Every aspect of the royal funeral of the late Asantehemaa, Nana Afia Kobi Serwaa Ampem II has cultural significance.
From the drumming and dancing to the rituals, clothing of mourners, curfew, presentation of customary articles, distribution of foodstuffs to mourners and donations to the Asantehene , the funeral revealed the incredible cultural identity of the Asantes in spite of acculturation.
The stool of the late Asantehemaa, Nana Afia Kobi II being carried for presentation to Otumfuo Osei Tutu
In 1929, the Scottish-born Africanist and student of the Ashanti history and culture, R.S. Rattray, writing on funerals of Asante kings said, ” in all this there is nothing exotic; it is only a crowning feature of the Ashanti belief in ancestral spirits and their propitiation.”
How true this statement was, at the Ohemaa Ayiekεseε, which officially ends today, December 11.
Fasting
The wife of the Asantehene, Lady Julia presenting the gold necklace (awisiado) to her husband
One of the striking features of the funeral was the fasting ( abuada). This age-old observation, which involves abstaining from eating the traditional delicacy, fufuo, cuts across the entire spectrum of Asanteman but the complexities of modernity have relegated it to the background in many areas.
However, the practice remained a major part of the funeral of the Asantehemaa. For the first eight days of the funeral, royals of the Golden Stool, as a sign of family respect for the Asantehemaa, who was also the biological mother of the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, abstained from eating fufuo.
The awisiado being carried by a mourner
Distribution of food items
This was done after the fasting and is of immense significance because mourners would have to eat after the abuada. Not only food items but also firewood was distributed to the mourners.
In the olden days, firewood was the only source of fuel for cooking and Asantes have kept this tradition.
A royal getting a dansinkran haircut
Awisiado
Last Wednesday, the wife of the Asantehene, Lady Julia, presented a traditional gold necklace known as awisiado to her husband at Dwabrem in the Manhyia Palace. The word awisiado comes from the two Asante Twi words, awisia (orphan) and odo ( love).
With the death of his mother, Otumfuo Osei Tutu has become an orphan and his wife was by the presentation consoling him and reassuring him of her unquestionable love for him.
Culture was on display
Adosoa
Another important aspect of the funeral was the Adosoa. This significant feature performed by females, has also survived modernity. At the high-point of the Asantehemaa’s funeral last Thursday, the adosoa was in full glow.
Women and girls from the royal family sporting dansinkran ( a cylindrical-shaped blackened hairstyle usually worn by royals and priestesses), moved in a procession to the funeral grounds.
Carrying bowls full of various items and walking in a common style, they moved from one corner of the funeral grounds to the other singing and uttering appellations in honour of the departed queenmother.
Distribution of food items to the mourners was a big affair
Sura ( purification rites)
This ritual took place last Saturday as the funeral drew to a close. On that day, there was shaving of hair and paring of both finger and toe nails of royals of the Golden Stool.
The hair and nails were put in the abusua kuruwa ( family pot) which was sent to the tomb of Nana Afia Kobi II by the Asantehene and the current queenmother, Nana Ama Konadu on Saturday night.
This practice signified the bond of unity among members of the royal family even at the death of the Asantehemaa.
Presentation of black stool
Mourners crowd around Otumfuo Osei Tutu II as he is carried to a funeral grounds
The late queen mother sat on a stool as a symbol of her authority during her reign and on her death, the stool was blackened to signify she had joined her ancestors.
The consecrated stool is revered because it is believed to contain some powers.
On Saturday, the black stool of Nana Afia Kobi II was presented to the Asantehene who sat in state at Bogyawe, Manhyia Palace.
The ceremony was characterised by the firing of muskets.
Donations
It looks like there was competition when it came to donations. They came in big amounts all to show the love mourners have for the departed queenmother and the respect they have for the Golden Stool.
