Indigenous Peoples

Fierce Fighters, Resilient People My Tribe is Ashanti +HQULHWWD$SSLDK

BEFORE YOU READ: heritage and 1 . Share what you know about people who are In- identity dear. digenous to Africa. Name some tribes or empires. The Name some of the Indigenous languages spoken Ashantis are a in Africa. unique people in many ways. 2. Do you speak more than one language or dia- In an Ashanti lect? What part of your heritage are you proudest community, of? Why? everyone lives The name of my tribe is Ashanti, also known as the together in Asante. We are indigenous to western Africa in a buildings country called Ghana. I am proud to be an Ashanti around the because of our rich culture and heritage. courtyard. I :HKDYHDOZD\VEHHQNQRZQDVÀHUFHÀJKW - grew up this HUV7KH$VKDQWLWULEHKDVDVD\LQJ´,I,JRIRU - way in the ward, I die. If I go backward, I die. It’s better to go Ashanti tribe, forward and die.” From this Ashanti heritage, I staying with carry with me strength, persistence, and resilience. my parents These qualities allow me to take care of my fam- until I got married. Traditionally, the head of the ily as we learn to live in U.S. society but hold our household is the oldest brother living in the clan. The elders pick him to lead the family. We call him the father or the housefather. The family is very important to the Ashanti tribe, especially the mother’s family. We believe that everyone in the IDPLO\LQKHULWVWKHPRWKHU·VÁHVKDQGEORRG7KH father provides the soul. 7KHUHDUHGR] - “If I go forward, I die. ens of languages If I go backward, I die. in Ghana, but most It’s better to go for- people speak Twi. ward and die.” Twi is one of the major dialects in Ghana. I speak Twi and English as native lan- guages. I can understand other dialects, like Ga, .RÀ$QQDQ  ZDVWKH6HFUHWDU\*HQHUDORIWKH ZKLFKZHOHDUQLQVFKRROEXWLWLVGLIÀFXOWIRUPH 8QLWHG1DWLRQVIRUWHQ\HDUVVWDUWLQJLQ+HZRQWKH to speak them. Sometimes there are people from 1REHO3HDFH3UL]HLQIRUKLVKXPDQULJKWVZRUNDQG rural areas who speak only their native dialect. IRUKLVIRFXVRQVWRSSLQJWKHVSUHDGRI+,9LQ$IULFD Here in the U.S., if I see someone from Ghana, I

48 The Change Agent — March 2019 — changeagent.nelrc.org Indigenous Peoples

fully with one another. We Ashanti people In fact, one famous $VKDQWL.RÀ$QQDQ still pass on our was a winner of the traditions and 1REHO3HDFH3UL]H languages from We Ashanti people still pass on our generation to traditions and lan- generation. guages from genera- tion to generation. We feel proud of who we are, and we carry this with us everywhere we go. The importance of family in our culture keeps us together and makes us strong, successful people.

Henrietta Appiah is a student at ERACE in Branford, CT. She studies writing and is working toward continuing her education in WKHQXUVLQJÀHOG 0 1000 miles

0 1000 km AFTER YOU READ: 1 . 6XPPDUL]HDIHZRIWKHNH\WKLQJV\RXOHDUQHG 0DSRI$IULFD)LQG*KDQD)LQGWKHWHUULWRU\RIWKH about the Ashanti people by reading this article. $VKDQWL(PSLUH:KDWRWKHUWHUULWRULHVDQGFRXQWULHV 2. Look at the map of the world on p. 7. Identify FDQ\RXLGHQWLI\"8VLQJWKHLQIRUPDWLRQRQWKLVPDS HVWLPDWHKRZORQJ$IULFDLVIURP1RUWKWR6RXWKDQG WKHVHYHQFRQWLQHQWV6NLPWKLVHQWLUHPDJD]LQH KRZZLGHLWLVIURP(DVWWR:HVW([SODLQKRZ\RX noting which continents are represented in the ar- ÀJXUHGLWRXW&KHFN\RXUDQVZHURQOLQH WLFOHV:KLFKRQHVDUHPLVVLQJ":KDWFDQ\RXÀQG out about Indigenous Peoples from those conti- nents that are not represented in this issue? DGGUHVVWKHPÀUVWLQ7ZL,WKLQNLWLVYHU\LP - portant for the Ghanaian tribes to maintain their native languages because it is part of our identity. It distinguishes us by our heritage and connection to our clan. One of the most important symbols of the Ashanti culture is the Golden Stool. We bring out the Golden Stool for grand occasions. We believe the Golden Stool represents the spirit of our ances- tors. While I have never seen the Golden Stool of my home community, it is still there and my father told me stories about it growing up. Historically, the Ashanti practiced slav- ery. If Ashanti people went to war and won, they brought the enemy home as slaves. They believed 7KH$VKDQWLÁDJIHDWXUHVDJROGVWULSHDWWKHWRSDJUHHQ that slaves would follow their masters into the VWULSHDWWKHERWWRPDQGDEODFNVWULSHLQWKHPLGGOHZLWK afterlife. Now, the Ghanaian tribes live peace- WKHJROGHQVWRROLQWKHFHQWHU

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