Engaging Modernity: Asante in the Twenty-First Century

Kɔdeɛ

Description: Kɔdeɛ (the eagle) on both sides of the backrest with nankabɔbɔnini (a coiled gabbon viper). Like the gaboon viper, the Asantehene will never attack or fight without provocation. Directly below the viper is tadeɛ (a lake).

A step down in the corners are the adwera leafs. The designs are ɛdwene. Gold studs are replicas of sliced halvesof ankaa dwea (lemons). Armrests are carved eagles. Below the armrests are abotokura. All the seats are made of antelope skin. The brace under the seat is the nyansapɔ (wisdom knot).

Hwɛdɔm

From the Twi word hwɛ (looking at) dɔm (people). Spoken Twi: ɔhwɛ ɛdɔm. In the past, Asantehene would sit on this chair when declaring war. Currently, the king uses this chair when he presides over serious court cases. On top of both sides are funumatu (the navel). Between the navel is the ntuatire that is placed in the middle of the backrest, the end part of dɛnkyɛmkyɛ with the top part broken off. The circular gold embossed on the back seat consists of aya (fern leafs), a navel in the center, with the dɛnkyɛmkyɛ on top. The gold studs are sliced ankaa dwea as in the case of kɔdeɛ. The armrests are supported by a twisted rope design that extends to the chair stand.

Nnamu (Akonkromfi)

The design is such that the king sits in a restful posture since these types of chairs are used on joyous occasions. The nnamu chairs are also known as akronkromfi for they resemble the pose of a praying mantis. The ntuatire (on top of the chair) is the gyemirekutukyɛ (the bosomuru hat) and on both sides are the sedeɛ (cowrie shells). The backrest with the elaborate designs are an abstraction of the adinkra symbol, dwanini mmɛn (rams horns) with silver studs and silver ankaa dwea. The armrests are abstractions of another Adinkra design, Gyawu atikɔ (Gyawu’s backhead), while the round designs beneath the seat are replicas of ɔware (counting board game). A bell is strapped underneath the seat.

Dwetɛ Nnamu

Nnamu with silver studs and similar designs as the nnamu above but looks much older. The design of the backrest is an abstraction of dwanini mmɛn (the rams horns), while the armrests are abstractions of Gyawu atikɔ (Gyawu’s back head).

Asipimtia

Low seat chair (short chair) decorated with large and small silver studded nails. Circular embossed design is tadeɛ (a lake). Notice the nsuman below the seat.

Abosomaketrɛ/Asipimtia

One of the items taken away to Britain but returned during Asantehene Agyemang Prempeh II’s reign is this asimpimtia chair named after its ntuatire, abosomaketrɛ (the chameleon). With the chameleon, the king is indicating that this chair was taken far away to Britain but slowly like the abosomaketrɛ, it returned to Kumase. It is embossed with a circular gye nyame symbol (accept the power of God; the omnipotence of the creator) on the back of seat. The abosomaketrɛ chair is of the asipimtia variety.

Kukuruboɔ/Asipimtia

Specifically for funerary rites, this chair is identified by the ntuatire, kukuruboɔ. It is elaborately designed with silver studded nails and embossed circular silver with aya (fern leaves) on the backrest. The saying in Twi is: ma ya kokoase aya, me bɛgyae me ti hihim ni? (lit., I’m like the fern leaf under the cocoa tree; will I ever stop shaking my head?)

Sikwadwa Hwɛdɔm (Hwɛdɔmtea)

Since the Gold Stool is never allowed to touch the ground, it is placed on top of this hwɛdɔmtea that is appropriately called, sikadwa hwɛdɔm. During ceremonies, the chair is also placed on ɛsono aso (the skin of an elephant ear) known in Twi by the general name banwoma. The big circular ornament on the backrest is tadeɛ (a lake). As usual, the funumatu (navel) is placed on the topsides with small and large ankaa dwea studs decorating the edges. All ornaments are plated with gold.

Kɔtɔkɔdwa

As in the previous stool, kɔtɔkɔdwa is plated with gold ornaments. Two cast iron bells are attached and unlike the fotɔaba, only two sides of the legs have the round form. There are four suman attached to the base. This ceremonial stool was made for the present king, Otumfoɔ Osei Tutu II.

Fotɔaba

Brown wooden stool with gold repouse decoration representing the fotɔaba (the seeds used in a counting board game). It is impossible to break the fotɔ seed. The circular legs also represent the fotɔaba. Two cast iron bells are attached to each side by leather thongs. Six suman (talismans) are attached to the base for spiritual protection. Similar to the decorated chairs, stools are always placed on banwoma. In this picture, the fotɔaba is placed on a gyata banwoma (lion leather).

A Set of Stools, Chair, and Cushions

On special occasions such as the adaɛkɛseɛ or a fairly big akwasidaɛ that take place at pramaso (the big open space outside the palace), the Asantehene sits on kɔtɔkɔdwa with twelve colorful velvet and silk-covered cushions. Known in Twi as atɛ (ntɛ, pl.) the cushions are arranged in ascending order on the kɔdeɛ chair that is placed behind a stool. The kɔtɔkɔdwa is placed on gyata nwoma (lion leather) with atɛ (a pillow-shapped cushion) placed on it. There are three visible circular cushions with a yellow and black circular middle for the first two representing taadeɛ (a lake). Bɔaman is the third, top-most cushion with a black square, four triangular shapes, and one rectangular shape. There are nine additional cushions behind the three cushions for a total of twelve cusions. The akrokoaa (footrest) is placed on the leather carpet in front of the kɔtɔkɔdwa. As would be expected, the entire setup is placed on gyata banwoma (lion leather).