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Basic 2 · History · The People of Ghana

The Akan People

In this topic you will learn about the Akan people: where they live, their language, food, cloth and festivals.

By the end of these notes you should be able to:

  • Name the regions where the Akan mainly live
  • Name Akan foods, cloth and festivals
  • Respect the culture of the Akan

What you already know

  • The people of Ghana

Copy everything that has a blue line on its left into your notebook. The other parts are for reading.

Strand
My Country Ghana
Sub-strand
The People of Ghana
Indicator
B2.2.1.1.1 – Identify the ethnic groups in each region of Ghana

Introduction

Kente cloth, fufu and the Akwasidae festival are part of Akan culture. The Akan live mostly in the south and middle of Ghana.

1. Where the Akan Live

The Akan live mainly in the Ashanti, Eastern, Central, Western, Western North, Bono, Bono East and Ahafo Regions.

2. Akan Culture

Akan culture
Part of cultureExamples
languageTwi (Asante, Akuapem), Fante
foodfufu, ampesi, ɛtɔ (mashed yam)
clothkente, adinkra cloth
festivalsAkwasidae (Asante), Odwira (Akuapem), Fetu Afahye (Cape Coast)
Kente cloth, a bowl of fufu with soup and a chief at the Akwasidae festival
Figure 1: Akan culture Draw a kente pattern.Photos: Warmglow, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons; daSupremo, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Paul5263, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Remember: The Asantehene is the king of the Asante. He lives at Manhyia Palace in Kumasi.

New words

Akan
The largest ethnic group in Ghana.
Twi
A language spoken by many Akan.
kente
A colourful woven cloth.
festival
A yearly celebration.

Summary

  • The Akan live mainly in southern and middle Ghana.
  • They speak Twi and Fante.
  • Kente, fufu and Akwasidae are part of Akan culture.

Class activity: Akan Culture Corner

  1. Look at the kente sample and photographs.
  2. Name one Akan food, cloth and festival.
  3. Find the Akan regions on the map.

You need: Ghana map, Printed photographs of Ghanaian ethnic groups, Kente, Smock fabric samples

Exercises

Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.

  1. 1. Which cloth is Akan?

    • A. Kente
    • B. Smock
    • C. Denim
    • D. Silk
    Show answer
    Answer: KenteKente is woven by the Akan.

  2. 2. Fetu Afahye is celebrated in…

    • A. Cape Coast
    • B. Tamale
    • C. Ho
    • D. Bolgatanga
    Show answer
    Answer: Cape CoastIt is a Fante festival in Cape Coast.

  3. 3. Many Akan speak Twi.

    • A. True
    • B. False
    Show answer
    Answer: TrueTwi is an Akan language.

  4. 4. The Asantehene lives in Tamale.

    • A. True
    • B. False
    Show answer
    Answer: FalseHe lives at Manhyia Palace in Kumasi.

  5. 5. A popular Akan food is ______.

    Show answer
    Answer: fufuFufu is pounded cassava and plantain or yam.

  6. 6. Name two Akan festivals.

    Show answer
    Answer: Any two: Akwasidae, Odwira, Fetu Afahye.These are Akan festivals.

Homework

  1. Ask an Akan friend or neighbour to teach you one Twi greeting.