AKAN STOOLS

AKAN CULTURAL SYMBOLS PROJECT
© G. F. Kojo Arthur and Robert Rowe - 1998-2001

WOOD CARVINGS   ADWA-STOOL   POMA-STAFF   FURNITURE AND CARVED DOOR   DOLLS/COMBS   UMBRELLA FINIALS

Adwa fufuo (white stool) carved from osese              

A stool (adwa) is usually carved from white wood or mahogany that is brown in color. The stool has three parts: the top that is crescent-shaped and signifies the obaatan awaam - the warm embrace of the mother; the middle column that may be carved to evoke a particular symbolic meaning; and the rectangular bottom part which may be carved as a series of steps of the pyramid, and also have other symbolic decorations.

Adwa carved from mahogany

There are stools of every type for every status: common ones for the ordinary man or woman, and the more elaborate ones for the king (ohene adwa) or queenmother (ohemmaa adwa). The king's stool is usually decorated in gold, while the queenmother's stool is usually decorated in silver.

The king's stool is believed by the Akan to inhabit the soul of the nation, that is, it marks continuities across generations and groups. It also marks close solidarities between the living and the dead. Through the stool, the reigning king serves as a link between the living, the dead and the yet-to-be-born members of the society. The king, therefore, has the responsibility to preserve the stool for posterity

Silver Stool of the Ohemmaa                        Golden Stool of the Asantehene                                               Asipim

SAMPLES OF STOOLS

A family stool - Abusua Adwa
This particular stool is called abusua kahyire

OBI TE OBI SO - SOMEONE SITS ON TOP OF THE OTHER

OBI TE OBI SO - SOMEONE SITS ON TOP OF THE OTHER

Symbol of HIERARCHY, SENIORITY, and SOCIAL STRUCTURE

From the expression: Obi te obi so.

Literal translation: Someone sits on top of the other. Someone sits on someone else.

This symbol does not only point out the hierarchical nature of the Akan political organization, but it also points out the ordered structure of the society.

GYE NYAME  - EXCEPT GOD

Symbol of the OMNIPOTENCE and the OMNIPRESENCE OF GOD

From the aphorism: Abode santann yi firi tete; obi nte ase a onim ne ahyease, na obi ntena ase nkosi neawie, GYE NYAME.
Literal translation: This great panorama of creation dates back to time immemorial; no one lives who saw its beginning and no one will live to see its end, EXCEPT GOD.

The symbol reflects the Akan belief of a SUPREME BEING, the CREATOR who they refer to by various names - e.g.,
OBOADEE, NYAME, ONYANKOPON TWEREAMPON.

DWENNIMEN   - RAM'S HORNS

Symbol of STRENGTH IN HUMILITY

From the proverb: Dwennin ye asisie a, ode n'akom nnye ne mmen. Or, Dwennin ahooden ne n'ammen; wo pan n'ammen a, na woayi no awie.

Literal translation: The strength of the ram lies in its horn; once they are plucked off, then it is caught in a trap. Or, The ram may bully only when it is provoked to do so.

The big and mighty do not go around throwing their weight about.

DENKYEMFUNAFU  - JOINED CROCODILES

DENKYEMFUNAFU   - JOINED CROCODILES

Symbol of UNITY IN DIVERSITY, DEMOCRACY, and UNITY OF PURPOSE

 
The symbol is also referred to as odenkyem mmemu - Siamese twin crocodiles joined at the stomach.

From the proverb: Funtumfunafu, denkyemmfunafu, won afuru bomu nso wodidi a na worefom efiri se aduane ne de ye di no mene twitwi mu.
Literal translation: Two headed crocodiles fight over food that goes to a common stomach because each relishes the food in its throat.

This symbol stresses the oneness of humanity in spite of cultural diversity. It also emphasizes the need for unity in the family or state. Members should not quarrel or fight for selfish interests, for what each gains is for the benefit of all. It also emphasizes the reality of individuality in relation to one's membership in a society. Much as the community interests are to be pursued for the common good, individual rights, interests, passions and responsibilities cannot and must not be trampled on. This symbol, in essence, depicts the Akan notions about the inherent difficulties of reconciling individual and group interests in a democratic system.

ESONO   - ELEPHANT

ESONO - ELEPHANT

Symbol of AUTHORITY, POWER, PROTECTION, and GREATNESS

From the proverb: Wodi esono akyi a, hasuo nka wo. Or, Esono akyi nni aboa biara.

Literal translation: When one follows the elephant, one does not get wet from the dew on bushes. Or, There is no animal greater than the elephant in size.

ANANSE   -  SPIDER

ANANSE  -  SPIDER

Symbol of CREATIVITY, CRAFTINESS, MIGHT, INTELLIGENCE, FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION, and FREEDOM OF SPEECH 

From the proverb: Ananse antonn kasa.
Literal translation: Ananse (Spider) did not sell speech.

Ananse, the Spider (a very dominant character in Akan folktales) realized that speech and wisdom are accessible to all people and cannot be appropriated as the property of one individual.

Se W'ahu? - Do You See?

From the expression: Se w'ahu?

DAME DAME - CHECKERS

DAME DAME  - CHECKERS

Symbol of STRATEGIC PLANNING, ADROITNESS, DEXTERITY, CRITICAL THINKING, and GAMESMANSHIP

From the aphorism: Kwasea ani te a, na agoro agu. Or, Mepe kwasea bi ne no ato dame.

Literal translation: When the fool learns to understand the rules of a game, the game ends. Or, I will like to play a game of checkers wih some fool.

This symbolizes that knowledge is accessible even to the fool.

ODOFO NYERA FIE KWAN - THE LOVER WILL FIND HIS/HER WAY HOME

ODOFO NYERA FIE KWAN - THE LOVER WILL FIND HIS/HER WAY HOME

Symbol of LOVE, DEVOTION, PERSISTENCE, and COMMITMENT

From the expression: Odofo nyera fie kwan.

Literal translation: The lover will find his/her way home.

SANKONU WO ABE - GO BACK AND TEND YOUR PALM TREE

SANKONU WO ABE - GO BACK AND TEND YOUR PALM TREE

From the maxim: Se woye kookoo na annye yie a, sankonu wo abe.
Literal translation: When cocoa farm fails, you may as well go back and tend your oil palm farm.

This maxim is associated with the devastating effect of a plant disease that afflicted cocoa farms from as far back as 1910, but efforts to eradicate the disease came to a head in the 1940s and 1950s in Ghana. The disease proved to be an economic disaster for farmers as their cocoa farms were destroyed.

Cocoa had taken the place of the oil palm tree as the main cash crop. The devastating plant disease made  farmers resort to the growing of oil palm trees. Interestingly, the Ghanaian cocoa farmer has no domestic use of the cocoa, but the Ghanaian farmer has several domestic uses for the products from the oil palm tree - food (as cooking oil and/or soup), soap making, basket weaving, brooms, fences, palm wine, active charcoal used  by blacksmiths - even the dead palm tree is a source of a mushroom delicacy and the nutritious, high protein akokon.

Tikoro mmpam - One Head Does Not Constitute a Council

Also known as Obakofoo mmu oman - One person does not rule a nation

Symbol of PARTICIPATORY DEMOCRACY, WARNING AGAINST DICTATORIAL RULE, and PLURALITY OF IDEAS

From the maxim: Obakofoo mmu oman.

Literal translation: One person does not rule a nation.

The Akan belief is that democratic rule requires consultation, open discussion, consensus building, and coalition formation. The use of the Queen mother as a co-ruler and the Council of state or council of elders are examples of Akan forms of participatory democracy depicted by this symbol.

NKABOM ADWA - UNITY STOOL

Symbol UNITY, STRENGTH IN UNITY, and NATIONAL INTEGRATION

From the expression: Nkabom ma yetumi guina ho, mpaapaemu ma yehwe ase.
Literal translation: United we stand, divided we fall.

A CARVER

A CARVER OF NATIONAL REPUTE  

Opanyin Kojo Bambir of Ajumako Assasan, one of the carvers who assisted Kofi Antubam in 1959-60 in carving the Chair of State. He continues to carve at his shop, Bambir and Sons Carving Center at Achimota, Ghana near the Achimota Taxi Station on the Accra-Nsawam Road. He carved the abusua mpoma (family staffs) in the National Museum in Accra. His carvings are purchased by the Government to be given out as gifts to state visitors to Ghana.

The Seat of State of Ghana

This Seat of State takes the form of the Akan stool. It is used by the President of Ghana. It was first used in 1960 when Ghana became a republic. The first President to use this Seat of State was Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. The Seat of State was designed by Kofi Antubam, a renowned Ghanaian artist. He was assisted by a team of carvers including Opanyin Kojo Bambir. It was carved out of osese tree. It is, therefore, a white stool (adwa fufuo). It incorporates several symbols.