Materials Object Type

 Carved Wood, Fiber and Beads sculpture

Origin People Grouping

 Ghana Asante Ancestral

Date

Late 19th Century

Yaa Asantewa, seated on throne, was queen mother of Ejisu in the Ashanti/Asante Empire (presently in modern-day Ghana). Inducted queen mother by her brother, Nana Akwasi Afrane Okpese, the ruler of Edwesu, she nominated her grandson as Ruler of Ejisu following her brother’s demise. The King of the Ashanti Prempeh 1st, and grandson of Yaa Asantewa were exiled to Seychelles in 1896 by the British. British governor, Sir Frederick Mitchell Hodgson demanded that the Golden Stool, the royal and divine throne of the Ashanti people be handed over to the British. A conference of the chiefs of the Asante kingdom was held. Disgusted with attitude of some chiefs who were scared to fight the British, Yaa Asantewa, Gatekeeper of the Golden Stool, asserted that if the men don’t come forward, then women will fight. This charged up the men initiating the War of the Golden Stool, also known as the Yaa Asantewa War that marked last war in a series of Anglo-Ashanti Wars.

Supportive Info:

Yaa Asantewaa was queen mother of Ejisu in the Ashanti/Asante Empire (presently in modern-day Ghana). Inducted queen mother by her brother, Nana Akwasi Afrane Okpese, the ruler of Edwesu, she nominated her grandson as Ruler of Ejisu following her brother’s death in 1894. Yaa Asantewaa had witnessed several events including civil war from 1883 to 1888 during her brother’s rule that posed threat to the future of the Ashanti Confederacy. grandson of Yaa Asantewaa were exiled to Seychelles in 1896 by the British. British governor of the Gold Coast, Sir Frederick Mitchell Hodgson who demanded that he sit on the Golden Stool, the royal and divine throne of the Ashanti people be handed over to the British. He did not understand the significance of the Golden Stool that is the very symbol of the Ashanti people, living, dead, and yet to be born. Moreover he also commanded a search for the stool.

A conference of the chiefs of the Asante kingdom was held. Disgusted with the attitude of some chiefs who were scared to fight the British, Yaa Asantewaa, Gatekeeper of the Golden Stool, asserted that if the men don’t come forward, then women will fight. This charged up the men initiating the War of the Golden Stool, also known as the Yaa Asantewaa War that marked the last war in a series of Anglo-Ashanti Wars.

The War of the Golden Stool

The War of the Golden Stool, also famous as the Yaa Asantewaa War, the Ashanti Uprising and the Third Ashanti Expedition that began in March 1900 marked the last war in a series of Anglo-Ashanti Wars fought between the Empire of Ashanti and British Imperial government of the Gold Coast.

A siege under leadership of Yaa Asantewaa was laid by the rebellion to the Kumasi fort where the British and their allies took refuge. The Ashanti cut telegraph wires, blocked all roads and food supplies and attacked relief columns.

Although a rescue team of 700 came in June 1900, they were unable to evacuate several sick men in the fort. However Hodgson and his wife with the rest including hundred Hausas managed to dodge the 12,000 Ashanti warriors to reach the coast. After arriving at the coast Hodgson found a second rescue force of 1000 men who gathered from different British units and police forces. The rescue force under the command of Major James Willcocks fought several groups allied with the Ashanti on its way and suffered several casualties, particularly at Kokofu. The force arrived at Beckwai in early July 1900 and made it to Kumasi for the final assault on July 14. Willcocks ultimately relieved the Kumasi fort on the evening of July 15, when the inhabitants were a couple of days away from surrendering themselves.

The British eventually won the war and Yaa Asantewaa was exiled in the Seychelles where she died after two decades. Her brother, Nana Akwasi Afrane Okpese became the Edwesuhene that is ruler of Edwesu.