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Of the populated places in the Eastern region of Ghana, Larteh Akuapem is the capital of the Benkum Division of the Akuapem Traditional Council. It lies on the east of the ridge on the Akonnobepow. [1]
The name Larteh was derived from the GA words "La" which means fire, and "te" which means stone. In English meaning "fire-stone". [2]
The Benkum Division of Akuapem comprises the following towns and their villages; Larteh, Mamfe, Abotakyi, Mampong, Tutu, Obosomase, Mangoase, Tinkong, Okroase, Adweso. The towns of Akuapem are in the Eastern Region of Ghana and situated between longitude 0°15 W - 0°00 and latitude 5°45 - 6°00 N. These towns are located on the Akuapem Ridge, which runs northeastwards across the Volta Region of Ghana and extends further into the Republic of Togo.
Larteh is a twin town consisting of Larteh Kubease and Larteh Ahenease. The language spoken is Gua n which is a stock of the Kwa.
The oral tradition of Larteh Kubease claims that they came from inland and settled west of the mouth of the Volta among the Kpesi, aborigines of Guan extraction. When the Ga Boni met them, the two groups settled temporally on the banks of the Laloi Lagoon at Podoku near Tema. Larteh Kubease were led by Fianko Adeyite. [3] On the hills they first settled at a place called Afianko. The Afianko sojourn seems to have been the briefest, since no living structures were created there. They moved to present Larteh Kubease. [4]
The People of Larteh celebrate Odwira [5] and this ceremony is usually held in September/October. Odwira is one of Ghana's many festivals that see attendance from people from all walks of life including the diaspora. [6]
Like all traditional festivals in Ghana, Odwira of Larteh and Akuapem are a combination of ritual, ceremonial, artistic, and recreational activities which take place in different locations according to defined schedules and forms. The festivals also provide opportunities for the collective renewal of the arts as a form of community experience, or as an expression of group consciousness with a great deal of stress laid on music and dancing in many of the festival events. [7]
For many decades, the Odwira Festival has been a staple of Ghana's colourful, vibrant and diverse cultural expression, bringing together people from all walks of life to celebrate themes of victory, gratitude and harvest, in unity. However, even before Odwira became a part of Ghana's cultural landscape it had long been celebrated by the people of Akropong, Amanokrom and Aburi in the Eastern Region.
Larteh is the birthplace of, or home to, several notable people, including:
Kwahu is an area and group of people that live in Ghana and are part of the Twi-speaking Akan group. The region has been dubbed Asaase Aban, or the Natural Fortress, given its position as the highest habitable elevation in the country. Kwahu lies in the Eastern Region of Ghana, on the west shore of Lake Volta. The Kwahus share the Eastern Region with the Akyem and Akuapem, as well as the Adangbe-Krobos. Among Kwahu lands, a significant migrant population works as traders, farm-hands, fisherfolk, and caretakers in the fertile waterfront 'melting pot' of Afram plains. These migrants are mostly from the Northern and Volta Regions, as well as, some indigenous Guans from the bordering Oti and Brong-Ahafo regions live in the Afram Plains area. Kwahus are traditionally known to be wealthy traders, owning a significant number of businesses and industries in Ghana.
Ghana is a multilingual country in which about eighty languages are spoken. Of these, English, which was inherited from the colonial era, is the official language and lingua franca. Of the languages indigenous to Ghana, Akan is the most widely spoken in the south. Dagbani is most widely spoken in the north.
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.
Akropong is a town in South Ghana and is the capital of the Akuapim North District, a district in the Eastern Region of South Ghana. This town is known for producing snails and palm oil. Akropong has a 2013 settlement population of 13,785 people.
The Akuapem, one of the main ethnic groups of the Akan people, reside mostly to the south of the Eastern Region of Ghana. They are indigenous, consisting of both patriarchal Volta-Comoe-speaking Guans and matriarchal Kwa-speaking Akans.
The Guan or Guang people are an ethnic group found almost in all parts of Ghana, including the Akyode people who speak Gikyode,Krachi people, language-Kaakye people Nkonya tribe, the Gonja, Anum, Larteh, Akposo, Nawuri,Nyagbo and Ntsumburu. The Guan are believed to have been the first settlers in modern day southern Ghana, migrating from the Mossi-Dagbon region of modern Ghana and Burkina around 1000 A.D. The Gonja of the Guan are however late settlers in northern Ghana, invading eastern Dagbon in the 1600s, capturing Daboya and many towns.
Adukrom is a town in the Okere District Assembly in the Eastern Region of Ghana. It shares borders with Awukugua Akuapem where Okomfo anokye was born The town is known for the Nifahene Stool of Akuapem and the capital of Okere District and situated on the Togo Atakora hills on the main Ho-Koforidua main trunk road in the northern part of Akuapem.
The Odwira festival is celebrated by the chiefs and peoples of Fanteakwa District and Akuapem in the Eastern Region of Ghana. The Odwira Festival is celebrated by the people of Akropong-Akuapim, Aburi, Larteh, and Mamfe. This is celebrated annually in the month of September and October. The festival celebrates a historic victory over the Ashanti in 1826. This was the battle of Katamansu near Dodowa. It was first celebrated in October 1826.
Akuapim-Mampong is a town in the Akuapim North district of the Eastern Region of Ghana. It shares boundaries with Mamfe .It is famous for being the first place cocoa was planted in Ghana by Tetteh Quarshie
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Amanokrom is a town in the Akuapim North District of the Eastern Region of Ghana. It shares border with Mamfe and Abotakyi
Abiriw is a town in the Okere District Assembly in the Eastern Region of Ghana.It shares border with Akropong and Dawu.
Dawu is a town in the Okere District Eastern Region of Ghana. It shares border with Abiriw and Awukugua
Awukugua is a town in the Okere District Assembly in the Eastern Region of Ghana. It shares border with Abiriw and Dawu.'
Mamfe is a town in the Akuapim North Municipal District of the Eastern Region of south Ghana. It shares borders with Amanokrom and Akropong
Kitase is a town in the Akuapim South Municipal District of the Eastern Region of south Ghana. It shares borders with Peduase which is one of the entry points from Accra to Akuapem.
Ahwerase is a town in the Akuapim South Municipal District of the Eastern Region of south Ghana. It shares borders with Aburi which is famous for the Aburi Botanical Gardens and the Odwira festival. The name 'Ahwerase' is an Akan language which translates to 'Under the sugarcane"