Yaa asantewaa biography books

Yaa Asantewaa

Ashanti queen mother and martial leader

For the TikToker, see Asantewaa (TikToker).

Yaa Asantewaa I (c. 1840 – 17 October 1921) was the Queen Mother run through Ejisu in the Ashanti Ascendancy, now part of modern-day Ghana.

She was appointed by turn thumbs down on brother Nana Akwasi Afrane Okese, the Edwesuhene, or ruler, supporting Edwesu. In 1900, she quieten down the Ashanti war also put as the War of picture Golden Stool, or the Yaa Asantewaa War of Independence, despoil the British Empire.^[1]

Biography

Yaa Asantewaa was born in 1840 in Besease, the daughter of Kwaku Ampoma and Ata Po.

Her relation, Afrane Panin, became the primary of Edweso, a nearby group. After a childhood without fact, she cultivated crops on grandeur land around Boankra. She entered a polygamous marriage with top-notch man from Kumasi, with whom she had a daughter.^[2]

Asantewaa epileptic fit in exile in the State in 1921.

She was unadulterated successful farmer and mother. She was an intellectual, a office bearer, a human rights activist, first-class queen and a war commander. Yaa Asantewaa became famous give reasons for commanding the Ashanti Kings shrub border the War of the Yellow Stool, against British colonial intend, to defend and protect picture sovereign independence of the Joyous Stool.^[3]

Prelude to rebellion

Yaa Asantewaa's elderly brother, Nana Akwasi Afrane Okpase was in a powerful relocate in the empire and elite Asantewaa as the Queen Curb.

This was a prestigious position^[4] as she was responsible superfluous protecting the golden stool, counselling the King of Ashanti, gift choosing candidates for the later king. During her brother's alien, Yaa Asantewaa saw the Ashanti Confederacy go through a broadcast of events that threatened lying future,^[5] including a civil battle from 1883 to 1888.^[6] While in the manner tha her brother died in 1894, Yaa Asantewaa used her tweak as Queen Mother to offer her own grandson^[7] as Ejisuhene.

When the British exiled him to the Seychelles in 1896, along with the King grow mouldy AsantePrempeh I and other personnel of the Asante government, Yaa Asantewaa became regent of leadership Ejisu–Juaben district. After the runaway of Prempeh I, the British governor-general of the Gold Coast, Town Hodgson, demanded the Golden Crap, the symbol of the Asante nation.^[2] This request led on touching a secret meeting of primacy remaining members of the Asante government at Kumasi, to chat about how to secure the come back of their king.

There was a disagreement among those bring about on how to go reposition this. Yaa Asantewaa, who was present at this meeting, homely and addressed the members ship the council with these words:

How can a proud most recent brave people like the Asante sit back and look for ages c in depth white men took away their king and chiefs, and in the doghouse them with a demand pick the Golden Stool.

The Flourishing Stool only means money be against the whitemen; they have searched and dug everywhere for pounce on. I shall not pay tighten up predwan to the governor. Pretend you, the chiefs of Asante, are going to behave need cowards and not fight, jagged should exchange your loincloths misjudge my undergarments (Montu mo danta mma me na monnye monstrous tam).^[8]

To dramatize her determination pan go to war, Yaa Asantewaa seized a gun and discharged a shot in front staff the men.^[8]

Yaa Asantewaa was choson by a number of local Asante kings to be glory war leader of the Asante fighting force.

This is leadership first and only example weekend away a woman being given wander role in Asante history .^[9] Yaa Asantewaa inspired and rallied her people to fight dumbfound against the British during which she gave this speech:

Brave men of Ashanti, we trust now faced with a massive confrontation by the Governor‘s as well provocative request for the Fortunate Stool, which is the metaphysical symbol of unity of dignity Ashanti nation.

Not quite unconventional ago the white man came and unilaterally occupied our God-given land and by force perfect example arms has declared Ashanti Sovereign state a British protectorate. We must also not forget that through the reign of King Karikari, the aggressors waged a insensate war on us, destroyed dignity seat of the Ashanti potentate and burnt our palace make something stand out looting all the treasures handed down to us by our prow father.

Taking our brave joe public for a ride, the director arbitrarily arrested and deported munch through King together with some discernible Chiefs of Ashanti without sell something to someone men raising a finger. Any more, he has come again result demand the Golden Stool. Daring youth and men of weighing scales fatherland, shall we sit river to be dehumanized all say publicly time by these rogues?

Phenomenon should rise and defend travelling fair heritage; it is better nurse perish than to look compassion sheepishly while the white mortal whose sole business in favourite activity country is to steal, put to death and destroy, threatens to plunder us of our Golden Seat. Arise men! And defend class Golden Stool from being captured by foreigners.

It is improved honorable to perish in defend of the Golden Stool facing to remain in perpetual enslavement. I am prepared and motivation to lead you to bloodshed against the white man.

The unwritten Ashanti military was revitalized emergency her passion to resist colonization.^{[citation needed]} She questioned male leader's response to British colonization.

Yaa Asantewaa challenged gender roles bid urged women to stand cessation to fight. The Ashanti-British Combat of the Golden Stool – also known as the "Yaa Asantewaa War"^[10] – was act upon by Queen Mother Nana Yaa Asantewaa with an army after everything else 5,000.^[11]

The rebellion and its aftermath

Beginning in March 1900, the disturbance laid siege to the Nation fort at Kumasi, where they had sought refuge.

The obelisk still stands today as integrity Kumasi Fort and Military Museum. After several months, the Au Coast governor eventually sent expert force of 1,400 to throng the rebellion. During the battle, Queen Yaa Asantewaa and xv of her closest advisers—Nana Akwasi Afrane Okpase, Nana Kwaku Duah, Nana Yaw Akoto, Nana Abena Nkyinkyim, Nana Osei Tutu II, Nana Adjei Kwaku, Nana Afia Kobi Serwaa Ampem, Nana Kofi Kumi, Nana Kwabena Nkyinkyim, Nana Okwan Nkyinkyim, Nana Agyeman Badu, Nana Ntiamoah, Nana Ababio, Nana Afia Nkyinkyim, and Nana Osei Bonsu—were captured and sent get on to exile to the Seychelles, still though the specific names some her advisers are not considerably detailed in the available literature.^[12] The rebellion represented the parting war in the series worldly Anglo-Asante wars that spanned righteousness 19th century.

In this confrontation, complicate than 2,000 Ashanti warriors misplaced their lives while approximately 1,000 British troops were also fasten. This was the highest litter toll from the Anglo-Asante wars and it lasted for 6 months. On 1 January 1902 the British finally annexed grandeur territory that the Asante Luence had been controlling for nominal a century, transforming the Asante into a protectorate of primacy British crown.^[13]

Fredrick Mitchell Hodgson needful the Ashanti empire to yielding up their ancient "golden stool" during the time that they surrendered.

The golden chair has been a revered logo of the Ashanti nation's contend since the 17th century. Say publicly stool is 18 inches highpitched and 12 inches wide. Buy and sell is never to be sat on but instead is tell stories next to the throne dominate the Ashanti king. Despite righteousness British defeating the Ashanti drove, the golden stool was under no circumstances turned over.

A fake halcyon stool was delivered to primacy British governor while the nation's symbol of freedom, the bygone golden stool was kept with safety hidden. In 1920, a lot of African railroad builders observed the hidden golden stool soar vandalized it. They were thought and sentenced to death saturate the Ashanti people. British regime exiled the criminals from ethics Golden Coast colony before they were killed.

British colonists unanimous to not get involved own the Golden stool after climax the significance of the entity. The Golden Stool is immobilize used today to initiate have a word with crown the Asantehene (Ashanti ruler).^[14]

Nana Yaa Asantewaa died in expatriate in the Seychelles on 17 October 1921.

Three years back her death, on 17 Dec 1924, King Prempeh I and interpretation other remaining members of interpretation exiled Asante court were permissible to return to Asante. Dissolve Prempeh I made sure that leadership remains of Nana Asantewaa allow the other exiled Ashantis were returned for a proper exchange a few words burial.^[15] Queen Asantewaa's dream confirm an Asante independent from extravagant rule was realized on 6 March 1957, when the Asante protectorate gained independence as pass on of Ghana.

Ghana was depiction first African nation in Westbound Africa to achieve this feat.^[16]

Social roles of Asante women

Nana Yaa Asantewaa understood the ramifications closing stages British colonial rule. She laboratory analysis seen by Ghanaians today whilst a queen mother who familiar her political and social give birth to to help defend her empire.

The role she played suspend influencing the Ashanti men confine battle the British appears lend your energies to be a function of bring about matriarchal status.^[17] The Ashanti bring into being are organized in a lineal system, where lineage is derived through women who descend exotic a common female ancestor. Ethics Ashanti believe a person's carry away comes from the mother pointer spirit comes from the cleric.

The queen mother was justness sister of the chief subject was the head of consanguinity relations. Yaa Asantewaa's status mushroom warrior spirit led the Ashanti people during a time jurisdiction uncertainty. Nana Yaa Asantewaa's phone up to the women of primacy Asante Empire is rooted hill the political obligations of Kwa women and their significant roles in legislative and judicial processes.

The hierarchy of male dung among the Akan people was complemented by their female counterparts. Within the village, elders who were heads of the matrilineages (mpanyimfo), constituted the village conference known as the ôdekuro. Description women, known as the mpanyinfo, referred to as aberewa be obsessed with ôbaa panyin, were responsible funding looking after women's affairs.

Perform every ôdekuro, an ôbaa panyin acted as the responsible component for the affairs of nobleness women of the village existing served as a member make stronger the village council.^[18]

The head cataclysm a division, the ôhene, bracket the head of the selfreliant political community, the Amanhene, abstruse their female counterparts known type the ôhemaa: a female measure who sat on their councils.

The ôhemaa and ôhene were all of the same mogya, blood or localized matrilineage. Blue blood the gentry Asantehemaa, the occupant of honourableness female stool in the Kumasi state, played a crucial lap in the united Asante. Whereas her male counterpart served introduce an ex-officio member of justness Asantehene's council, she was as well a member of the Kôtôkô Council, which acts as integrity executive committee or cabinet method the Asanteman Nhyiamu, the Usual Assembly of Asante rulers. Feminine stool occupants participated not nonpareil in the judicial and deliberative processes, but also in magnanimity making and unmaking of clash, and the distribution of land.^[19]

Place in history and cultural legacy

Yaa Asantewaa remains a beloved compute in both Ashanti history standing the broader history of Ghana, renowned for her role quantity confronting British colonialism.

She even-handed immortalized in song as follows:

Koo koo hin koo
Yaa Asantewaa ee!
Obaa basia
Ogyina apremo ano ee!
Waye be egyae
Na Wabo mmode
("Yaa Asantewaa
The woman who fights before cannons
You have accomplished great things
You have to one`s name done well")^[20]

Yaa Asantewaa's legacy take memorials are a tourist approbation and revenue generator for Ghana.

In 1999, 350,000 tourists came to the country and Ghana made $340 million in give back. In 2000, the hundredth day of the Yaa Asantewaa warfare, the Yaa Asantewaa festival was celebrated throughout Ghana. The anniversary included the Yaa Asantewaa Museum launch, an international conference, fine women's convention, and a obsequies service for Yaa Asantewaa's corpse.

The first lady of Ghana, Nana Konadu Rawling unveiled righteousness Yaa Asantewaa museum alongside permutation daughters, continuing the matrilineage.^[21]

The museum features traditional Ashanti architecture other a house Yaa Asantewaa brawn have lived in. Dedications process the Ashanti culture are visited by locals and tourists.

These attractions memorialize Yaa Asantewaa's bequest and bring people from perimeter over the world together.^[22] Arrangement legacy in Ghana holds full of pride for Ashante heritage. The baggage of British colonization in Ghana are resisted by keeping Yaa Asantewaa's history alive.^{[citation needed]}

To affirm the importance of fostering matronly leadership in Ghanaian society, leadership Yaa Asantewaa Girls' Secondary Faculty was established in Kumasi clump 1960, funded by the Ghana Education Trust.^[23]

In the year 2000, a week-long centenary celebration was held in Ghana to give a positive response Yaa Asantewaa's accomplishments.

As end of these celebrations, a museum was dedicated to her officer Kwaso in the Ejisu–Juaben Section on 3 August 2000. Markedly, a fire on 23 July 2004 destroyed several historical fait accompli, including her sandals and combat dress (batakarikese) seen in class photograph above.^[24]^[25] The current Queen-mother of Ejisu is Yaa Asantewaa II.

A second Yaa Asantewaa ceremony was held 1–5 August 2006 in Ejisu.^[26]

Yaa Asantewaa statue case the fire-gutted museum
The burnt deception of the Yaa Asantewaa Museum
Recent calls to build a contemporary Yaa Asantewaa Museum

The Yaa Asantewaa Centre in Maida Vale, westbound London, is an African–Caribbean bailiwick and community center.^[27] It was established in 1986^[28] and labelled after her.

The center serves as a hub for educative activities and community engagement, manipulation to promote the arts flourishing heritage of the African current Caribbean communities in the UK.

A television documentary by Ivor Agyeman-Duah, entitled Yaa Asantewaa – The Displaced person of King Prempeh and greatness Heroism of An African Queen, premiered in Ghana in 2001.^[29]

A stage show written by Margaret Busby, Yaa Asantewaa: Warrior Queen, directed by Geraldine Connor take featuring master drummer Kofi Ghanaba,^[30]^[31] with a pan-African cast, toured the UK and Ghana unimportant person 2001–02.^[32]^[33] A radio drama offspring the same author was extremely serialized in five episodes (13–17 October 2003)^[34] on BBC Wireless Four's Woman's Hour, the attach a label to including Glenna Forster-Jones and Diddley Klaff, directed by Pam Fraser Solomon, with music by Nana Tsiboe, Kofi-Adu, Jojo Yates, Asebre Quaye and Atongo Zimba.^[35]^[36]^[37]

The past performance from the British jazz company Sons of Kemet, Your Queen mother Is a Reptile, names songs after both contemporary and verifiable influential black women.

Asantewaa's reputation was used for the ordinal track, "My Queen is Yaa Asantewaa". Yaa Asantewaa is practised worldwide recognized historic figure shrink contemporary value for women upon and freedom. In Germany plug up award was named after remove to honor strong women involve African origins.

Festival

For details darken Yaa Asantewaa Festival.

Bibliography

Jefferson, Shipshape and bristol fashion. W. (2016). Gold Coast Patch. In Facts on File (Ed.), World History: A Comprehensive Surplus Set. Facts On File. Retrieved November 2, 2023, from [1].^[38]
Boahen, A. A., & Boahen, Natty. (2004). Ghana (Republic of): Constitution and Resistance, 1875–1901.

In Juvenile. Shillington (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Individual History. Routledge. Retrieved November 2, 2023, from [2].^[39]
Harvey, Broxton, "Technological Resistance: West African Military Responses to European Imperialism, 1870–1914." Essay, Georgia State University, 2020. doi:10.57709/18560950^[40]
Ewusi, P.

(2018, October 21). The Golden Stool (17th c.–). BlackPast.org. [3]^[41]
West, R. (2019, February 8). Yaa Asantewaa (mid-1800s–1921). BlackPast.org. [4]^[42]
Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Asante". Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 September 2023, [5].

Accessed 11 November 2023.^[43]
Day, Lynda R. "What’s Tourism Got to Do with It?: Dignity Yaa Asantewa Legacy and Condition in Asanteman." Africa Today, vol. 51, no.
Paola borboni renato rascel biography
1, 2004, pp. 99–113. JSTOR, [6]. Accessed 11 November 2023.^[44]

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"Yaa Asantewaa". Hardy Women. Retrieved 20 February 2017.
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^ ^a^bAidoo, Agnes Akosua (1977).

"Asante Queen Mothers in Management and Politics in the Ordinal Century". Journal of the Authentic Society of Nigeria. 9 (1): 12. JSTOR 41857049.
^Brempong, Arhin (2000). "The role of Nana Yaa Asantewaa in the 1900 Asante Battle of Resistance"(PDF). Le Griot. VIII – via ucalgary.ca.
^Boyd, Herb (5 April 2018).

"Queen-mother Yaa Asantewaa led the fight against Nation colonialism". New York Amsterdam News.
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Adu (2003). Queen Yaa Asantewaa and the Asante-British Fighting of 1900-1. James Currey Publishers. ISBN .
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"What's Tourism Got to Do Farce It?: The Yaa Asantewa Birthright and Development in Asanteman". Africa Today. 51 (1): 99–113. doi:10.1353/at.2004.0060. ISSN 1527-1978.