Bono people

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Bono
Danseuse Abron.JPG
A Bono dancer from Ivory Coast
Total population
~2,800,000
Regions with significant populations
Bono region, Bono East region, Ahafo Region, Eastern Ivory Coast
Languages
Bono Twi, English, French
Religion
Bono Ancestral worship and spirituality, Christianity
Related ethnic groups
Fante people, Akwamu, Akan

The Bono, also called the Brong and the Abron, are an Akan people of West Africa. Bonos are normally tagged Akan piesie or Akandifo of which Akan is a derivative name. Bono is the genesis and cradle of Akans. [1] Bono is one of the largest ethnic group of Akan and are matrilineal people. [2] [3] Bono people speak the Bono Twi of Akan language. Twi language, thus the dialect of Bono is a derivative of a Bono King Nana Twi. [4] In the late fifteenth century, the Bono people founded the Gyaaman kingdom as extension of Bono state in what is now Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire. [5] [6] [7]

Contents

In the 12th century when Bonos discovered gold at the Twi river and Prabom across the Tain river, Bonos became very powerful owing to its wealth in gold at Bonoman. Bonos used the gold dust as a measure of currency in Bonoman and at the various market centres of Djenne, Timbuktu and North Africa .In most cases, gold weighing (abramboo) were used to determine what quantity of gold should be exchanged for a commodity. Bono people were dexterously noted for brass casting, weaving of cloth (gagawuga, kyenkyen and kente), pottery and so on. Around 1471, when the Portuguese arrived at the Gold Coast, Begho of Bonoman was one of the largest ancient cities in West Africa with an estimated population 12,000.

Bono Manso, another historic city, played a noteworthy role in the Atlantic slave trade, and in contemporary times, diaspora Africans often visit to learn more about their history. Traditionally, Bono is the hub of Akan cultures, and many aspects of Akan culture originate from Bono, e.g. clans (abusua), ntoro, Akan drums (fontomfrom, atumpan), Akan nomenclature, umbrellas used for kings, adinkra symbols, fly whisk, ivory trumpets, head gears, swords of the nation. Bonos perform many Akan traditional dances such as Kete, Adowa, fontomfrom, and other dances. [4] [8] [9] The bono people are most located in Ghana in the north

Etymology

Bono means "pioneer" or the "first born on the land". In the olden days, among the Bonos if a woman gives birth for the first time this is referred to as her abonowoo. [10]

History

Bonos migrated from Ancient Ghana. Due to the imposition on them of another practice, they fled to the southern part of the Black Volta river and the tropical forest of central Ghana in order to maintain their Bono Ancestral worship and spirituality. According to oral tradition, a moiety of Bonos emerged out of a hole called Amonwi cave due to an earthquake at Pinihini near Fiema in Nkoransa state, and converged with the former group at thither. With the leader being Ohene Asaman in consultation with his god (bosom buru or bosommuru) for guidance, the god advised him to build towns or states. The god therefore got his laudatory name Biakuru, meaning "he who builds towns". Bonos then proceeded to build a town called Yefiri (literally “we are coming out of the cave”). Ohene Asaman of the falcon clan Ayoko and the Bonohemaa Ameyaa Kesse built another town as an extension and named it Bono Manso which became a capital to Bonoman with a confederation of seven powerful clans. Some other settlements were named after abosom that occupied that land. The Krontihene however stayed still at Yefiri. The families that came along were encouraged to live apart from each other, in different parts of the acquired territory. [11] [12] [13]

Culture and society

Bonos concept of Bonoman (Bono State)

Traditionally, a state could not be founded without a queenmother in the olden days, although many states were founded without a king. As the succession was (and still is) in the female line and as only the maternal ancestors were (and are) venerated, it was very essential that a female of royal blood gave birth to a state. That is why a queenmother owns a state, as a mother owns a child. The queenmother is always seen as the daughter of the moon by Bonos, who symbolizes the female characteristics of Nyame, the Supreme Being who created the universe by giving birth to the sun (Amowia). The sun is therefore regarded as the son of the moon and is personified as the Sungod. The queenmother therefore is represented as the great Mother-Moon-goddess, the king as the Sungod, and the state as the Universe. Silver represents moonlight as the colour of the queenmother, just as gold, the colour of the sun, represents the king. Perceived from another angle, seven heavenly bodies Moon, Sun, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn rule the heaven. Seven abusua or matrilineal clans represent them on earth and rule the state. [14] [6]

Related Research Articles

Asante, also known as Ashanti, Ashante, or Asante Twi, is one of the principal members of the Akan dialect continuum. It is one of the three mutually intelligible dialects of Akan which are collectively known as Twi, the others being Bono and Akuapem. There are 3.8 million speakers of Asante, mainly concentrated in Ghana and southeastern Cote D'Ivoire, and especially in and around the Ashanti Region of Ghana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fante people</span> Ethnic group in Ghana

The Mfantsefo or Fante are an Akan people. The Fante people are mainly located in the Central and Western regions of Ghana, occupying the forest and coastal areas. Their land stretches from the Pra estuary in the west to the Accra borders in the east. The Fante can be broadly categorized into two groups - the Borbor Fante and the non-Borbor Fante. Over the last half century, due to fishing expeditions, Fante communities have been established as far as Gambia, Liberia and even Angola. Major Fante cities in modern Ghana include Kasoa, Winneba, Agona Swedru, Tarkwa, Oguaa, Edina (Elmina), Mankessim, Sekondi, and Takoradi.

Techiman is a city and is the capital of Techiman Municipal and Bono East Region of Ghana. Techiman is a leading market town in South Ghana. Techiman is one of the two major cities and settlements of Bono East region. Techiman is home to West Africa's largest traditional market. Techiman has a settlement population of 104,212 people in 2013. Techiman is located at a historical crossroads of trade routes and the Tano River, and serves as capital of the Techiman Municipal District.

Akan is a group of several closely related languages within the wider Central Tano languages. These languages are the principal native languages of the Akan people of Ghana, spoken over much of the southern half of Ghana. About 80% of Ghana's population can speak an Akan language as a first or second language, and about 44% of Ghanaians are native speakers. There are populations of polyglots in Ghana who speak an Akan language as a third language. They are also spoken in parts of Côte d'Ivoire.

The Akan people are a Kwa group living primarily in present-day Ghana and in parts of Ivory Coast and Togo in West Africa. The Akan speak dialects within the Central Tano branch of the Potou–Tano subfamily of the Niger–Congo family. Subgroups of the Akan people include: the Agona, Akuapem, Akwamu, Akyem, Anyi, Ashanti, Baoulé, Bono, Chakosi, Fante, Kwahu, Sefwi, Wassa, Ahanta, and Nzema, among others. The Akan subgroups all have cultural attributes in common; most notably the tracing of matrilineal descent in the inheritance of property, and for succession to high political office.

Bono State was a trading state created by the Bono people, located in what is now southern Ghana. Bonoman was a medieval Akan kingdom in what is now Bono, Bono East and Ahafo region respectively named after the and Eastern Ivory Coast. It is generally accepted as the origin of the subgroups of the Akan people who migrated out of the state at various times to create new Akan states in search of gold. The gold trade, which started to boom in Bonoman as early in the 12th century, was the genesis of Akan power and wealth in the region, beginning in the Middle Ages.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gyaman</span> Former Akan state, ca. 1450–1963.

Gyaman was a medieval Akan people state, located in what is now the Bono region of Ghana and Ivory Coast. According to oral tradition,Gyaman was founded by the Bono people, a branch of the Akan, in the late 17th century. The Bono then proceeded to conquer the Kulangos, Nafanas, Ligbis, and other ethnic groups of the area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fante dialect</span> Dialect of Akan in Ghana

Fante, also known as Fanti, Fantse, or Mfantse, is one of the four principal members of the Akan dialect continuum, along with Asante, Bono and Akuapem, the latter three collectively known as Twi, with which it is mutually intelligible. It is principally spoken in the central and southern regions of Ghana as well as in settlements in other regions in western Ghana, Ivory Coast, as well as in Liberia, Gambia and Angola.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adinkra symbols</span> Ghanaian symbols that represent concepts or aphorisms

Adinkra are symbols from Ghana that represent concepts or aphorisms. Adinkra are used extensively in fabrics, logos and pottery. They are incorporated into walls and other architectural features. Adinkra symbols appear on some traditional Akan goldweights. The symbols are also carved on stools for domestic and ritual use. Tourism has led to new departures in the use of the symbols in items such as T-shirts and jewellery.

Articles related to Ghana include:

Akwamu was a state set up by the Akwamu people in present-day Ghana. After migrating from Bono state, the Akan founders of Akwamu settled in Twifo-Heman. The Akwamu led an expansionist empire in the 17th and 18th centuries. At the peak of their empire, Akwamu extended 400 kilometres (250 mi) along the coast from Ouidah, Benin in the East to Winneba, Ghana in the West.

Bono, also known as Abron, Brong, and Bono Twi, is a Central Tano language common to the Bono people and a major dialect of the Akan dialect continuum, and thus mutually intelligible with the principal Akan dialects of Asante and Akuapem, collectively known as Twi. It is spoken by 1.2 million in Ghana, primarily in the Central Ghanaian region of Brong-Ahafo, and by over 300,000 in eastern Ivory Coast.

In many parts of West Africa, there is an old chieftaincy tradition, and the Akan people have developed their own hierarchy, which exists alongside the democratic structure of the country. The Akan word for the ruler or one of his various courtiers is "Nana". In colonial times, Europeans translated it as "chief", but that is not an exact equivalent. Other sources speak of "kings", which is also not entirely correct, especially in the case of the said courtiers. The term "chief" has become common even among modern Ghanaians, though it would be more correct to use the expression "Nana" without translation wherever possible.

Abusua is the name in Akan culture for a group of people that share common maternal ancestry governed by seven major ancient female abosom (deities). The Abusua line is considered to be passed through the mother's blood . There are several Abusua that transcend the different ethnic subgroups outside of the ancient seven. People of the same Abusua share a common ancestor somewhere within their bloodline, which may go back as far as thousands of years. It is a taboo to marry someone from the same Abusua. The different Abusua are the Agona (parrot), the Aduana (dog), the Asenie (bat), Oyoko (falcon/hawk), the Asakyiri (vulture), the Asona (crow), the Bretuo (leopard), and the Ekuona (bull).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Asante people</span> Nation and ethnic group in Ghana

The Asante, also known as Ashanti, 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 civilisations. Twi is spoken by over nine million Asante people as a first or second language.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Twi</span> Dialect of the Akan language in Ghana

Twi is a variety of the Akan language spoken in southern and central Ghana by several million people, mainly of the Akan people, the largest of the seventeen major ethnic groups in Ghana. Twi has about 23-24 million speakers in total, including second-language speakers; about 85% of the Ghanaian population speaks Twi as a first or second language. Twi has a simple tonal language system which is reflected in its phonology.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fontomfrom</span> Hourglass-shaped drum from Western Africa

Fontomfrom is a Bono type of hourglass-shaped drum mostly used by an ensemble of Bono people to communicate Bono monarchy royal messages in a Bono people ethnic group setting. The Fontomfrom ensemble provides music for ceremonies honoring Bono chiefs and Bono monarchy royal processions. The Fontomfrom is also used to recite proverbs or replicate patterns of speech at most Bono monarchy royal gatherings or a Bono monarchy royal durbar.

Asakyiri is one of the major eight major Akan clans. These clans are derived along the matrilineal lines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atumpan (drum)</span>

The Atumpan is a type of Bono talking drum. Played in pairs, these drums provide the bass part in Adowa dance ensembles. These drums are also found in Fontomfrom ensembles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oheneba</span>

Oheneba is a regal rank given to both female or male child of a king or chief. It is the equivalent of prince or princess.

References

  1. ↑ Buah, F. K. (1998). "2". A History of Ghana. Macmillan. p. 9. ISBN   978-0-333-65934-2.
  2. ↑ Akuamoa, Geoffrey (2013-03-18). KWAME, THE LAST SLAVE FROM WEST AFRICA. Lulu.com. ISBN   978-1-291-35746-2.
  3. ↑ Transactions of the Gold Coast & Togoland Historical Society. The Society. 1974. p. 218.
  4. 1 2 The Akan of Ghana: Their Ancient Beliefs. Faber & Faber. 1958.
  5. ↑ A Profile of Bono Kyempem (Essays on the Archaeology, History, Language and Politics of the Brong Peoples of Ghana), Edited with Introduction by Kwame Arhin. Senior Research Fellow, Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana, Legon.
  6. 1 2 Effah-Gyamfi, E. "Aspects of the Archaeology and Oral Traditions of the Bono State. Transactions of the Historical Society of Ghana"(1974) 15(2):217-227.
  7. ↑ Muhammad, Akbar. The International Journal of African Historical Studies 10.2 (1977): 242-258
  8. ↑ Shillington, Kevin (2005). Encyclopedia of African History: A - G.. 1. Taylor & Francis. ISBN   978-1-57958-245-6.
  9. ↑ Adandé, Alexis; Arinze, Emmanuel; Arinze, E. N. (2002). Museums & Urban Culture in West Africa. West African Museums Programme. ISBN   978-0-85255-275-9.
  10. ↑ Arhin, Kwame; Studies, University of Ghana Institute of African (1979). "3". A Profile of Brong Kyempim: Essays on the Archaeology, History, Language and Politics of the Brong Peoples of Ghana. Afram. p. 49.
  11. ↑ Warren, Dennis M. (1973). Disease, Medicine, and Religion Among the Techinan - Bono of Ghana: A Study in Culture Change. Indiana University.
  12. ↑ Brempong, Owusu (1978). Attacking Deviation from the Norm: Insults in Bono - Ghana. Indiana University.
  13. ↑ Westermann, Diedrich; Smith, Edwin William; Forde, Cyril Daryll (1963). Africa. Oxford University Press.
  14. ↑ Meyerowitz, Eva Lewin-Richter (1951). The sacred state of the Akan. Faber and Faber.
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