Sights/Sites of Spectacle: Anglo/Asante Appropriations, Diplomacy and Displays of Power 1816-1820 Fiona Sheales Thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy University of East Anglia Sainsbury Research Unit for the Arts of Africa, Oceania and the Americas School of World Art Studies January 2011 © This copy of the thesis has been supplied on condition that anyone who consults it is understood to recognise that its copyright rests with the author and that no quotation from the thesis, nor any information derived therefrom, may be published without the author’s prior, written consent. Dedication This thesis is dedicated to the memory of my father, Captain Charles Sheales and my mother, Barbara who both engendered in me a love of knowledge and an appreciation of other cultures and peoples. 2 Abstract Between May 1816 and March 1820 the paramount chief of Asante Osei Tutu Kwame Asibey Bonsu (r.1800-24) received no less than nine representatives of the British and Dutch trading companies at his capital Kumase. Of these, seven wrote detailed accounts of their experiences but the first and the most historically important was Mission from Cape Coast Castle to Ashantee published by Thomas Edward Bowdich (1791?-1824) in 1819. Besides containing vivid descriptions of Bowdich’s experiences as the Conductor of the first British Mission it is also supplemented with maps, diagrams and ten colour illustrations, the majority of which depict everyday activities and important locations in Kumase. The largest illustration, entitled ‘The First Day of the Yam Custom,’ differs significantly from the others, however, in respect of its size and its subject matter, as it documents the appropriation of conventions, material culture and symbolism by Asante, Islamic and European representatives during an important diplomatic ceremony. This thesis focuses on Bowdich’s published account and this illustration in particular, in order to explore the hypothesis that such spectacles played an instrumental role in Anglo/Asante appropriations and diplomatic negotiations during this period. As part of this analysis Bowdich’s descriptions will be compared and contrasted with other envoys’ accounts that were written between 1816 and 1820 in order that systematic practices and procedures and consistent patterns of behaviour can be identified and interrogated. The adoption of this historical ethnographic approach demonstrates the value of analyzing and re-assessing individual accounts that complement, but also contrast with, the longue dureé perspective adopted by the majority of studies that examine culture contact and appropriation. Furthermore, it also facilitates the introduction and development of a new theoretical concept that has the potential for wide-spread applicability in the analysis of other cultural encounters. 3 List of Contents Page No Dedication 2 Abstract 3 List of Contents 4 List of Tables 8 List of Figures 9 Preface 18 Acknowledgements 19 Introduction 21 The Research Context 21 Rationale 22 Definitions 23 Critical Concepts and Theoretical Framework 25 Research Questions 26 Research Methodology 27 Thesis Structure 28 4 Chapter I: Better the Devil You Know: Thomas E. Bowdich, 30 the Company of Merchants Trading to Africa and the first British Mission to Kumase Outline, Aims and Structure of Chapter 30 Part One: T. E. Bowdich’s Early Life and Career (1791-1817) 32 Part Two: The Mission (22nd April – 3rd October 1817) 49 Part Three: Bowdich’s Account of the Mission 66 Chapter Summary 76 Chapter II: Processing the Alien: Anglo/Asante Encounters in Kumase 78 Outline, Aims and Structure of Chapter 78 Part One: Approaching Kumase 79 Part Two: The State Reception 91 Part Three: The Yam Custom 114 Chapter Summary 126 Chapter III: Tokens, Trappings and Trophies: Anglo/Asante 130 Appropriations, Displays and Presentations of Guns, Swords, Canes, Chairs and Silver Plate Outline, Aims and Structure of Chapter 130 Part One: Binding Attachments 132 Part Two: Wrapping Words 145 Part Three: Embracing Supports 160 Chapter Summary 177 5 Chapter IV: Stitching the Flesh, Spinning the Skin: Anglo/Asante 180 Appropriations, Displays and Presentations of Flags, Canopies and Clothing Outline, Aims and Structure of Chapter 180 Part One: Fabric of Society 181 Part Two: Shades and Shields 193 Part Three: Second Skins 209 Chapter Summary 227 Chapter V: Aggravated Barbarity and Splendid Novelties: 229 Thomas E. Bowdich’s Re-presentations of Asante Outline, Aims and Structure of Chapter 229 Part One: Describing Asante 231 Part Two: Illustrating Asante 241 Part Three: Exhibiting Asante 273 Chapter Summary 315 Conclusion: 317 Research Question 1 318 Research Question 2 320 Research Question 3 323 6 Appendices: 326 Appendix 1: Key dates and events. 326 Appendix 2: Instructions to the Governor and Council from the Africa 341 Committee dated 15th November 1816. Appendix 3: Letter from Governor Smith to Frederick James dated Cape 343 Coast Castle 9th April 1817. Appendix 4: The Ratified Anglo/Asante Trade Treaty. 345 Appendix 5: Original watercolour sketches drawn by Jane Landseer and 346 Sarah Bowdich that are currently in the possession of a maternal relative. Glossary of Terms 361 Bibliography 366 7 List of Tables Page No Table 1: Comparative analysis of the official report and Bowdich’s published 68 account Table 2: A comprehensive list of the artefacts and specimens associated with the 289 1817 Mission to Kumase 8 List of Figures Page No Figure 1.0: A portrait of Thomas Edward Bowdich (1791?-1824) 33 Stipple by Thomson, J (after engraving by W. Derby c. 1819) (Reproduced in The Literary Gazette (1824) Figure 1.1: An engraving of St Stephen’s Parish Church, Bristol 34 (Nicholls and Taylor 1882, Plate 14) Figure 1.2: Bristol in the late eighteenth century 36 Oil on canvas (Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery) Figure 1.3: An engraving of Bristol Grammar School 37 (Nicholls and Taylor 1882, Plate 25) Figure 1.4: A map of modern-day Ghana and inset showing the approximate 51 route taken by the first British Mission to Kumase in 1817 (Ross 2002, 23) Figure 2.0: A line drawing of a typical Gold Coast house 81 (Swithenbank 1969, 3) Figure 2.1: ‘Ichonographical sketch of Coomassie, with the principal streets 85 and the situations of remarkable houses’ (Bowdich 1819, 323) Figure 2.2: The facades of some elite Asante houses located along one of the 90 seven main thoroughfares of Kumase Chromolithograph (Bowdich 1819, ‘Part of Adoom Street’) Figure 2.3: The first halt 91 (Bowdich 1819, 323) Figure 2.4: Detail of display of wild dancing and flag waving by Asante 93 captains and their retainers Chromolithograph (Bowdich 1819, ‘The First Day of the Yam Custom’) Figure 2.5: The second halt 94 (Bowdich 1819, 323) 9 Figure 2.6: Detail of the King’s House 95 (Bowdich 1819, 323) Figure 2.7: A view of the great court, note the intricate wall decorations and 97 items of regalia on display Chromolithograph (Bowdich 1819, ‘Part of a Piazza in the Palace’) Figure 2.8: A second view of the great court 98 Chromolithograph (Bowdich 1819, ‘Part of a Piazza in the Palace’) Figure 2.9: The façade of the Asantehene’s sleeping room, note the intricate 99 patterning of the walls and the Islamic amulets hanging above the doorway Chromolithograph (Bowdich 1819, ‘The King’s Sleeping Room’) Figure 2.10: The third halt 101 (Bowdich 1819, 323) Figure 2.11: Detail of a blood-soaked felon being tortured previous to 103 execution Chromolithograph (Bowdich 1819, ‘The First Day of the Yam Custom’) Figure 2.12: The fourth halt 104 (Bowdich 1819, 323) Figure 2.13: Detail of ground plan showing the location of the spirit grove in 104 relation to the market place (Bowdich 1819, 323) Figure 2.14: Detail of the trees of the spirit grove 106 (Bowdich 1819, ‘The First Day of the Yam Custom’) Figure 2.15: ‘The First Day of the Yam Custom’ 108 Chromolithograph (Bowdich 1819, 274/275) Figure 2.16: Map showing the states surrounding Asante 110 Lithograph (Hutton 1821, Map II) 10 Figure 2.17: The fifth halt 111 (Bowdich 1819, 323) Figure 2.18: A diagram of the spatial arrangement of the Asante court at a royal 119 durbar (Rattray 1927, 133) Figure 2.19: The Aya Kese in front of the royal mausoleum at Bantama 123 Original photograph taken by Sir Baden Powell 1896 (Reproduced in Rattray 1927, frontispiece) Figure 2.20 Detail of the parade of skulls 124 (Bowdich 1819, ‘The First Day of the Yam Custom’) Figure 3.0: Detail showing gold band decoration on a musket barrel 134 (Bowdich 1819, ‘Part of the Mission’s Quarters’) Figure 3.1: Detail of three firearms with red shells decorating the stocks 134 (Bowdich 1819, ‘Part of a Piazza in the Palace’) Figure 3.2: Detail showing gold banding applied to a pipe-stem 134 (Bowdich 1819, ‘The First Day of the Yam Custom’) Figure 3.3: Detail showing a variety of incised or perforated sword blades 138 (Bowdich 1819, ‘The First Day of the Yam Custom’) Figure 3.4: Detail of Asante chiefs holding their swords aloft in greeting 139 (Bowdich 1819, ‘The First Day of the Yam Custom’) Figure 3.5: Detail of the Asantehene’s state swords 141 (Bowdich 1819, ‘The First Day of the Yam Custom’) Figure 3.6: Detail of a captain swearing an oath in front of the Asantehene 142 (Bowdich 1819, ‘The First Day of the Yam Custom’) Figure 3.7: Detail of a messenger swearing on his sword 144 (Bowdich 1819, ‘The First Day of the Yam Custom’) Figure 3.8: Detail of Asantehene’s linguists 146 (Bowdich 1819, ‘The First Day of the Yam Custom’) Figure 3.9: Detail of linguists