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16 Hours
Daily Tour
50 people
English
A Day in Kumasi
Kumasi is one of the popular cities in Ghana known for its rich cultural heritage and resources, unified by the Golden stool. The Ashanti Kingdom is a constitutionally protected sub-national traditional state, considered one of the most powerful in the history of Gold Coast (Ghana). Kumasi is about a five hours drive from Accra. On this trip, guests would make a first stop at the Bonwire Kente Weaving Village, to experience the firsthand the weaving of the famous Kente Cloth. They would also visit the Manhyia Palace, the Okomfo Anokye Sword Site, and the Prempeh II Museum to learn about the history of the people of Ashanti and how the Kings used politics to rule. This tour is more focused on the authenticity of the culture and how it has been preserved for all generations to experience.
Kente is a local cloth inspired by “Ananse” (the spider), discovered by 2 hunter brothers from Bonwire, one of the leading Kente weaving locations in Ghana. It is woven on a horizontal strip loom, which produces a narrow band of cloth about four inches wide, carefully arranged and hand-sewn together to create a cloth. The Kente cloth is intended as a form of communication through the different patterns, designs and colours they come with. It is worn on special occasions like festivals, weddings, naming ceremonies and the enstoolment of traditional rulers.
Guests would visit the official residence/seat of the King of the Ashantis, and the administrative headquarters of the Ashanti Kingdom, the Manhyia Palace. The palace was built by the British in 1925 to replace the original palace that was destroyed during the Yaa Asantewaa war to welcome Prempeh I from exile in Seychelles Island. The palace holds statues of previous Ashanti Kings and some of the original furniture that were used. The Manhyia Palace generally reminds and informs guests about the history and traditional values of the Ashantis.
Prempeh II Jubilee Museum, centered in the Kumasi Centre for National and Cultural, was established by Nana Prempeh II in 1984. It is a national workshop for crafts, art performances and museum where guests would get to learn more about the lifestyle and beliefs of the Ashantis. The museum also has a collection of the Ashanti Cultural artifacts that carry a lot of history and heritage. It houses some personal effects of Prempeh II like his war attire, equipment for dining and bathing, jewelries, protective amulets and many others.
Guests would visit the Okomfo Anokye Sword site, which harbors an unmovable Sword planted by a high priest called Okomfo Anokye almost 300 years ago. He is believed to have warned that the Ashanti Kingdom is bound to collapse once the sword is removed from its current spot and there have been failed attempts to take it. The site was predicted by Okomfo Anokye to be a healing place and it is now where the Okomfo Anokye Teaching Hospital is situated. The site was also where the famous Golden Stool of Ashanti Kingdom was commanded.
Member Since 2024
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Ghana
Akosombo, Ghana
