The Ashanti have always defended their Golden Stool when it was at risk. In 1896 , the Ashanti allowed their King, Prempeh I , to be exiled rather than risk losing a war and the Golden Stool in the process. The Governor of the Gold Coast , Sir Frederick Hodgson, demanded to sit on the stool in 1900. The Ashanti remained silent and when the assembly ended, they went home and prepared for war . Although they lost on the battle field, they claimed victory because they fought only to preserve the sanctity of the Golden Stool, and they had. Then in 1920 , a group of African road builders accidentally found the Golden Stool and stripped it of its gold ornaments. They were tried by an Ashanti court, found guilty, and the death penalty was imposed. But the British intervened and the sentence was commuted to perpetual banishment . The Ashanti have always been proud of the uniqueness of their Golden Stool , and it was a symbol of not only their independence, but a common bond between their people. When the King of Gyaaman , Adinkra, made a Golden Stool for himself, the Asantehene was so annoyed that he led a massive army against him. Adinkra was completely destroyed near Bondoukou , and he was decapitated. The Asantehene then proceeded to order the melt down of Adinkra's golden stool, and for it to be made into two masks, to represent his "ugly" face. These masks remain hanging on each side of the Ashanti Golden Stool to this day.
No comments:
Post a Comment