Traditions of Kumasi
The Ashanti capital, home of the Golden Stool, kente weaving and the royal Akwasidae festival.
Kumasi is the cultural capital of the Ashanti people and is the seat of the Asantehene, the Ashanti king. The Golden Stool, the symbol of the nation's soul, is kept here. Kente cloth is woven in nearby villages, with each pattern bearing a name and a meaning, and Ashanti court life is rich in drum and ceremony.
Akwasidae and kente
Every forty-two days, the Akwasidae festival brings the king out in state to receive homage from chiefs, with drums, umbrellas and gold ornaments. Each colour of kente carries meaning: gold for royalty and wealth, green for growth, and blue for peace. Adinkra symbols, stamped on cloth, carry proverbs.
At the table
Fufu, pounded cassava and plantain, is served with soup of palm nut or groundnut and eaten by hand. Kenkey, from fermented corn, and waakye, rice and beans, are everyday dishes. Palm wine and akpeteshie are served at celebrations. Kola is offered as a welcome.
Signature traditions of Kumasi
Akwasidae FestivalThe Ashanti festival.
Kente clothThe Ghanaian woven cloth.
Adinkra symbolsThe symbols of Ghana.Also part of it, and being written: Fufu (The pounded staple.), Golden Stool (The Ashanti symbol.).
A trail idea for Kumasi
- Manhyia Palace Museum See royal objects.
- Kejetia Market One of the largest open markets in West Africa.
- Bonwire A kente weaving village.
Written by the EveryParampara desk with AI assistance. Opening hours, markets and festival dates change; check locally before travelling. Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Akwasidae Festival: Nkansahrexford, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Adinkra symbols: Bosomba Amosah other versions=, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Kente cloth: ZSM, CC BY-SA 3.0, source