Saturday 5 October 2024

How Did the Ashante Kingdom end up Having and Selling Slaves?

It is important to recognize that the history of slavery is complex and not confined to any single cause, such as religion. For example, the enslavement of Africans by Dahomey or the Asante shows that internal dynamics and power struggles also played a significant role. Over-simplifications are for those who don’t think critically.

When the Asante faced raids by their Islamic northern neighbors, they called a conference of diverse Akan peoples. Some refused to attend, while others chose to attend. Those who attended formed a federation called the Asante kingdom. To symbolize their unity, they created the concept of the Golden Stool, representing the soul and vitality of the Asante people. Believing that possession of the Golden Stool would ensure their invincibility, they engaged in conflicts to defend and expand their territory. This included attacking neighbors out of fear of being enslaved themselves. Sometimes they won, sometimes they lost. The process of piecing together willing and unwilling Akan groups through alliances and warfare led to the enslavement of millions. The Asante were organized and used violence as state policy for both self-defense and expansion. Notably, the Asante were not Christians. This resulted in the Ghanian coast line being a major source of slaves.

Since those times, the Ashante Kingdom has issued a formal apology for its participation in the slave trade, in recognition of its legacy and damaging effects.

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