PRESENTATION ON THE CULTURE

OF ASHANTI PEOPLE OF GHANA.

By
Francis Izuchukwu
Ezenwugo
Country or Countries where This Culture Originates:

The Asante, also known as Ashanti in English (/əˈʃɑːntiː/ ⓘ), are part of the Akan 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
civilizations. Twi is spoken by over nine million Asante people as their native language. [1][2][3]
The Asante people developed the Ashanti Empire, along the Lake Volta and Gulf of Guinea.[4] 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.[4] Sited at the crossroads of the Trans-Saharan trade, Kumasi's strategic location
contributed significantly to its growth.[5] Over the duration of the Kumasi metropolis' existence, a number of
peculiar factors have combined to transform the Kumasi metropolis into a financial centre and political capital.[5]
The main causal factors included the unquestioning loyalty to the Asante rulers and the Kumasi metropolis'
growing wealth, derived in part from the capital's lucrative domestic-trade in items such as gold, slaves, and
bullion
Language Spoken:

The Asante people speak Asante Twi, which is the official language of the Ashanti Region and the main language spoken in
Asante and by the Asante people.[34][35][36][37] Asante language is spoken by over 9 million ethnic Asante people as a first or
second language.[34][35] The Asante language is the official language utilized for literacy in Asante, at the primary and
elementary educational stage (Primary 1–3) K–12 (education) level, and studied at university as a bachelor's degree or
master's degree program in Asante.[34][35][36][37]
The Asante language and Asante Twi have some unique linguistic features like tone, vowel harmony and nasalization.
Dietary Practices:

The Ashanti tribe eat different foods to celebrate their culture and bring people together. These foods include: Fufu: The
Ashanti make Fufu from any of the starchy provisions that include plantains, yams, or cassava. Mpoto Mpoto: It is a cuisine
made from yams. However, other ingredients that make up the food include onions, tomatoes, pepper, fish, and salt. Note that
the Ashanti traditionally had an abundance of food supplies. The foods they grow include plantains, cassava, maize, cocoa,
vegetables, cereals, legumes, and yams. Read more: Rice dishes such as jollof rice and banku (fermented corn dough) are
also common.
Fish, chicken, and goat meat are often incorporated, and meals are typically accompanied by spicy stews.
Health Care Practices for the Elderly and Philosophy on Aging

In Ashanti culture, elderly individuals are respected and revered for their wisdom and life experiences.
Elders play an important role in decision-making and guiding the younger generation.
Traditional healers are often consulted for health issues, using herbs, rituals, and ancestral knowledge.
The Ashanti people believe in the spiritual connection between the living and the ancestors, which influences their approach to health and well-
being.
As people age, they often live with extended family members, where the community-based approach to caregiving is important.

ABSTRACT Background:
The Ghanaian elderly population is increasing at the fastest rate and this has become a burden as the rate is not proportional to the investment in
health to meet their deteriorating health needs. This creates discrepancies and inequalities in healthcare access and coupled with poor healthcare
provider services, the inequalities widen. Poor care services are related to poor knowledge and bad attitudes of care providers hence this study
seeks to explore the health practitioners’ level of knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) toward geriatric care. Methods: The study used a cross-
sectional survey design with a simple stratified random technique to select study participants. Out of 257 participants who were sampled for the
study, 215 responses were received, representing 83.6% response rate. However, 200 questionnaires were complete (93%) and valid for analysis,
which consisted of 166 nurses, representing 83% valid responses, and 34 medical officers, physician assistants, and other allied health care
providers, representing 17% valid responses from these professionals. A structured questionnaire was used to assess KAP using the knowledge
about Older Patients Quiz (KOP-Q) and Kogan’s Attitudes toward Old People Scale (KAOP). Using a mean score of 80%, knowledge, attitude, and
practice were dichotomized into good or bad. The Kruskal-Wallis H test was used to compare mean rank across health professionals’ knowledge,
attitude, and practice of geriatric care. Results: It shows that the majority (94%) of participants have low levels of knowledge in geriatric care. The
majority (84%) of participants do not practice good geriatric care. Differences in knowledge exist among health providers and were statistically
significant (P=.045). Doctors had the lowest mean knowledge score (78.61). Nurses (100.27) and physician assistants (106.15) had moderate
mean knowledge score ranks. Although not statistically significant, the rank order for practice scores from highest to lowest was: physician
assistants (112.95), nurses (99.19), and doctors (79.21). There were however no statistically significant differences between professions in practice
scores (P=.067), or attitude scores (P=.097). Conclusion: Health care providers have low knowledge and, bad attitude toward aged care and this
may be related to their service delivery which may affect the aged patronage of healthcare services. This is a wake-up call for authorities to
organize continuous professional development to enable care providers to improve their service delivery. Keywords: Knowledge, attitude, geriatric
care, nurses, doctors, physician assistants.
Male/Female Interactions, Family, and Raising Children:

Gender roles in Ashanti culture are traditionally distinct but complementary.

Men are typically seen as providers and protectors, while women are responsible for domestic tasks and child-rearing.
Families are often extended, with several generations living together or close by.
Respect for elders is a key value, and children are taught to show respect from a young age.
In child-rearing, obedience, discipline, and respect for authority are emphasized .

Religion and Religious Practices:

The Ashanti people practice a mixture of traditional African religion, Christianity, and Islam.
Traditional religion involves belief in Nyame (the supreme god) and a host of other gods and spirits connected to the natural world.
Ancestral worship is central, and rituals are often performed to honor the ancestors and seek their blessings.
Christianity is practiced by a significant portion of the Ashanti population, often blended with traditional beliefs.
Islam also has followers, especially among some groups in the northern Ashanti region.
The Asante follow Akan religion and the Asante religion (a traditional religion which seems to be dying slowly but is revived only on major special
occasions—yet is undergoing a global revival across the diaspora), followed by Christianity (Roman Catholicism and Protestantism) and Islam.[38]
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
Practices Associated with Illness and Death:

Illness in Ashanti culture is often seen as a spiritual or supernatural issue, where evil spirits or angry ancestors could be responsible.
Traditional healers or priests are consulted for diagnosis and treatment, using herbs, rituals, and prayers.
Death is marked with significant rituals and ceremonies to honor the deceased and ensure a peaceful transition to the afterlife.
Funerals are elaborate events, and the community is involved in mourning and celebrations of the life of the deceased.

Asante (Ashantis) in Ghana are endowed with various ceremonial practices and art forms which emphasize the identities of the indigenous Asante
and promote their socio-cultural development. Unfortunately their funeral practices on which this study seeks to dwell bring many burdens to the
people. Every death triggers a flow of money and the funeral business flourishes. An Anthropologist, Marleen de Witte observes that, “The
elaborate funeral celebrations during which no trouble or expense is spared contrast sharply with the daily struggle for the primary necessities of
life.”1 In a “world of plenty” the number of Asante elders dying or suffering from hunger and related diseases is staggering. Families often spend
more money on funerals than they do on the care of the elderly. In other words, they take better care of the dead than the living. They seem more
interested in the post-mortem than the pre-mortem care. As the Akan proverb goes: “the family loves the corpse.” Little or no attention is paid to
people at the End-of-life (EoL).
Important Customs, Holidays, or Festivals:

The Akwasidae Festival is one of the most important festivals in Ashanti culture, celebrating the Ashanti king and honoring the ancestors.
During Akwasidae, there are traditional dances, music, feasts, and the presentation of gifts to the king.
Odwira Festival is another significant festival, where the Ashanti people celebrate the harvest and renew their commitment to their ancestors.
Christmas and Easter are also widely celebrated, particularly by those who practice Christianity, with special services, feasts, and family
gatherings.
Asante culture celebrates Adae, Adae Kese, Akwasidae, Awukudae and Asante Yam festival.[25] The Seperewa, a 10-14 stringed harp-lute, as well
as the Fontomfrom drums are originally from the Bono Akan people. Kente clothing. [26]
Society and Customs:
Asante are a matrilineal society where line of descent is traced through the female. [27] Historically, this mother progeny relationship determined
land rights, inheritance of property, offices and titles. [27] It is also true that the Asante inherit property from the paternal side of the family. Though
not considered as important as the mother, the male interaction continues in the place of birth after marriage. [27]
Historically, an Asante girl was betrothed with a golden ring called "petia" (I love you), if not in childhood, immediately after the puberty ceremony.
[27]
They did not regard marriage "awade" as an important ritual event, but as a state that follows soon and normally after the puberty ritual. [27] The
puberty rite was and is important as it signifies passage from childhood to adulthood in that chastity is encouraged before marriage. [27] 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
Asante Womanhood:
In the Asante culture, Womanhood is marked by Puberty rites termed "bragoro."[28] Bragoro is a ceremony that is conducted for girls in the
community from the ages of 13 to 20. [29] The precursor to bragoro puberty rites is onset by the beginning of Menstruation in a girl's life.[28] The
purpose of bragoro rites is to enable women to get married, showcase them to society, teach them how to be wives and mothers, and signify the
coming of age of girls.[28] The cultural symbolism in the ceremony represents the meaning of womanhood in Asante.
In the bragoro puberty rites, girls' heads are shaved and dyed black. [28] Every day during the rites, young girls in the community feed the chosen
girls boiled eggs, fish, and eto.[30][31] Alongside, the older women in the community, called mmerewa, teach the girls about marriage, motherhood,
and morality. The merewa bathe the girls in a neighboring stream. [28] Then, the mmerewa dress the young ladies in white cloth (ntoma) and gold
jewelry.[28] Afterward, the girls are showcased to the entire community with songs, dances, and praises. [29]
For the Asante, every color and object has cultural significance meaning, 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 [Link] 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 Asante royalty, 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
Challenges in Providing Care to an Ashanti Client:

Cultural Sensitivity: Understanding the Ashanti’s deep respect for elders and the role of community in caregiving is essential.
Spiritual Beliefs: Health professionals must recognize the importance of spiritual and traditional healing practices and work alongside traditional
healers where possible.
Family Involvement: Caregivers must involve the extended family in the care process, as Ashanti families often provide communal support for elders.
Gender Roles: The expectations of gender roles in caregiving, especially in the context of who provides care (often women), should be respected
and acknowledged.

Conclusion:
The Ashanti people of Ghana have a rich and deeply rooted culture centered on respect for ancestors, family, and spirituality. Understanding these
cultural values is crucial in providing effective care, particularly in areas involving health, aging, and family dynamics.