{"id":23,"date":"2016-08-24T11:26:27","date_gmt":"2016-08-24T11:26:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mmstudies.com\/matriarchies\/?page_id=23"},"modified":"2023-11-13T18:34:22","modified_gmt":"2023-11-13T18:34:22","slug":"akan","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/mmstudies.com\/matriarchies\/akan\/","title":{"rendered":"The Akan People Ghana"},"content":{"rendered":"\nA K A N    A N D    A S H A N T E
\nI N   G H A N A   A N D   T H E    I V O R Y  C O A S T \n\tGHANAIAN QUEEN MOTHER ASANTEHEMAA AFIA KOBI DIES AT 109
\n Article from FACE AFRICA\n\t\t\t\t\"3o3bpd4u68ulh9go2.b86f527c\"\n\t

The Asantehemaa, Nana Afia Kobi Serwaa Ampem II sitting in state at an Adaekesie festival in right photograph.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Queen Mother of the Ashanti Kingdom Asantehemaa Afia Kobi in Ghana is dead. The 109-year-old Mother of the current Asantehene, Otumfuo OSEI Tutu II, died in her sleep on Tuesday, reports Buzz Ghana.<\/em>The late-Afia Kobi served as the 13th Queen Mother of the Ashanti Kingdom for 39 years, witnessing the reign of the late-Asantehene Otumfuo Opoku Ware II who served between 1970 and 1999.<\/em><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\"hjd0518r\"\n\t

In the Ashanti Kingdom, which is part of the Akan people in southern Ghana and the Ivory Coast, Queen Mothers also are known as “Asantehemaa,” which is a very powerful title and as such she still today plays an important role in local governments.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

FEMALE LEADERSHIP AMONG THE ASANTES<\/p>\n

by prof. Wilhelmina Donkoh<\/a><\/p>\n

“The Asante constitute one of the principal groups of the matrilineal Akan-speaking people of the modern state of Ghana. An identifying characteristic of the Akan is descent through the female line. Traditionally, such important social and economic institutions as ownership property and inheritance are based on blood affiliation to the matrilineage. Females among the Akan thus are expected to play a unique role in ensuring the perpetuation of the lineage and in identifying who qualifies to be a member. At the same time, as could be found in other traditional societies, social, economic and political responsibilities usually tend to be gender-bound.<\/p>\n

This lecture confirms that female leaders among the Asante indeed play a central role within the Asante socio-political system. An examination of specific cases in the history of Asante reveals that where female leaders transcended the gender boundaries, as diplomats or political heads, their actions tended to foster greater social cohesion. Also, through literature review and theoretical analysis the lecture establishes that despite stereotypical views that women only play mundane roles and are mere reproductive units, where women leaders have exerted themselves they have brought distinction and honour upon themselves as well as on their entire lineage and the wider community that they belonged to.”<\/p>\n

It’s the tradition of the kingdom for Asante Queen Mothers to rule alongside kings in their respective palaces, and they are usually considered the spiritual heads of their communities. Prior to the colonial era, Queen Mothers were considered important political figures of power who commanded respect and autonomous rulers. And today, these Mothers still have jurisdiction over women, including rape, marital conflict, and adultery.<\/p>\n

Currently, the Ashanti Kingdom has more than 40 women leaders operating under the Ashanti Queen Mothers Association, which was formed in 1988. Since 2010, the Ghanaian National House of Chiefs has included 20 Queen Mothers in its proceedings.<\/p>\n\t