50.

THE ASANTE BEFORE  1700

fay Kwasi  Boaten*

PEOPLING  OF ASANTE

The name Asante appeared  for  the first  time  In any

European  literature at  the beginning of the eighteenth
century.  This was  the time when  some Akan clans came to-
gether  to form a kingdom with Kumase as their capital,, some
few years earlier.  This apparently  new territory was not
the original  home of  the Asante.  Originally all  the ances-
tors of  the Asante  lived at Adansc/Amansle.'  The above
assertion does not agree with  Eva Meyerowitz's2  view that
the Akan formerly  lived along  the Niger bend  in the regions
lying  roughly between  Djenne and Timbucto.  There  Is no
evidence  to support  such mass migrations  from outside.3

Adanse  is therefore an  important  ancestral  home of

many Twi  speakers.  The area  is traditionally known  in Akan
cosmogony  as  the place where God  (Odomankoma) started  the
creation of  the world,  such as the  ideas of  the clan <snd
kinship.  Furthermore, Adanse was  the first of the five
principal  Akan  states of Adanse, Akyem Abuakwa, Assen,
Denkyfra and Asante  (The Akanman  Piesle Num)  In order of
seniority.5

Evidence of the above claim for Adanse  is shown by
the fact  that most of  the ruling clans of  the Akan forest
states  trace  their origins  to Adanse.  The Asona who founded
Edweso  (Ejisu) and  Ofeso  in Asante and  the Akyem Abuakwa
state claim  that they originated  from Kokoblante, near
Sodua, a small  village which existed  between Akrokyere
(Akrokere) and  Dompoase.  The Assen  both of the Asen ie of
Atandasu  (Fante Nyankomase)  and  the Asona of Apemanim,  also
the Afutuakwa of  Fosu and  the Aboabo of Assen  Nyankomase
trace their original  homes  to that stretch of  territory
between  the Pra river and  the Kusa  range.  Their most
renowned  sites being Nimiaso and Apagya  for the Atandasu
and Ansa for Apemanfm.  The Agona who founded  the kingdom

* 

Lecturer  in Geography, University of Ghana, Legon.

•#

• 

•

*

••

' * ' •*

*s«i

si.

of Oenkylra were once known  to have occupied  that land
stretching  from Asokwa westward  to the neighbourhood of
Obuase and Akrofuom to the confluence of the Oda and the
Ofe rivers, when the capital Abankesleso was situated.
Tne  Bfatuo of Mampon and Kwau  trace their home to Ayaase
and Ahensan, while Abadwam and Edubiase are known to be
the early homes of the Oyoko clan.  Finally the Ekona of
Fomena claim to have originated from Adanse  (Fig. 1).  This
place then could be said  to have nurtured most of the
important Akan clans.  It is noteworthy that beyond Adanse
all  stories of migrations and modes of travel  tend to be
Ill-supported, hazy and, by and  large, unintelligible,

Adanse area could reasonably be  identified on the

"Dutch map of the Gold Coast  1629" as AcanlJ, where "lived
the most  principal merchants who trade gold with us".°
It  Is from this place that the clans which  later on found*
ed  the Kingdom of Asante migrated northwards.  It must be
emphasized  that at the time of their movement northwards,
the ancestors of the Asante had acquired many of their
characteristics that made them  Identifiable as a people
with  Identical  aspirations and mode of life.

There  Is no written  literature to support the time
when the clans began to move from Adanse, but  it must be
after  1629.  None of the states  In Asante appeared on the  '
Dutch map of the Gold Coast.  The only place which seemed
to have been known at the coast by that time was  (Taffoe)
Tafo.  It is probable that the people'started  to move north-
wards after the death of the third King of Denkyira, Aha,
in about  1632.'  The movement of the ancestors of the Asante
Is associated with the rise of Denkyira because this new
power  in the neighbourhood of Adanse  (refer Fig. 1) was
apparently a threat %o the peace of their neighbours.
Especially the reign of the sixth King of Denkyfra,
Wesempe-Ampem,  (1640s) who had at his disposal a powerfully
organized  state army,8 must be a decisive period for the
mass movement of these clans northwards.

The reasons for these migrations northwards are

probably complex.  The traditions among the Asante appear
to attribute the thrust northwards to two basic causes:
dynastic disputes and over-population.  For example, the
Bretuo of Mampon were reputed to have left Ahensan because

52.

*

I F . *"

53.

of a disputed  succession.9  Bonwere  tradition also claims
that  they  left Adanse  because of a disputed  success IonJO
On  the other  hand;\the Kumawu  say that they  left Asumenya
because of a population  explosion which  resulted  In an
acute  shortage of farming and  hunting  land.''

These are the factors which  the various  traditions
give for  the migrations  that took place.  For the  purpose
of classification we may say that these factors were
internal.  Apart  from the  Internal  causes  some  people
have  put forth other  reasons  for  the migrations of  the
ancestors of  the Asante.  One such person  Is  Ivor WIIks
who thinks  that the fundamental  factors underlying  these
migrations were external.  He puts forth two hypotheses
as being  the factors for the migrations northwards.  In the
first  place he thinks  that  the migration of the ancestors
of Asante was a result of the extension of  the trade route
from Begho.  Secondly, he argues  that what made  possible
the thrust  to the north "Is only  to be understood with
reference  to southern  factors such as the  influence of
Akwamu  and the  importance  of European  traders, as the:
purveyors  of guns"J2  These  two factors seek to emphasize
the  Importance of commerce  in the northward  movement of
the ancestors of  the Asante.

Fynn, writing  on  this, asserts  that the above  thesis
Is unsatisfactory  because  It underestimates  the political
and economic  revolution,which  had  talien place  In this part
of West Africa.  He thinks  that  If the Adanse  immigrants
had  been commercially  minded,  they would  have turned  south-
wards and not northwards  for  the realization of  their
objective.'3  To him the movement  of  these people  northward
was  a direct  consequence  of the emergence of Akyem, Akwamu
and  Oenkytra  as powerful  states  in the hinterland  of the
Gold  Coast.  The upheaval  which  followed  the rise and
consolidation  of  these states hastened  the complete dis-
integration  of old Adanse state and  thereby created  an
atmosphere  of apprehension  and unsettlement  of peoples from
that state to all  parts of  the country.

In the author's  view the movement of  the ancestors

of the Asante from Adanse/Amansie  northward was  the result
of the  interplay of several  factors,  (which were  Internal
arjd external).  The major  factor was  the political  atmosphere
of  the Adanse area, as a result of the emergence of the Akwamu,

*

the Akyem and the most  Important  the Denkylra.  It appears
that the "numerous enterprising or dIscontended families"'1*
moved northwards beceuse of polItlcal  pressures emanating
from those southern states.  Thus a strong element of self-
preservation entered  Tnto the calculations of the ancestors
of  the Asante, for they either had to stay  In Adanse and be
made slaves by the military  states being created  In the
south or move northwards  Into comparative freedom.  This
view seemed  to have been emphasized  by Fynn while he reject-
ed the economic factor put forth by Wllks.  Fynn writes:
"this thesis  Is unsatisfactory because  It underestimates
the political and economic revolution which had taken place
In this part of West Africa!1.'5  The author believes that
such an extreme view  Is rather unfortunate, and that even
though commerce was not the prime factor  It did play a part
In the movement of the ancestors of the Asante from Adanse
area as put forward by Wllks.  Commercial  minded as they
had been the congregation of these  Immigrants around Tafo
should be a significant factor that must not be rejected
outright, because Tafo was known to be rich  In gold and
should be 'able to attract  these people who knew the  import-
ance of gold  in the then trade to the south.  This  leads
to the second factor of Wllks, that  is the  influence of
the European trade.  These people might have moved out to
a  place where conditions were favourable for an effective
participation of this trade, "of course, in their home area
they were too close to the trade-minded, well  established
states of Denkylra, Akwarau and Akyem,

The third  factor which was  Internal was due to

population  pressure  in Adanse and Amansle.  This factor
might have  led to stool  disputes which were rife among
the clans  In Adanse, because as their numbers  Increased,
the most powerful  personalities might have dreamed of
building kingdoms, that could be as powerful  as those of
Denkylra and Akwamu.  The  importance of this hypothesis
1 ies In the fact  that when they moved some clan leaders
succeeded  In building  powerful  states such as Dwaben,
Mampon and Ofeso.  This  idea of organisation of state
might have been copied from these southern states.16
It is the view of the author  that  It was the  Interplay
of the above factors  In varying degrees, that  Influenced
the ancestors of the Asante to move away from Adanse/
Amansle districts.

55.

It Is strange that these clans only moved to the
north,  A closer  look at the distribution of states In
those days (Fig. 2) would show that the only chance open-
ed to the  Immigrants was the north where there were
comparatively  less powerful  states.  The Guan who lived
in the environs of Kwabere and Sekyere  (where the ances-
tors of the Asante moved) were not powerful enough to
resist the movement of these  invaders, who knew the gun
warfare.

There appeared  to be two ways by which the people

moved:  some migrated on a larger scale as a whole
settlement decamped, en masse, and settled  In new areas.
This was what occurred with the migration of the people
of Mampon, Nsuta and KumawuJ7  All  these groups were led
by powerful  Individuals who  later became founders of the
various settlements.  Others also moved  in smalt  numbers
but  In clans which  Included the branches of the Ekoona,
the Aduana, the Asenee etc.,  It appears that the Ekoona,
the Aduana, the Asenee etc. moved first; the last two to
move were the Bretuo and the Oyoko  In that order.  The
early Twl speaking states tobe  establIshed by these clans
were Kaase, Amakom, Tafo, Wonoo, etc. all around modern
Kumase.  It was  left to the Oyoko hegemony to unite them
into the Kumase State of Asante.

Up to this time the  Impression so far created may
be that the  immigrants moved  into an empty territory and
just took possession of the land.  Indeed the land was
peopled, however sparse and these  Immigrants from Adanse
had to fight with the old  inhabitants of the land, to get
some land on which to settle.  Oral  tradition collected
from these people supports the  Idea that the Asante met
some people.  There  Is archaeological  evidence to show that
modern Asante area had been peopled for a long time,
(however scanty the population had been). 
his book vividly discusses the various phases of the
cultural  history of Ghana as a whole.  His map  (after

Dlckson'8 in

•r»

•5°

56.

*

'•Si,

SOME AKAN  FOREST  STATES GI700

MILES

£ Denkyero

OUjTributory  S»ote«

Allies
Approximote  boundary  of
Oenkyera  Kingdom

J_

l

IK*

*

57.

0. Davis) showtng  the distribution of Sangoan sites  (Fig. 3)
does not  preclude the Asante area.  Furthermore, the Neo-
lithic culture which was named  the "Klntampo Culture11'9'
spread  through modern Asante with a fair concentration of
stone eelts  In Adanse area,20  The above archaeologleal
evidence  Is enough to support  the view expressed by
Rattray that "The forest belt had probably been  their
(the Asante) habitat  from* time  Immemorial".21

If the Asante themselves  say that  they met  the Guan

In their new home, then the Guan may probably be associated
With  the Neolithlc people.  Dickson suggests  that "In view
of  their  (Guan) possible countrywide distribution, could
have been direct descendants of  the Neolithic  population".22

However  fragmentary  the archaeological  evidence and

unconnected  the evidence  from oral  traditional  sources
appear, Kwabere, Sekyere, Atwoma and Asante Akyem districts
were.already occupied  before the ancestors of  the Asante
moved  In.  Aside from the Guan, there had been an advanced
movement of some Twl speakers either  from Adanse or elsewhere
from the south  to this area.  For example  in Atwoma  the
Dormaa had established  a considerable capital  at Suntreso
near Kumase.  In Asante Akyem,  the Akyem Bosome were already
there.  The Bono at Takylman^ad  their  territory  stretching
southwards  to the environ of present Ofeso.  The Guan settle-
ments were  founded  in parts of Kwabere and Sekyere.  Indeed,
the Guan  tradition claims that before the arrival  of  the Asante
In this area  they had established  a huge empire  stretching
from Gongya  (Gonja) across the Volta  (Flraw) to the coastal
districts.23  The traditional  ruler of the Guan was Atara
Flraw, whose title Flraw was used by the Asante  to  identify
the Volta river.  Atara FIraw had his capital  at Gyaneboafo
In the Afram plains,24 to the far east of Asante Region and
the north east of  the present Kwau  (Kwahu)  traditional  area.

The  invaders from Adanse/Amansle  had  to fight  these
people who were already on the  land.  In Atwoma  the Dormaa
were defeated  after  several  encounters and were driven  beyond
the Tano river.  In Asante Akyem Kwakye Depowa and hts Akyem
subjects were defeated.  Finally  the Guan were routed.  In
ell  these encounters  the ancestors of  the Asante drove some
Of  their enemies away and absorbed others.  Commenting on the
occupation  of the modern Asante area by the Asante Bowdich
had  this to say:  "The Ashantee migrated and  subjected

•'A*-

58.

4  Sangoan sites (after O. Davics).  •  certain;  O  doubtful

**•<

. *.

59.

several  Inta districts  now forming  the norttiern part of
the dominions, and  trenched considerably  on that  declining
kingdom  now entirely  at their  mercy".25

Looking  at the successes of the Asante, one would
like to explain why they won most of'their  encounters.
Several  factors might  have contributed  to their many
successes which  led  to the total  occupation cf their new
home.  In the first place  it appeared  these  immigrants
were better  armed  than  those they met.  They moved at the
time when  the gun warfare was known  by well  organized
states such as Denkyira  and Akwamu, who were  their
(Asante's)  adversaries.  Furthermore  being  traders to
the coast  they had, no doubt, acquired guns with which
they deployed  against  the Guan who might have been  111-
equipped militarily.  Indeed  the Asante  tradition" says
that as they  (Asante) used guns, swords and shields and
bows/arrows,  the Guan only used  the  last two groups of war
implements.

Secondly,  the temporary  military alliances of the

invaders  helped  a great deal.  The  importance of  this
factor  1ies  In the fact  that when  the ancestors of the
Asante moved  from Adanse  they regarded  themselves as the
Owaben, the Mampon,  the Nsutg etc., and were bound  together
by such  ties as common  origins, customs  and  language, but
politically  they only  recognised  a.loose  relationship with
one another.  The basis of their unity  later on was the
fact  that they had  to fight  for  their  survival.  In time
of war  against  their common  enemy,  these  independent chief-
doms came together  temporarily.  There are a few examples
Of such  temporary  unions.  Adu  Gyamfi of Wonoo  (from the
Bretuq clan) assisted  Obirl  Yeboah of Kwaman  (from the
clan)  to fight the Dormaa  in Atwoma.  Later  the
combined  forces of Dwaben  (Oyoko), Kwabere  (mixture of
plans), and Kwaman  (Oyoko) routed  the Dormaa and  drove
them away beyond  the Tano river.  In Sekyere the combined
forces of Kumawu, Beposo, as wel1  as Agogo from Asante
Akyem marched  against Atara  Firaw from the west, while
Nkwatla and  Pitiko from Kwau  ione fought  from the east.2'

The  last relevant  factor might have been sheer
determination,  because having  been rendered  homeless,
they needed  somewhere  to stay as a people.  They knew
what  It was  like to be homeless or vice versa.  Fynn

60.

*

rightly  suggests  that "land  hunger was  the  fundamental
factor which united  the  Immigrants  (ancestors of the
Asante)  against  the neighbouring  Guan  people".2°

Thus  the Asante  Immigrants  drove some of their
enemies away and absorbed  the others.  Commenting  on
the occupation of  this area by the Asante Bowdich wrote:
"The Ashantee migrated  and subjected  several  Inta
dfstrtcts now forming  the northern  part of  the dominions,
and  trenched considerably  on that declining kingdom, now
entirely at  their mercy".2'  It appears Bowdich was not
referring  to the Guan kingdom, because  that was not  the
only kingdom  the Adanse  Immigrants  had  to fight.  They
also fought  the Dormaa and  the Akyem. . These  Immigrants,
therefore, built on  the ruins of  the Guan, the Dormaa and
Akyem Kotoku.  Furthermore, these early victories gave
them  the awareness of strength  in unity.

EARLY ASANTE  SETTLEMENTS AND THE FORMATION  OF THE
(AMANTUO)  STATES  (BEFORE  1700)

A close study of the settlements  reveals that most

of  the early settlements did not spring up at their  present
sites all  at once.  The general  pattern of  the movement
from Adanse to their new places appeared  to have been as
follows:  as they Journeyed  northwards, they stopped at
certafn  places on their way, until  finally settled at their
modern  sites.  A few examples will  illustrate  this point.
The people of Ofeso moved  from Adanse and first settled  in
Akyem Abuakwa.  From Akyem  they Journeyed  northwards  to
Edweso where a section  stayed.  Then  leaving Tafo behind,
they  pushed northwards  to the banks of  the river Ofe where
they founded  Ofeso Tutuase, Ofeso Annow, Asamankama  etc.
The  Efldwaase,  led by their ancestral  leader, Mposo  Frempon,
started  from Ayaase  in Adanse and following  the ancient
trade route to the north, stopped  at Asokore Mampon  In
Kwabere.  From  there they moved  to their  present  site.
In the case of Mampon  they started  from Anensan, and
stopped  at Amoafro  Bogyawe, then at Kodiekrom,  Takwa
Buoho  in Kwabere, then still  pressing  northwards  reached
Akrofoso  (old Mampon).  Th* Oyoko clan who  lived at Sante-
manso also moved  to found  settlements  such as Bekwai,

• * •>

m

*

61.

Kumase and Dwaben.  At this early period, there appeared
to have been a great deal of movements of people and shift-
ing of settlements*

It seems by the beginning of the second half of the

seventeenth century, the earl lest settlements had been
founded or were  In the process of being formed.  Some
of the early settlements to be founded were Wonoo, Dwaben,
Atwea, Akrofoso, Anylnasu, Agona Akyempem, Kumawu, Kumase,
Kaase, Ofeso etc. (Fig. 4 ).

A few of the ancestral  leaders were able to build
considerable settlements because of the large follow Ings
they had.  As these leaders were Abirempon  (literally
lords) their settlements became the logical  traditional
capitals.  Some of the large primary settlements or the
seats of  the powerful Abirempon were Kumase, Mampon»  Dwaben
and Kumawu.  Some of these traditional capitals were report-
ed to be very  large and had seventy-seven streets, e.g.
Kumawu.30

There were other settlements of considerable sizes,
but which were not capitals, especially  In Kwabere, such
as Wonoo, Mamponten, Antoa, Faobaware, Kenyase, Sakora-
Wonoo, Bonwere31 etc.  fit was the same area bounded by the
Pra, the Ofe and the Oda rivers where the Akan developed
some of their basic polItlcal and social  institution,32
settlements were small  principalities entirely  Independent
of one another.

At this period some half-a-dozen of the tribal units

had assumed sufficient size and  importance to cause them
to be known as Amantuo  i.e. groups of Aman or tribes.
These were Asumenya, Dwaben, Kumawu, Mampon, Kumase and
Ofeso.33  Nsuta, Kokofu, Bekwal and Agona were all  In
existence but were unimportant as Amantuo.  These states
Independent of one another.3**  They consisted of the capital
town and several  small  settlements which attached  themselves
to the capital for protection.  The name of the capital
settlement became the name of the state e.g. Mampon-Mman,
Dwaben-Mman, Kumawu-Mman etc.  They were civic-cum-mMItary
In outlook.  In time of war, all  the settlements under a
particular head fought as a unit.  Politically, they all
served Denkyira as  Individual entities.

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63.

F O O T N O T ES

1.  Clarfdge,  W.W.,  A  History  of  the  Gold  Coast  &• Ashantl.

V o l . 1, 

(London  1915),  p.12. 

'

2.  Meyerowltz, E.t The Akan Traditions of Origin  (1952),

pp. 124-12*91
Idem 
Idem 

The Akan of Ghana.
"The Akan Oral  Traditions" In Unlver-
sltas  June  1962, Vol.V., No.2.

Ward, W.E.F.,  A History of Ghana  (London  1958)

Chapts. 3 and k.

3.  Rattray, R.S.,  The Tribes of the Ashantl  Hinterland

COUP,  1932), I, XX.

Olckson, K.B.,  A Historical  Geography of Ghana  (OUP,  1969),

pp. 14-15.-

k,  Retndorf, C.C., The History of the Gold  Coast and Ashantl
'

(Basel  1896),  p.48. 

5.  Oaaku, K.Y., 

p . i. 

Oral  Traditions of Adanse  (Legon  1969),
.• 

; 

• 

•

6.  Refer  Ghana Notes and Queries No,9, 1966.

7.  Kumah,  J.K., 

"The Rise and Fall of the Kingdom of

Denkylra", G.N.O..  No.9, 1966, p.34.

8.  Ibid.

9.  Rattray, R.S.,  Ashantl  Law .and Constitution  (1929),

10.  Agyeman-Dua, J., Bonwere  Stool  History,  I.A.S.,

P-253.

ACC. No.148.

II.. Rattray, R.S.,  op. cit.,  p.217.

12.  Wllks,  Ivor, 

"The Northern Factor  Jn Ashanti:

Begho and Mande" In Journal of African History,
11, I, 1961. 

~ 

"

13.  Fynn, J.K., 

"The Rise of Ashant!" in Ghana Notes

and Queries No.9, 1969, p.25. 

~

14.  Bowdtch, T.E., Mission from Cape Coast Castle to

Ashantee  (London  1819), p.229.

15.  Fynn, J.K.,

op. cit.

16.  Osei Tutu, the founder of Asante nation, learnt the

craft of chiefship from the courts of the Kings
of Denkyfra and Akwamu.

17.  Rattray, R.S., Ashanti Law and Constitution, p.72.

18.  Dickson, 

op. ctt., pp. 3—13-

19.  Davis, 0.,

"The  Invaders of Northern Ghana",
Universitas  (Legon  1961),  IV, 5.

Oickson, K.B., op. cit.,  p.ll.

20.  Ibid., p.12.

21.  Rattray, R.S., The Tribes of the Ashanti  Hinterland

(OOP  1932), 

I,  XX. 

~~

22.  Dickson,  K.B., 

op^  c i t .,  p.  14.

23. 

a)  Agyetnan-Dua,  J .,  Kwamang  Stool  History,  1.A.S,,

ACC.  NO.  AS  169.

b)  Idem 

~75  195.

Beposo Stool  History,  I.A.S. ACC. NO.

2k.  a)  Ameyaw, K., "Kwahu - An Early Forest State, G.N.g.

No.9,  1966,  p.kk.

b)  Painter, C, "The Guan and West African Historical

Reconstruction", GJjLQ. No.9, 1966, p.62.

Us*

65.

c) Rattray, R.S.,  Ashanti  Law and  Constitution, p.218.

d) Efa, E., 

Forosie  (Stough  1958),  pp. 7-8.

e) Agyeman-Dua,  J.,  Stool  Histories of Kwamang, Beposo,

Agogo, Kumawu.

25.  Bowdich, T.E.,  op. cit., p.170.

Is. A

26.  Personal  interviews with Barima Owusu-Ansah, Cultural

Advisor  to the National  Cultural  Centre, Kumase.

27.  Ameyaw, K., 

op. cit.

28.  Fynn,  J.K., 

op. cit., p.25.

29.  Bowdich, T.E.,  op. cit.

30.  IJattray, R.S.,  Ashanti  Law and  Constitution, Chapt. VI11.

31.  Boaten, K., 

A  Historical  Geography of Kwabere

(Legon  I96TH  An unpublished  B.A.  dissertation,
p.5.  Adu  Gyamf i the founder of Wonoo was so
powerful  in Kwabere  that he was made a regent at
Kumase after  the death of Obiri  Yeboah and was
instrumental  in crowning  Osei Tutu, the founder
of Asante nation.  But he could not  subjugate
rulers such as Sarkodie Date Asenso of Antoa and
Kagya of  Mamponten.

32.  Boahen, A.A., 

"The Origins of  the Akan11, Ghana Notes

and queries,  (G.N.Q.), No.9, 1966, pp. 9-10.

33.  Rattray, R»S.,  op. cit., p.73.

3*f.  Ward, W.E., 
p.109.

A History of  the Gold Coast  (London  19^5),

if