/167, p.4; As/168, pp.1-2; As/169, pp.3, 5,7; As/171, p.l; As/174, pp.1, 2; As/175, pp.3,4; As/176, p.l; As/177, p.3. u * t -Or ik.*- *«* -.*• * PROJECT REPORTS v 27. B. STOOL HISTORY 1. Origin of Stools: As/7, p.2; As/8, p.3; As/9, pp. 1-3; As/?2, pp.!-2; As/U, p . l; As/19, pp. 1-3; As/26, As/28, p. 1; As/29, p . I; As/35, p.2; As/38, p.6; As/40, p.2; As/108, p . l; As/163, p . l; As/167, p.4; As/172, p.2; As/177, p.! (Note: Dafa coded In cell 36 to be processed further and added to this list). *•>! 2. Evolutions of Clans & their significance: As/5, p.3; As/7, pp. 1 -4; As/8, pp. 1 -3; As/38, pp.1-3; As/56, p.4; As/69, p.3; As/153, pp.1-2; As/154, pp.7-9; As/155, pp. 1-2; As/161, pp.1, 2; As/179, p.2. (Note: Data coded in cell 4 to be processed further and added to the list). 3. Traditional Mythology: As/7, p.2; As/8, pp. 1-2; As/11, p . l; As/24, p. 1; As/32, p.3; As/35, p . l; As/39, pp.2, 3; As/43, pp.2-3; As/44, p . l; As/48, p.3; As/58, p.T; As/69, p.2; As/70, p . l; As/77, p . l; As/78, p . l; As/80, p.2; As/87, p . l; As/89, p p . 1, 2; As/90, p.3; As/95, pp. 2-6; As/106, p.5; As/115, p.2; As/125, p.3; As/T26, p . l; As/139, p . l; As/141, p . l; As/161, pp.1-£• As/162, p . l; As/166, pp.1, 2; As/168, pp.1, 2. 4. The Hunter as Pathfinder of States or Oman: As/7, p. 1; As/10, p . l; As/16, p . l; As/24, p . l; As/39, pp. 1,5, 6; As/40, pp.1, 3; As/44, p.2; As/54, p . l; As/62, p . l; As/63, pp.3, 4; As/64, p.3; As/72, p . l; As/86, p . l; As/88, p . l; As/95, p . l; As/99, p . l; As/101, p . l; 28. PROJECT REPORTS As/107, p.2; As/110, p.2; As/129, p . l; As/147, p.2; As/151, p.2; As/152, p.l As/166, p.2 As/169, p.3; As/171, p.3. 5. DESCENT (As/ to be prefixed to the numbers). (a) Matrilineal: 3, 12, 19, 20, (21), 28, 29, 32, 34, 36, 43, 35, 47, 55, 56, 58, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64,65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 72, 74, 76, 77, 78, 79, 82, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 94, 95, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 105, 107, 110, H I, 115, 118, 119, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 128, 129, 131, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 141,142,145,146,148,149,151,152,153, 155, 156, 159, 160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 166, 167, 170, 171, 173, 175, 176, 178. (b) Patrilineal; 2, 5, 9, 14, 15, 17, 26, 27, 30, (38), 39, 41, 42, 46, 49, 59, 73, 75, 84, 91, 93, 106, 117, 130, 140, 147, 154, 174, 177. (c) Both Matrilineal and Patrilineal: 23, 50, 80, 81, 144, 150, 158. (d) Extensions; Esom Dwa; 71, 92, 96, 104, 109, 113, 114, \57, 168, 179, 180. (e) Extensions; Ekofo Dwa: 120. Note: Changed from Patrilineal to Matrilineal 21; Matrilineal to Patrilineal 38. C. NATIVE ADMINISTRATION 1. Finance: As/15, p . l; As/33, pp.5,6; As/41, pp. 1-6; PROJECT REPORTS 29. As/43, p.4; As/154, pp.7-9; As/157, pp.1-2; As/175, p . l. (To be extended). 2. Duties and Responsibilities of Stool Occupants: As/1, p . l; As/14, p.Z; As/27, p . l; As/29, p . l; A^36, p . l; As/42, p . l; As/45, p. 1; As/51, p.l; As/52, p . l; As/69, p.4; As/92, p . l; Ay*?3, p . l; As/97, p . l; As/113, p.2; As/138, p.3; As/143, p . l; As/164, p.2; As/168, p.); As/177, p.3. (Note: Data coded in cell 5 to be processed further and added to fhis list). As/43, p.2; As/54, p.6; As/87, p.5; A|^5, p.6; As/110, p.3; As/123, p.3; As/129, p.5; As/144, p.3; As/149, p.3; As/154, p.9; As/159, p.4. 3. Oaths: D. OTHERS 1. Election and Installation of Asantehene: As/33. SECTION IV: WORK IN PROGRESS 1. Bibliography on Ashanti Stools is also being prepared for the following subjects: (a) Titles and Appelations. (b) Fetishism (c) Komfo Anokye's Predictions. (d) Komfo Anokye's Miracles. (e) Changes in Ashanti Administration. (f) Abuses of Ashanti Constitution. (g) Contraditions in Oral Traditional History. 2. Definitions, notes, remarks and details covering items under Section III will be submitted in a later Report.