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Akan people
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This article is about the meta-ethnicity and ethno-linguistic group Akan. For other topics, see Akan.
Akans
Total population
c. 20 million (est.)[N 1][1]
Regions with significant populations
Ghana
12 million
Ivory Coast
9 million
Languages
Akan (Central Tano languages)
Religion
Christianity (majority)
Akan religion

Sunni Islam
Related ethnic groups
Coromantees
The Akan (/əˈkæn/) are a meta-ethnicity predominantly speaking Central Tano languages and residing in the southern regions of the former Gold Coast region in what is today the nation of Ghana. Akans who historically migrated from Ghana also make up a plurality of the populace in the Ivory Coast.
Akans are the largest group in both countries and have a population of over 20 million people. However there is also a number of Akans in neighboring countries such as Togo/Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea, and Liberia. These migrations are both pre and post-colonial. The Akan language (also known as Twi–Fante) is a group of dialects within the Central Tano branch of the Potou–Tano subfamily of the Niger–Congo family.[2]
Subgroups of the Akan proper include:
Asante, Akuapem, Akwamu, and Akyem (together known as Twi), Agona, Kwahu, Wassa, Fante (Fanti or Mfantse: Anomabo, Abura, Gomua) and Bono.
Subgroups of the Bia-speaking groups include: the Anyin, Baoulé, Chakosi (Anufo), Sefwi (Sehwi), Nzema, Ahanta and Jwira-Pepesa. The Akan subgroups have cultural attributes in common, notably the tracing of matrilineal descent, inheritance of property, and succession to high political office.
Akan culture can also be found in the New World. A number of Akans were taken as captives to the Americas. Roughly ten-percent of all slave ships embarked from the Gold Coast. The Akan’s economy primary source of wealth was gold. However as wars culminated in the region the capture and sale of Akan people into the slave trade peaked during the Fante and Ashanti conflicts (as both sides sold a large number of their captives) as prisoners of war. Akan conflicts led to a high number of military captives being sold into slavery as the "Coromantee". These soldiers and other Akan captives were notorious for a large number of slave revolts and plantation resistance tactics. These captives were feared throughout the Americas so much so that we can see their legacy within groups such as the Maroons of the Caribbean and South America.
Contents
1 Origin and ethnogenesis
2 History
3 Akan polity
4 Akan subgroups and meta-ethnic identity
5 Akan language
6 Culture
7 Concepts of Akan philosophy and inheritance
7.1 Matrilineality
7.2 Akan influence
8 Notable Individuals of Akan origin
9 Gallery
10 See also
11 References
12 Further reading
13 External links
Origin and ethnogenesis[edit]
Akan people
Culture
Music
Art
Language
Mythology
v
t
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See also: Bonoman, Denkyira, and Ashanti Empire
The Akan people are believed to have migrated to their current location from the Sahara desert and Sahel region of Africa into the forested region around the 11th century,[3] and many Akans tell their history as it started in Eastern region of Africa as this is where the ethnogenesis of the Akan as we know them today happened.[4][5][6]
Map depicting the pre-colonial spread of various civilizations across the African continent.
Oral traditions of the ruling Abrade (Aduana) Clan relate that they originated from ancient Ghana. They migrated from the north, they went through Egypt and settled in Nubia (Sudan). Around 500AD (5th century), due to the pressure exerted on Nubia by the Axumite kingdom of Ethiopia, Nubia was shattered, and the Akan people moved west and established small trading kingdoms. These kingdoms grew, and around 750AD the Ghana Empire was formed. The Empire lasted from 750AD to 1200AD and collapsed as a result of the introduction of Islam in the Western Sudan, and the zeal of the Muslims to impose their religion, their ancestors eventually left for Kong (i.e. present day Ivory Coast). From Kong they moved to Wam and then to Dormaa (both located in present-day Brong-Ahafo region). The movement from Kong was necessitated by the desire of the people to find suitable savannah conditions since they were not used to forest life. Around the 14th century, they moved from Dormaa South Eastwards to Twifo-Hemang, North West Cape Coast. This move was commercially motivated.[7]
The kingdom of Bonoman (or Brong-Ahafo) was established as early as the 12th century,.[8] Between the 12th and 13th centuries a gold boom in the area brought wealth to numerous Akans.[9]
During different phases of the Kingdom of Bonoman, groups of Akans migrated out of the area to create numerous states based predominantly on gold mining and trading of cash crops.[10][11] This brought wealth to numerous Akan states like Akwamu Empire,[12] (1550-1650) and ultimately led to the rise of the most well known Akan empire, the Empire of Ashanti,[13](1700-1900), the most dominant of the Akan states.
History[edit]
From the 15th century to the 19th century (and possibly even earlier) the Akan people dominated gold mining and trading in the region; from the 17th century on, they were among the most powerful groups in Africa.[14][15]
The Akan goldfields, according to Peter Bakewell, were the "highly auriferous area in the forest country between the Komoe and Volta rivers.[16] The Akan goldfield was one of three principal goldfields in the region, along with the Bambuk goldfield, and the Bure goldfield.[17]
Cast brass weights used to measure precise amounts of gold dust. Weights in this system were developed in the seventeenth century. These weights are from the nineteenth century.
This wealth in gold attracted European traders. Initially, the Europeans were Portuguese, soon joined by the Dutch and the British in their quest for Akan gold. Akan states waged wars 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 Akan states in exchange for Akan gold.[18] Akan gold was also used to purchase slaves from further up north via the Trans-Saharan route. The Akan purchased slaves in order to help clear the dense forests within Ashanti.[18] About a third of the population of many Akan states were indentured servants (i.e. Non-Akan peoples). The Akans went from buyers of slaves to selling slaves as the dynamics in the Gold Coast and the New World changed. Thus, the Akan people played a role in supplying Europeans with indentured servants, who were later enslaved for the trans-Atlantic slave trade.[19] In 2006 Ghana apologized to the descendants of slaves for the role some of its people may have played in the slave trade.[20]
Akan people, especially the Ashanti people, fought against European colonists and defeated them on several occasions to maintain autonomy. This occurred during the Anglo-Ashanti wars: the war of the Golden Stool, and other similar battles.[14][15][21]
By the early 1900s all of Ghana was a colony or protectorate of the British while the lands in the Ivory Coast were under the French. On 6 March 1957, following the decolonization from the British under the leadership of Kwame Nkrumah, the Gold Coast was joined to British Togoland, and the Northern region, Upper East region and Upper West region of the Gold Coast to form Ghana.[22] Ivory Coast gained independence on 7 August 1960.
Akan polity[edit]
The Akans consider themselves one nation. Akan means first, foremost, and references the enlightened and Civilized. While traditionally matrilineal; they are also united philosophically through 12 patrilineal spirit groups called the Ntoro or egya-bosom. Within this nation are branches based on many dialects, widest (and possibly the oldest) one used is Twi. Each branch subsequently holds a collection of states and stemming from city-states. The state or Aman is typically ruled by several kings known as Ahenfo. The state is the basic unit of Akan polity. Several states and city-states can band together to form a Confederacy or an empire regardless of clan or abusua they belong to, while those outside of the Akan tribe or the abusua were usually conquered or annexed via war or mutual agreement. For example, the Guan state of Larteh and the Akyem state of Akropong joined together to form the Akwapim Kingdom to avoid the Akwamu, who the Guan deemed as oppressive. Under the State there are Divisions and under these Divisions are towns and villages.[23]
Akan kings are ranked according to their jurisdiction. The head of an inter-clan Confederacy is usually considered a King, as in the Kings of Ashanti, Akyem and the Akwapim. Under these are the heads of the constituent states who equates an Emperor that only heads an Empire (for e.g. Asante Empire and the Denkyira). In Asante's case, as an Empire the Asantehene reigned over non-Oyoko clan city states and ruled over the kings of those states as an Imperial head or Emperor (a hardly used but rightful equivalent term as Emperor literally mean king of kings.) but right Next, there are divisional Chiefs, they are primarily arranged according to the five divisions of an Akan army. The Akan army or Asafo formation resembles a cross or an aeroplane. The battle formation has the Frontline, the West Flank, an East Flank, the main body and the Vanguard. There are therefore five divisional chiefs in each Paramountcy. These are followed in rank by the Kings of the city and then the Kings of the town and then king of the suburbs.[23]
The Akan tribe mostly have seven Abusua (matrilineal clans) in each state. They do not have the same names in each state but each has an equivalent clan (for e.g. in Fante areas along the coast, the Asante clan of Oyoko is referred to as Dehyena or Yokofo). The clans are assigned States which they rule by virtue of their status as founders of that jurisdiction. The Ashanti Kingdom is ruled by the Oyoko Clan. However the Bretuo or Twidanfo(in Fante) as well as other clans rule States, Divisions, Towns and Villages within the Kingdom. The Fante-speaking tribes usually have the Asona Clan ruling most of their States(like Mankessim). Certain sub-clans or lineages have exclusive rights to some stools within Akanland such as the lineage of Afia Kobi in the Oyoko Clan who alone sit on the Golden Stool of Asante.[23]
The Akans are traditionally a Matrilineal people of the African continent. Matrilineal inheritance makes it easier to trace the line of succession. Within each lineage or House are the branches. The chief of a family is called an Abusuapanin (or family-elder). Ranking above a family chief(a family's Abusuapanin) is the clan's chief(or clan's Abusuapanin). These branches are called Jaase or literally Kitchens. Each Kitchen takes its turn to present a candidate for the stool to the kingmakers of the lineage. Once accepted their candidate rules till death. This means until all the Jaase have presented their candidates they have to wait their turn.[23]
Akan Kings of whatever rank have other noblemen who serve them as Sub-Chiefs. These sub-chiefs do not have hereditary titles and therefore do not have black stools. In addition each King has a female co-ruler known as the Queenmother. The Queen-mother is more like a figurehead representing the King's or Emperor's eldest sister and hence the mother of the next King or Emperor, she could rule as a King if she wishes(for e.g. queen-mothers mainly from the House of Asona clan: Nana Abena Boaa who ruled Offinso 1610-1640, Nana Afia Dokuaa who ruled Akyem Abuakwa 1817-1835, and Nana Yaa Asantewaa who ruled Edweso 1896-1900.) . They present the candidate for consideration as King. An assistant king does not have a Queenmother as his title is not hereditary.[23]
A Prince or Daakyehene (lit Future-king) is any of the members of the lineage eligible to sit on a stool. However, not all the noblemen or noblewomen are Princes as some may be ineligible. A prince is not necessarily the son of a King but rather the former King's nephew on the mother's side. As such nobles strive to achieve the position of prince in their families or for their children.[23]
A sub-chief does not however need to be a nobleman. He only has to be suitable for the position he is to occupy. Some sub-chieftaincy positions can be abolished at will. They include the heads of the ruling house or Mankrado, the Linquist, the Chief Kingmaker or Jaasehene, the Supi or General of the Army, the Captains of the Army or Asafohene among others.[23]
The way Akans ruled their nation fascinated the tribes of other West African nations and as the Akans conquered or formed alliances with these nations parts of it was transmitted to them. The British particularly felt the Akan system was highly efficient and tried to establish it throughout their dominions in West Africa using the Indirect Rule System. The Ewes and the Ga-Adangmes with their close affinity to the Akans have modified certain aspects of it to fit their societies.[23]
In Ghana and other modern states where the Akan tribe is located the Kings, Assistant Kings, Princes and Noblemen of the Akans serve mostly a symbolic role. Modern politics has side-lined them in national politics although it is common to find that an elected or appointed official to be of Akan royalty. And, especially in the villages and poor areas, traditional Kings are still very important for organizing development, social services and keeping peace. Some Kings have decided to push ahead with the leadership of their Kingdoms and States in a non-political fashion. The Asantehene and Okyehene have emphasized Education and Environmental Sustainability respectively. Others push the national government and its agents to fulfill promises to their people.[23]
In modern Ghana a quasi-legislative/judicial body known as the House of "Chiefs"(a colonial term to belittle African Kings because of the racist belief to not equate an African king with a European king in rank) has been established to oversee "chieftaincy" and the Government of Ghana as the British Government once did certifies the Chiefs and gazettes them. Several Akan Kings sit at the various levels of the National House of "Chiefs". Each Paramountcy has a Traditional Council, then there is the Regional House of "Chiefs" and lastly the National House of "Chiefs". Akan Kings who once warred with each other and Kings of other nations within Ghana now sit with them to build peace and advocate development for their nations.[23]
Akan subgroups and meta-ethnic identity[edit]
The Akan people comprise the following subgroups: Ashanti (the largest Akan ethnic group), Abinghi, Abbe, Abidji, Aboure, Adjukru, Ahafo, Ahanta, Akuapem, Akwamu, Akye, Akyem, Alladian, Anyi, Aowin, Assin, Attie, Avatime, Avikam, Baoulé, Abron, Chokosi, Denkyira, Ehotile, Evalue, Fante (the second largest Akan ethnic group), Kwahu, M'Bato, Nzema, Sefwi, Tchaman, Twifu and Wassa.[1][24]
The identity of an Akan nation or meta-ethnicity is expressed by the term Akanman. The Akan word ɔman (plural Aman) which forms the second element in this expression has a meaning much of "community, town; nation, state". ɔman/Aman has been translated as "Akanland" ".[25]
Akan language[edit]
Further information: Akan language and Akan Orthography Committee
Akan refers to the language of the Akan ethno-linguistic group and the Akan language in which was and is the most widely spoken and used indigenous language on the Ashantiland Peninsula.[26][27] Akan is officially recognized for literacy on the Ashantiland Peninsula, 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.[26][27] The Akan language spoken as the predominant language in the Western, Central, Ashanti, Eastern, Brong Ahafo regions of the Ashantiland Peninsula.[26][27] A language with some Akan influence called Ndyuka is also spoken in South America (Suriname and French Guiana), with the Akan language coming to these South American and Caribbean places through the trans-Atlantic trade and Akan names and folktales are still used in these South American and Caribbean countries(another example can be seen in the Maroons of Jamaica and their influence with Akan culture and loanwords).[26][27] With the present state of technology, one can listen to live radio broadcasts in Akan from numerous radio stations and receive mass media and public broadcasts in Akan from numerous multimedia and media broadcasting.[26][27] Akan is studied in major universities in North America and United States, including Ohio University, Ohio State University, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Harvard University, Boston University, Indiana University, University of Michigan, and the University of Florida.[26][27] The Akan language has been a regular language of study in the annual Summer Cooperative African Languages Institute (SCALI) program and the Akan language is regulated and administered by the Akan Orthography Committee (AOC).[26][27]
Some of Akan's characteristic features include tone, vowel harmony and nasalization.[26][27]
Culture[edit]
17th Century Akan Terracotta – Metropolitan Museum of Art
Akan culture is one of the traditional matrilineal cultures of Africa.[28] Akan art is wide-ranging and renowned, especially for the tradition of crafting bronze goldweights, using the lost-wax casting method. The Akan culture reached South America, Caribbean, and North America.[29]
Some of their most important mythological stories are called anansesem, literally meaning "the spider story", but in a figurative sense also meaning "traveler's tales". These "spider stories" are sometimes also referred to as nyankomsem: "words of a sky god". The stories generally, but not always, revolve around Kwaku Ananse, a trickster spirit, often depicted as a spider, human, or a combination thereof.[30]
Elements of Akan culture also include, but are not limited to:[31][32][33][34][35] Akan art, kente cloth, Akan Calendar, Akan Chieftaincy, Akan goldweights and Akan religion
Concepts of Akan philosophy and inheritance[edit]
These are the basic concepts of Akan philosophy and inheritance:
Abusua (mogya) – What an Akan inherits from his mother
Ntoro – What an Akan gets from his father, but one does not belong to a Ntoro; instead one belongs to one's Abusua
Sunsum – What an Akan develops from interaction with the world
Kra – What an Akan gets from Onyame/Nyame (God)[36]
Matrilineality[edit]
Many but not all of the Akan still[37] practice their traditional matrilineal customs, living in their traditional extended family households. The traditional Akan economic and political organization is based on matrilineal lineages, which are the basis of inheritance and succession. A lineage is defined as all those related by matrilineal descent from a particular ancestress. Several lineages are grouped into a political unit headed by a council of elders, each of whom is the elected head of a lineage – which itself may include multiple extended-family households.
Public offices are thus vested in the lineage, as are land tenure and other lineage property. In other words, lineage property is inherited only by matrilineal kin.[37][38] Each lineage controls the lineage land farmed by its members, functions together in the veneration of its ancestors, supervises marriages of its members, and settles internal disputes among its members.[39]
The political units above are likewise grouped (into traditionally seven) but now eight larger groups called abusua: Aduana, Agona, Asakyiri, Asenie, Asona, Bretuo, Ekuona and Oyoko. The members of each such abusua are united by their belief that they are all descended from the same ancient ancestress – so marriage between members of the same group (or abusua) is forbidden, a taboo on marriage. One inherits, or is a lifelong member of, the lineage, the political unit and the abusua of one's mother, regardless of one's gender or marriage. Members and their spouses thus belong to different abusuas, with mother and children living and working in one household, but their husband/father living and working in a different household.[37][38]
According to one source[40] of information about the Akan, "A man is strongly related to his mother's brother (wɔfa) but only weakly related to his father's brother. This must be viewed in the context of a polygamous society in which the mother/child bond is likely to be much stronger than the father/child bond. As a result, in inheritance, a man's nephew (his sister's son) (wɔfase) will have priority over his own son. Uncle-nephew relationships therefore assume a dominant position."[40]
"The principles governing inheritance, generation and age – that is to say, men come before women and seniors before juniors."... When a woman’s brothers are available, a consideration of generational seniority stipulates that the line of brothers be exhausted before the right to inherit lineage property passes down to the next senior genealogical generation of sisters' sons. Finally, "it is when all possible male heirs have been exhausted that the females" may inherit.[40]
Certain other aspects of the Akan culture are determined patrilineally rather than matrilineally. There are ancestrally 12 patrilineal Ntoro (spirit) groups, and everyone belongs to his or her father's Ntoro group, but not to his family lineage and abusua. Each Ntoro group has its own surnames,[41] taboos, ritual purifications and forms of etiquette.[38] A person thus inherits one's Ntoro from one's father, but does not belong to his family.
A recent (2001) book[37] provides an update on the Akan, stating that some families are changing from the above abusua structure to the nuclear family.[42] Housing, childcare, education, daily work, and elder care etc. are then handled by that individual family, rather than by the abusua or clan, especially in the city.[43] The above taboo on marriage within one's abusua is sometimes ignored, but "clan membership" is still important,[42] with many people still living in the abusua framework presented above.[37]
Akan influence[edit]
Elements of Akan culture can generally be seen in many geographic areas. Specific elements of Akan culture are especially seen in neighboring African peoples and some Central African populations. Akan culture has also been historically important in the New World, where Akan names are or were common,[44] for example among the Coromantins of Jamaica, South and North America, Barbados, and the descendants of the Akwamu in St. John. Kofi, the leader of the 1763 slave revolt and violent revolt against the Dutch people in Guyana was an Akan.
Notable Individuals of Akan origin[edit]
Main article: List of Akan people
Kwame Nkrumah (1909-1972) -- started the pan-African movement, which liberated many states from European colonialism
Kofi Annan (born 1938) -- the first black man to head the United Nations organization. He was awarded the Nobel Prize
Arthur Wharton (1865-1930) -- the first black professional footballer in the world.[45]
Full List of all Akan people (famous and notable individuals)
Gallery[edit]
Akan metalwork from the Brooklyn Museum, New York City, United States
Mask (Bo Nun Amuin), from the early 20th century
Wooden mask representing an elephant. Large round ears with a smaller human mask in center of each ear. Eyes are round and pink. Zig-zag patterns along the length of trunk, upturned tusks. Condition: One mask in proper left ear is partially broken; few small cracks on front of face; one large crack under chin. One tusk previously broken.
Empire of Ashanti warrior military golden war combat helmet and personal armor of the Empire of Ashanti – Museum of Natural History.
Empire of Ashanti Soldier, c. 1824, Visual Art – Joseph Dupuis.
Empire of Ashanti and the Gold Coast map.
Diachronic map showing "Akan-held territory Ashantiland" Sovereign nation state and territorial entity with pre-colonial states and cultures of Africa (spanning roughly 500 BCE to 1500 CE). This map is "an artistic interpretation" using multiple and disparate sources.
See also[edit]
Empire of Ashanti
Gyaaman
List of rulers of the Akan state of Adanse
List of rulers of the Akan states of Akwamu and Twifo-Heman
List of rulers of the Akan state of Bono-Tekyiman
List of rulers of the Akan state of Denkyira
List of rulers of the Akan state of Gyaaman
List of rulers of the Akan state of Akyem Abuakwa
List of rulers of Asante
Tacky's War
References[edit]
^ Jump up to: a b ""Cote d'Ivoire", CIA - The World Factbook". Cia.gov. "Akan 42.1%" of a population of 22.0 million. ""Ghana", CIA - The World Factbook". Cia.gov. Retrieved 2012-08-24. "Akan 45.3%" of a population of 24.6 million.
Jump up ^ Languages of the Akan area: papers in Western Kwa linguistics and on the linguistic geography of the area of ancient. Isaac K. Chinebuah, H. Max J. Trutenau, Linguistic Circle of Accra, Basler Afrika Bibliographien, 1976, pp. 168.
Jump up ^ "Akwamu". akuapem.com. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
Jump up ^ "Atlas of the Human Journey". The Genographic Project. Archived from the original on 7 February 2010. Retrieved 2011-01-01.
Jump up ^ The Akan diaspora in the Americas Oxford University Press, 2010 - Social Science
Jump up ^ Ghana: The Bradt Travel Guide, Bradt Travel Guides, 2007 - 416 pages
Jump up ^ Akwamu. akuapem.com.
Jump up ^ The Techiman-Bono of Ghana:an ethnography of an Akan society Kendall/Hunt Pub. Co., 1975
Jump up ^ Title: Africa a Voyage of Discovery with Basil Davidson, Language: English Type: Documentary Year: 1984 Length: 114 min.
Jump up ^ Africa from the 12th to the 16th century Joseph Ki-Zerbo, Djibril Tamsir Niane, James Currey, 1997, 294 pp.
Jump up ^ Indigenous medicine and knowledge in African society. Psychology Press, 2007 - Health & Fitness.
Jump up ^ "Akwamu - Encyclopedia Article and More from". Merriam-Webster. 2010-08-13. Retrieved 2011-11-13.
Jump up ^ Africa: a Voyage of Discovery with Basil Davidson, Documentary, 1984, 114 minutes.
^ Jump up to: a b "Africa Gallery". Penn Museum. Retrieved 2011-11-13.
^ Jump up to: a b The African heritage, Volume 3 Zimbabwe Pub. House, 1999 - History - 180 pages
Jump up ^ Wilks, Ivor. Wangara, Akan, and Portuguese in the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuries (1997). Bakewell, Peter, ed. Mines of Silver and Gold in the Americas. Aldershot: Variorum, Ashgate Publishing Limited. p. 4. CS1 maint: Multiple names: authors list (link)
Jump up ^ Levtzion, Nehemia (1973). Ancient Ghana and Mali. New York: Methuen & Co Ltd. p. 155. ISBN 0841904316.
^ Jump up to: a b "Asante (Ashanti) History Much of the modern nation of Ghana". modernghana.com. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
Jump up ^ Henry Louis Gates Jr. "Ending the Slavery Blame-Game". Archived from the original on 23 April 2010. Retrieved 2012-03-26.
Jump up ^ "Ghana apologizes to slaves' descendants". modernghana.com. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
Jump up ^ Non-western theories of development: regional norms versus global trends, Harcourt Brace College Pub., 1999, 179 pp.
Jump up ^ "United Nations member States - General Information". Un.org. Retrieved 2011-11-13.
^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j "Amamere". asanteman.org. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
Jump up ^ "Online Twi Dictionary - The Akan People". twi.bb. Retrieved 2011-11-13.
Jump up ^ Transactions of the Historical Society of Ghana. The Society. 2003. , p. 28]
^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h Guerini, Federica (2006). Language The Alternation Strategies in Multilingual Settings. Peter Lang. p. 100. ISBN 0-82048-369-9.
^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h "Akan (Twi) – Akan language". amesall.rutgers.edu.
Jump up ^ Ghana: The Bradt Travel Guide, Philip Briggs, Katherine Rushton Bradt Travel Guides, 2007, 416 pp.
Jump up ^ "Man Ray, African art, and the modernist lens", Wendy Grossman, Martha Ann Bari, Letty Bonnell, International Arts & Artists, 2009 - Photography, 183 pp.
Jump up ^ A Treasury of African Folklore: the oral literature, traditions, myths, legends, epics, tales, recollections, wisdom, sayings, and humor of Africa, Crown Publishers, 1975, 617 pp.
Jump up ^ Facets of Ghanaian culture African Studies, Jerry Bedu-Addo, 1989. 68 pp.
Jump up ^ Akan Weights and the Gold Trade, Longman, 1980. 393 pp.
Jump up ^ Sankofa: African thought and education, P. Lang, 1995, 236 pp.
Jump up ^ Simultaneity in signed languages: form and function, John Benjamins Publishing Company, 2007, 355 pp.
Jump up ^ The Rough Guide to West Africa, Penguin, 2008, 1360 pp.
Jump up ^ L'homme, Volume 7 École pratique des hautes études (France). Section des sciences économiques et sociales École pratique des hautes études, Section des sciences économiques et sociales, 1967
^ Jump up to: a b c d e de Witte, Marleen (2001). Long Live the Dead!: changing funeral celebrations in Asante, Ghana. Published by Het Spinhuis. ISBN 90-5260-003-1.
^ Jump up to: a b c Busia, Kofi Abrefa (1970). Encyclopædia Britannica, 1970. William Benton, publisher, The University of Chicago. ISBN 0-85229-135-3, Vol. 1, p. 477. (This Akan article was written by Kofi Abrefa Busia, formerly professor of Sociology and Culture of Africa at the University of Leiden, Netherlands.)
Jump up ^ Owusu-Ansah, David (Nov1994). http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?frd/cstdy:@field%28DOCID+gh0048%29, "Ghana: The Akan Group". This source, "Ghana", is one of the Country Studies available from the US Library of Congress. Archived by WebCite® at https://www.webcitation.org/61M7J7JwT on 31Aug11.
^ Jump up to: a b c ashanti.com.au (before 2010). http://ashanti.com.au/pb/wp_8078438f.html, "Ashanti Home Page". Archived at WebCite https://www.webcitation.org/5xVwnX0ie?url=http://ashanti.com.au/pb/wp_8078438f.html on 28Mar11.
Jump up ^ de Witte (2001), p. 55 shows such surnames in a family tree, which provides a useful example of names.
^ Jump up to: a b de Witte (2001), p. 53.
Jump up ^ de Witte (2001), p. 73.
Jump up ^ "Kwasi Konadu, "The Akan Diaspora in the Americas" (Oxford UP, 2010)". Newbooksinafroamstudies.com. 2011-06-09. Retrieved 2011-11-13.
Jump up ^ J. A. Mangan, The Cultural bond: sport, empire, society
Further reading[edit]
Jump up ^ CIA World Factbook population total suggests roughly 20 million.
Antubam, Kofi, Ghana's Heritage of Culture, Leipzig, 1963.
Kyerematen, A. A. Y., Panoply of Ghana, London, 1964.
Meyerowitz, Eva L. R., Akan Traditions of Origin, London, c. 1950.
Meyerowitz, Eva L. R., At the Court of an African King, London 1962
Obeng, Ernest E., Ancient Ashanti Chieftaincy, Tema (Ghana), 1986.
Bartle, Philip F. W. (January 1978), "Forty Days; The AkanCalendar". Africa: Journal of the International African Institute (Edinburgh University Press), 48 (1): 80–84.
For the Akan, the first-born twin is considered the younger, as the elder stays behind to help the younger out.
"Kente Cloth." African Journey. webmaster@projectexploration.org. 25 September 2007.
Effah-Gyamfi, Kwaku (1979), Traditional History of the Bono State, Legon: Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana.
Effah-Gyamfi, Kwaku (1985), Bono Manso: an archaeological investigation into early Akan urbanism (African occasional papers, no. 2) Calgary: Dept. of Archaeology, University of Calgary Press. ISBN 0-919813-27-5
Meyerowitz, E. L. R. (1949), "Bono-Mansu, the earliest centre of civilisation in the Gold Coast", Proceedings of the III International West African Conference, 118–20.
External links[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Akan people.
Wikiquote has quotations related to: Akan
Kasahorow Akan Dictionary The Dictionary of Standard Written Akan
Akan gold trade
Akan Philosophy of the Person, Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (2006) ISSN 1095-5054
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Akan states of the Ashantiland Peninsula and the Gold Coast Region
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Ashanti people (Fanti)
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Akan language (Akan languages)
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Rulers of Adanse
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Asantehene (Manhyia Palace • Akan Chieftaincy)
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Geography
(Ashantiland Peninsula)
Geographic entities:
Akosombo (Akosombo Dam • Kpong Dam)
Atewa Range (Kwahu Plateau)
Birim River (Pra River • Lake Bosumtwi)
Cape Three Points
Bobowasi Island
Dodi Island
Territories:
Ashanti
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Greater Accra
Western Ashantiland
Major settlements:
Kumasi (Obuasi)
Historic states
Efutu
Akyem
Bosome
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Kotoku
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Akuapem
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Asen
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Wikipedia
Akan Wikipedia
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Authority control
BNF: cb12020802r (data)
LCCN: sh85003050
SUDOC: 028355709
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Akan_people&oldid=854710061"
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text:
Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Flora, Fauna and Merryweather
From left to right: Fauna, Flora, and Merryweather
First appearance
Sleeping Beauty (1959)
Voiced by
Flora:
Verna Felton (Sleeping Beauty)
Tress MacNeille (House of Mouse)
Barbara Dirikson (other appearances)
Susanne Blakeslee (Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom)
Fauna:
Barbara Jo Allen (Sleeping Beauty)
Russi Taylor (other appearances)
Merryweather:
Barbara Luddy (Sleeping Beauty)
Tress MacNeille (other appearances)
Species
Fairy
Gender
Female
Occupation
Fairy godmothers
Children
Princess Aurora (goddaughter)
Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather are the protagonists of Walt Disney's 1959 film Sleeping Beauty. They are characterized as Princess Aurora's fairy godmothers, who appear at baby Aurora's christening to present their gifts to her, as well as her guardians and/or parents. The three were voiced by Verna Felton, Barbara Jo Allen, and Barbara Luddy, respectively.
Contents
[hide]
1 Characteristics and Personalities
2 Appearances
2.1 Sleeping Beauty
2.2 Maleficent
2.3 Other appearances
3 Reception of the original characters
4 References
Characteristics and Personalities[edit]
Flora is the tallest and oldest fairy, dressed in a red gown (although she is obsessed with the color pink), a red hat, and a red cape clipped with a yellow square. She is the strongest-willed leader of the group. Her gift to Aurora is the gift of beauty. She created and possesses the powerful Sword of Truth and the invulnerable Shield of Virtue, and she can also conjure them whenever she sees fit.
Fauna is the middle fairy, dressed in a green gown, a green hat, and a green cape clipped with a green triangle. She is the fairy who is too good-natured towards Maleficent. Her gift to Aurora is the gift of song.
Merryweather is the shortest and youngest fairy, dressed in a blue gown, a blue hat, and a blue cape clipped with a blue circle. She is the fairy who is aggressive towards Maleficent, and is bolder than the other two. As Merryweather is about to give her gift, Maleficent makes her appearance and curses Aurora to die when she touches a spinning wheel's spindle before the sun sets on her sixteenth birthday. Merryweather's gift is to weaken the curse so that instead of death, Aurora will fall into a deep sleep until she is awakened by true love's kiss.
Appearances[edit]
Sleeping Beauty[edit]
The three good fairies arrive at the christening of King Stefan and Queen Leah's newborn daughter, Princess Aurora. They tell the King Stefan and the Queen Leah that each of them will give a single gift to the infant, and proceed to give their respective gifts, the first two being beauty (from Flora) and song (from Fauna). As Merryweather is about to give her gift, the wicked witch named Maleficent arrives and stresses about not receiving an invitation, to which Merryweather replies that she is "not wanted". Maleficent prepares to leave, but also decides to give a "gift" to Aurora by cursing her so that before the sun sets on her sixteenth birthday, she shall prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel and die. Merryweather then uses her gift to weaken the curse so that instead of death, it will be a deep sleep from which Aurora can awaken through true love's kiss.
The three good fairies plot against Maleficent, since they were not convinced that King Stefan and Queen Leah's response to the curse (declaring that every spinning wheel in the kingdom be burned) would be enough to stop the witch. Flora came up with the plan of the three of them raising Aurora while disguising as peasant women, as the unkind Maleficent would never expect such a thing. All of them are gleeful about it, and they become excited about taking care of a baby. Flora then confiscates Fauna's and Merryweather's wands, since they should avoid using magic while carrying out the plan. After asking for the king and queen's consent, they take Aurora to raise her.
Years later, on the day of Aurora (whom they call Briar Rose)'s sixteenth birthday, the fairies plan a surprise for her, and so send her out into the woods to pick lots of berries (while warning her that she should not go too far and that she should not speak to strangers). Merryweather starts to get their wands, arguing that the sixteen years are almost over, but Flora and Fauna object. Flora decides to make the gown (using Merryweather as the dummy) and Fauna says that she'll make the cake. Merryweather tells Flora "But you can't sew," and that Fauna has no experience in cooking, and that they should switch their duties with each other; Flora objects, saying that it is Fauna's last chance to bake. As they work, the three begin to reminisce about the days when Aurora is just a child, and they begin to weep; eventually Flora tells them to finish their tasks. When they finish, Flora is unable to make a proper gown and Fauna is unable to make a stiff cake, angering Merryweather and prompting her to get the wands, and Fauna tells Flora "You know what Flora? I think she's right." After getting the wands, the three fairies block every opening in the house, so that the lights from their magic would not be seen outside, then proceed to do their tasks. As Flora finishes the pink dress, Merryweather, who wants it to be blue, changes its color to blue, irritating Flora who changes it back to pink. Merryweather changes it to blue again, and Flora changes it to pink; this continued, escalated and became a magical quarrel over whether the dress should be pink or blue. The lights from their magical fight begin to escape through the chimney, catching the attention of Maleficent's crow and thus revealing their location. The quarrel ends with the dress getting both of the pink and blue colors, and then the three hear Aurora get near the cottage, prompting Flora and Merryweather to stop their argument and the three prepare their surprise (as they do so, Flora secretly turns the dress' color into pink, then Merryweather secretly turns it into blue). They welcome and surprise Aurora, who tells them that she met a man in the woods whom she loved, and they reveal her true heritage as a princess and that she has been betrothed to Prince Philip since her christening, and that she must never meet the man she met in the woods again; this causes Aurora to go to her room and weep in sadness and depression.
Later, they take Aurora to a room in the castle. They conjure a crown for her to wear as a princess, then they leave the depressed girl alone so she could recover more easily. They argue over whether Aurora should be forced to marry Prince Philip until Flora hears Maleficent's magic, causing them to enter the room and discover that Maleficent has arrived and has hypnotized Aurora into going through a hidden passage which leads up to another room, where Maleficent has turned herself into a spinning wheel. The three fairies go after Aurora and yell out to "Don't touch anything!", but Maleficent then tells her to touch the spindle, which causes her to do so. The fairies enter the place...but only sees Maleficent. She taunts the three fairies, then throws her cloak to reveal the sleeping princess. Maleficent then laughs and vanishes as the three fairies weep over Aurora's fate.
The three place the sleeping princess on a bed within the topmost tower. They weep in sadness, and Flora decides that, in order to prevent everyone from being heartbroken, they put the entire kingdom to sleep until Princess Aurora awakens. While falling asleep, King Hubert tries to tell Stefan of his son being in love with a peasant girl, which makes Flora realize that Prince Phillip is the man Aurora has fallen in love with, and they fly back to the cottage for him. However, Phillip is already captured by Maleficent's goons by that time, so with no other choice, the fairies sneak into Maleficent's stronghold and managed to free the prince. Flora conjures the Sword of Truth and the Shield of Virtue for Philip to wield, and they escape from the Forbidden Mountain whilst being attacked by Maleficent's minions, whose attacks are countered by the three good fairies. When Diablo tries to warn Maleficent, Merryweather chases him and eventually turns him into a stone statue. The fairies then assist Phillip in his escape, and battle against Maleficent, ultimately enhancing Phillip's sword as he throws it directly into Maleficent's heart, thus destroying Maleficent. The fairies are present as Aurora meets her parents and as she dances with Phillip, but Flora and Merryweather's argument over the color of Aurora's gown is revived.
Maleficent[edit]
The good fairies also appear in Disney's live action film Maleficent, as a trio of pixies named Knotgrass, Flittle and Thistlewit, respectively. The pixies are extremely different from their original counterparts and are reduced to comic relief; they are shown to be incompetent and unable to fulfill their task of raising Aurora. The child's actual care was overseen by Maleficent in secret.
Knotgrass (Imelda Staunton) wears red and is the Flora equivalent: bossy and superior. She blesses Aurora with the gift of eternal beauty.
Flittle (Lesley Manville) wears blue (like Merryweather) but is the Fauna equivalent: naive and absent-minded. She blesses Aurora with the gift of eternal happiness.
Thistlewit (Juno Temple) wears green and yellow (the subtractive counterpart of green, which is the color of Fauna's dress) but is the Merryweather equivalent: giddy, playful and childlike. She was interrupted by Maleficent before she could bless Aurora. By Aurora's sixteenth birthday, she bickers with Knotgrass about when to take Aurora back to King Stefan.
Other appearances[edit]
The three good fairies also appear in Disney Princess Enchanted Tales: Follow Your Dreams during the "Keys to the Kingdom" segment. As King Stefan, Queen Leah, King Hubert and Prince Phillip leave the kingdom for a Royal Conference; Aurora is left in charge of the kingdom. The fairies offer to help her, but Aurora declines; however, Aurora later asks the three good fairies to deliver King Hubert his speech which he has forgotten at the castle. Merryweather still is worried about Aurora and, before leaving with Flora and Fauna, gives her wand to the princess in case she needs any assistance and warns her to be very careful with it. The fairies manage to deliver the speech in time, and are about to return when Merryweather reveals she had lent her wand to Aurora when she was not supposed to do so. The fairies appear at the end of the segment and take part of the welcome-back meal.[1]
The three good fairies also play a role in the Kingdom Hearts series of video games. They first appear in Kingdom Hearts II at Yen Sid's tower, giving Sora his new outfit after he wakes from his year-long sleep, as well as the Star Seeker Keyblade and the ability to use Drive, and later witnessing Maleficent's return to power. At first, they all argue over what colour Sora's new outfit should be, until agreeing to zap it all at the same time. The end result is a black outfit with colourful highlights all over. In Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, the fairies appear in their homeworld, the "Enchanted Dominion", talking with Ventus about Aurora and Phillip and later assisting him in his battle against Maleficent. They also appear at the end of Aqua and Phillip's battle against Maleficent in her dragon form, again blessing Phillip's sword as he throws it into Maleficent's heart; however, the attack does not kill her and just defeats her. During the credits, while Aurora and Phillip are dancing, Flora and Merryweather continue their old argument over what color Aurora's dress should be.
The three fairies had appeared as guests in the TV series Disney's House of Mouse. They also appear at themed-parks and live events. They co-host the Magic, Music and Mayhem show with the Fairy Godmother from Cinderella. In the Disney Divas event at Disneyland, the fairies appeared at the climax of the show, confronting Maleficent, the Evil Queen and Cruella de Vil, among others, and later introducing Cynthia Harriss, former president of Disneyland Resort. As of 2013, Flora, Fauna and Merryweather appear as regular characters in Disney's Sofia the First animated television series.
Reception of the original characters[edit]
The characters received positive reception. Variety stated that "Some of the best parts of the picture are those dealing with the three good fairies,"[2] Rob Burch, of Hollywood News, noted how the fairies are more prominent than the film's title character Aurora: "It could be argued the three Fairies are the real heroines, as much of the running time revolves around them."[3] Of the three, he praised Merryweather as the best character.[3] Bosley Crowther of The New York Times stated "Indeed, these busy little ladies, fluffy grandmotherly types, called Flora, Fauna and Merryweather, whose operations are conducted largely with wands.." he further notes:"They [the fairies] are cunning, especially when they've "wanded" themselves down to glowworm size and go buzzing through the palace or across the country as cheerful little lights".[4]
References[edit]
Jump up ^ David Block (director) (2007). Disney Princess Enchanted Tales: Follow Your Dreams. Walt Disney.
Jump up ^ "Sleeping Beauty". Variety. Variety Media, LLC. December 31, 1958. Retrieved December 4, 2012.
^ Jump up to: a b Disney 53, Week 16: Sleeping Beauty Retrieved May 8, 2013
Jump up ^ Crowler, Bosley (February 18, 1959). "Sleeping Beauty (1959) Screen: 'Sleeping Beauty'". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved December 4, 2012.
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