I grew up knowing that I was Nzema, but it wasn’t until I came across a book “The Python Killer: Stories of Nzema Life” (1988) while sightseeing and browsing hole-in-the-wall stores in London in 2003 did I become aware of my clan. In fact, I ordered 3 copies of that book, one for myself, one for my father, and another for my paternal uncle whom I was visiting with in England that summer. The author, an Italian anthropologist named Vinigi L. Grottanelli apparently had discovered the rich culture of [the Nzema] in 1954 and spent the next three decades learning about their beliefs, traditions, and practices.(from the dustcover)
My father actually claims that one of the men whose story is written in the book is his own grandfather. I remember him clearly reading that story, exclaiming, “yes…yes…that’s him, so true, aaaah, I remember…yes”. He then proceeded to fatten the story with his own memories. That was a wonderful afternoon.
As much as I am an individualist I love culture and traditions…from an intellectual standpoint. I guess that’s why I studied Anthropology in college. I remember moving to Ghana at the age of 11 discovering my parents school books from the 1950-1960s or so and just reading about the various Ghanaian ethnic groups. My father would take me to the University of Legon bookstore where I would proceed to buy more of these old historical books and pamphlets – many of which were thesis dissertations of former Legon students.
With all that, I’m still not clear as to what the origin of the Akan is. It seems that most people agree that we came from “up north” in a series of migrations to escape Muslim influences. As we came into what is now modern-day south western/coastal Ghana as well as south-eastern/coastal Cote d’Ivoire we broke off into different tribes eg. Ashanti, Brong, Akwamu, Fanti, Nzema, Baule, Agni, Kwahu, etc. and settled…and fought wars between ourselves. I guess there was no further south we could go without ending up in the Atlantic ocean itself. Ironically, the Europeans came from said ocean and dominated us with their Christianity instead. So much for religious freedom.
For a more exciting tale of the origin of the Akan, I actually remember reading in one of these old books that the Akan came from the Middle East region specifically the Seir mountains. They were said to be of the Horite group and were driven out of the region by the Edomites led by the biblical Esau (Deuteronomy 2:12). I should mention that another story actually has the Akans as descendents of Israel. I wondered if that version was made before or after Christianity was imposed on us. Moving on, after leaving the Middle East, the Akan moved into modern day Egypt/Sudan region (ancient Kush/Nubia) where they were part of the ruling class. The 7 ancestresses that each Akan person can trace their lineage (clan) to are said to have been wives of the biblical King Solomon in this particular version of the story. They were partly to blame for his downfall because they insisted in worshiping God through their lesser gods. When the Muslims began to invade the region in the early centuries AD, the Akans moved into modern day Mali/Senegal/Mauritania region (ancient Ghana) to maintain their religious freedom where they again became the ruling class. You can tell this is an Akan story right? It is from here that they migrated in waves to their present location. Yes, it is a fantastical tale for me as well.
Some say that there are seven clans; others say that there are eight. But essentially, the clans link all who fall under Akan to one of seven (or eight) female ancestresses, and not necessarily wives of Solomon either. What is the purpose of a clan? Well that too is a bit unclear to me but it seems one would need to understand how the Akan view themselves.
What makes the Akan unique, I think, is that they are linked by matrilineal descent, inheritance, and succession. In basic English, in traditional society, women are important members of society, politically, judiciously, and economically. I’m sure that was a shock for the waves of Europeans who came across our shores with their Christian and patriarchal ways. But that’s another story.
For the Nzema, Fante, and a few other Akans, it is believed that the mbowule (bones) and the nwonane (flesh) come from the mother; the mogya (blood) and the sunsum (personality) come from the father; and the ɛkela (principle life force or soul) comes from Nyamele (God). However, for the Asante and some other Akans, the mogya (blood) comes from the mother and her abusua (lineage or clan) which is their basis of matrilineal descent. Likewise, the mbowule (bones) are a logical basis of matrilineal descent because they are structurally strong and durable. The importance of the ɛkela is seen in the concept of ɛkela duma (soul name or day name) because God puts the ɛkela into a human at the time of his/her birth which is why every Ghanaian (provided they are Akan) is called Kofi, Kwame, Abena, Yaa or one of the other day names. I actually had an African-American friend try to tease me that all Ghanaian men are called Kofi. I refused to be teased.
When a human dies the ɛkela returns to God, the sumsum is silenced, the mogya stops running and becomes a ghost in the spirit world awaiting reincarnation, and the mbowule remain in the ground forever.
But what is the purpose of a clan? Hmmm Well you have the nuclear family, then the extended family, then the abusua (clan), then the village, then the ethnic group (tribe), then the linguistic group (Akan), and then the political country (Ghana). In any given village, there are likely to be representatives of each of the 7/8 clans, however each village has a dominant clan representing whomever settled there first. That first clan owns the land and thus holds the chiefdom for that village. Which means that one could travel to unknown village X and if the chiefdom belongs to one’s clan, one can claim royalty or a right to that throne…assuming it’s vacant. It also means that were I to travel to unknown village X, I could seek out members of my mother’s clan (who aren’t necessarily blood relatives of recent generations in the European sense) and they would embrace me as family. The other significance of a clan is that one is forbidden to marry within the clan because that’s family. Actually, I am told that if a man is of one clan (let’s say Adahonle) and he marries a woman of a different clan (let’s say Ezohile), none of his matrilineal relatives can marry Ezohile. That’s quite something. On the flipside, a man could marry his father’s sister’s daughter or his mother’s brother’s daughter (cross cousins) because they do not belong to the same family/abusua/clan. Wild!
This year, I had to have my mother remind me (again) what clan I belong to. I’m not sure many younger generation Akans know their clan. I’m not sure what significance it plays in our day to day activities especially when we do not live in our villages. I do know that when Grandfather died last year he was buried in his village and my mother and her siblings had to go seek out the abusua-panyin (elder) for their clan (different from that of grandfather inherently) as part of the funeral arrangements. I learnt this year though, that since all Akan come from the same 7/8 ancestresses, the family and marriage rules technically apply across ethnic groups. So that means it would be taboo for me as an Nzema woman from the Ezohile clan to marry an Ashanti man from the Asona clan as according to the table below, we share the same female ancestress. A taboo, which back in the day, and I mean at least a century, was punishable by death. Ok, who goes around ensuring that doesn’t happen these days?!
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Nzema clan
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Clan names for other Akan people
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Totem & symbol
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Qualities
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Twea
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Aduana, Atwea
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Dog (fire)
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honesty, industriousness
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Ezohile
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Asona, Nsunafo, Dumana
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Crow
(rice, rain)
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statesmanship, patriotism
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Alɔnwɔba
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ɔyoko, Yokofo, Dehyena
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Falcon
(raffia palm)
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statesmanship, bravery, patience
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Nvavile
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Agona, Eguanafo
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Parrot
(corn)
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eloquence
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Adahonle
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Asakyiri, Anonafo, Asankera
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Hawk/Eagle
(palm)
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calmness, patience
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Azanwule
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ɛkoɔna,
Asokorefuo, Kwonnafo, Asamanguèma |
Buffalo
(yam)
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honesty, uprightness
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Mafole
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Bretua, Twidanfo, Asamankoma
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Leopard/Panther
(gold)
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bravery, aggressiveness
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———-
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Aseneɛ, Atwafo
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Bat
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diplomacy, faithfulness
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Disclaimer: I created this table based on my own research and by enlisting the help of my grandmother. Though the names and symbols of the Nzema clans are correct, I may not have mapped them correctly to their corresponding clans in the other Akan groups. I welcome any discussion. 4/25/11
A lover of mangoes. A woman - smart, without pretense, lefthanded, Afropolitan - navigating this thing called life. An unapologetic believer in social justice and karma. Choosing to radiate positive energy and be true to myself. Here, my musings.
Interesting Read.
Lol @ Daddy's recollections. And before I read the line, "This year, I had to have my mother remind me (again) what clan I belong to.", I literally turned to her and stated "I didn't now we were a part of the Akan family." She just looked at me…
Keep me updated.
Nelson Mandela’s uncle and chief of the Tembu clan of South Africa was called Chief Matanzima. He was also a proponent of the apartheid system or separated living which gave him power of all black people in the Transkei region in South Africa. Needless to say, the African National Congress, who Mandela led after the end of apartheid was not a big fan of his. Another Nzima to feature during apartheid is Masan Samuel Nzima, who took the picture of the dying Hector Pietersen, who was shot by the white apartheid police during the 1976 Soweto uprisings that brought the youth then into the struggle for freedom from apartheid, then. This picture became a picture that symbolized to the world just what is happening in South Africa. Mandela himself is a Mande – which I am starting to think might be the tribe of Terah (means Ibex or wild goat) or Yao – the father of Abraham, son of Terah, son of Nahor. This tribe is older than the Israelites but merged with them after Isaac took Rebecca from Bethuel, son of Nahor/Yao (pretty big Bantu (Nyawo/Yao or Ndjao), Chinese, red indian and Asian tribe), Jacob took Leah and Rachel from Laban, son of Bethuel and Gad and Naphtali had married Uzith and Merimah, respectively, both daughters of Amuram, son, of Uz, son of Nahor, son of Terah – father to Abraham. When combined with the Israelites, they became Mandinka or Mandingos and that is Madiba – Nelson Mandela’s clan name comes from. In Uganda, the same clan is called Tembuzi – Mbuzi = goat. Needless to say, one of Merimah and Naphtali’s son’s names is Guni. This is what we call ourselves = nguni = Ngoni = Ngweni = Kweny = Koni = Kone.
We also have other surnames that I received through God’s revelation:
Sikhakhane – a former confident and army general of King Sha ka Zulu comes from Sikh Akane.
Sikhosana – Sikh Osana – regarded as a Ndebele clan, which is the same Yao clan combined with Bele or Bere or Mbire or Mbira (from Perez/Perezuzza – the clan of our Lord Jesus Christ and King David and Solomon – the son of Judah from Tamar, the Canaanite and a twin. The other twin was called Zare/Zera/Zorka). Also called Masombuka – maybe related to the Tumbuka.
Sigujana – Sikh Ujana – King Shaka’s younger brother who took the throne first after King Sha ka’s father died. he was killed by Shaka.
Sgananda – Sikh Ananda or person from Khananda – this is where the Vijayanagar Indians lived in India = Kannanda.
Xolo – Nzimakwe – very proud stone builders and call themselves AmaChi. From MaChi – son of Manasse. Always travelled with the Zulus under the Milalulu or Malajulu or Malandela or Highland people.
Mzimela – a Nguni tribe from South Africa – I live in their territory.
Sikhangisa or Sikh Angisa
Nzimande – seems like a combination of Nzima and Nde tribe again. These can be found ALL over the horn and Southern Africa.
Ndimande – my grandfather had a friend called Mkhulu (Grandfather) Ndimande who looked half-Indian who was his drinking buddy. He apparently was part of the resettled Zulus who came from Goa in India in the 1800s, brought back by the British to be forced labour. Nzimande and Ndimande are the same tribe but I suspect both came from different continents. There are still 70,000 Bantus living in Goa, India and Goans. The whole of Sri Lanka is black. That’s why they have surnames such as Malala, Malinga = Madinga etc. and Sri Lanka = Shiri Langa = sun people. All African tribes call themselves the Sun or Solo/Zolo people. Inka or Inca also means sun, by the way so does Langa for Southern Africa or Tsatsi.
Lukhele
Mqhele –
Lushozi etc.
A question: Some Sotho-speaking Kwena or you would call them Gona or Kona in South Africa say they came from Ntsonantsatsi, I always assumed this was Cape Town or Free State… Was there ever a place in Ghana or is it overseas?
Hi very interesting. I have actually read Grottanelli’s book with interest myself. My father’s side of the family hail from Grand Bassam and settled in Half Assisi. My maternal grandmother also hails from Grand Bassam and settled in Axim. My maternal grandfather hails from Niger ,was born there , then moved and settled in Axim.
The joke of it is my brother when on his travels in Egypt was stopped by natives who thought he was Nubian Sudanese and I have been mistaken for an Egyptian once. I think this stems from the fact that my mother’s father originates from Niger…..as she herself has very northern features.
What I am actually interested to know is are Nzemas really Ghanaians or would you say Ivorian’s, because sometimes to me the distinction is not clear and to be honest I would say that the Nzema tribe is very small in comparison to other Ghana tribes.. would be good to know your thoughts as you appear to be quite knowledgable in this area….
Yes the Nzema’s population is small because of civil wars in the past. Quiet sad, Yes! there was some serious civil wars in Nzema, and amongst Nzemas and its neighbors eg anyi-nzema war, nzema (evalue, gwira) vs nzema (ellembelle and jomoro) and later nzema ellembelle vs nzema jomoro.. Sad days, nzema population reduced as a result even though a powerful magic was made to remedy the loss but was not enough to restore the glorious nzema size in terms of numbers.
Hello,
Thanks for your comment. In regards to whether the Nzema are Ghanaian or Ivorian, I think it's important to stress that we came before the Europeans. Our land was largely appropriated by the English and incorporated into what is now Ghana. A smaller section was incorporated into what is now Cote d'Ivoire. We are a small group, that's right.
Hey K'che, thanks for your reply,I am realy enjoying your blog,its very refreshing, informative and fills in lots of gaps for me.Well done and keep it up!
From your reply , I would say the origins of Nzema and how we developed as a people is shrouded with a bit of mystery , which I quite like but there is certainly the Ivorian- Ghanaian link there for sure and like you say we were there before the Europeans which I take to mean as far back as prior occupation of the Portugese.
Look forward to more.. and perhaps recommended literature
We have Nzema in South Africa as well under the Zulu Kingdom but also amongst other tribes. The trick is, the whites rewrote our history to make it seem like South Africans were fighting amongst each other when they came here. The Nzemas are called Nzima and are regarded as Nguni/Ngoni. Nzima itself means Difficult which is another way of saying LUKHUNI or Nguni. The Nzima are also part of the Hungwe or Ngweni nation of Southern Africa. Ngweni means leopard (South African and openly Nguni nations – Swaziland, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya, Zambia, Namibia, Angola, DRC, Congo-Brazzaville, Cameroon (Jukun or Mankon) etc.) or Eagle (Zimbabwe) and other countries where the history has been distorted such as Chad, Sudan, North AFrica etc. All of North Africa is Bantu-Nguni. Kongo means the place of the Leopard people. Jukun or Djugun is what we used to call ourselves before we got to Africa. The Gona/Kona are a big Social caste in Africa – Nigeria, Benin, Cameroon, Mali, Senegal, SSA, in general. In fact The Zulus and Xhosa have them as part of the Borana (Ethiopia) or Korana(South Africa and rest of Africa) tribe which includes the San-Bushmen or Khoi Khoi of Sub Saharan Africa. It is led by tribes who call themselves Khoza, Kosa, Gossa or Qosa and Xhosa, which is why we have such a tribe in South Africa. It was supposed to be the tribe that handles circumcision and movement between different stages of the gaada or nkatha or social stratification system of the bantus or Ngwe or Jukun or Moors or Moros – which is much more sophisticated than democracy. Look it up under Borana-Oromo Gaada as the best written but it is the same system that King Shaka was able to take people from Ghana, Asia, America and Europe and create a strong black state of all Israelite tribes within 5 years. That nation still stands today and as a Zwane and a Ngwe/Mambo/Ekossi/Nkosi/Gusii/Kisii, I can be proud of. If you doubt that we are Israel. I will make it easy for you. King Solomon had more than 700 wives. He was also called Sulumane – He ruled ALL nations under the heavens, not by conquest but by God’s grace – they just came and paid him dowry. Even the Kermetan Pharoh paid him dowry. Sulu = heavens = Zulu, mane = mani = manu = mwene= mene = mono = munhu = muntu = prince or ruler of. Sulu is also called Sule by the world and South Africans even in nZulu = nZule. But Sulu also is what the tribe of Israel calls itself when it is combined into one. White people changed the names of things or just plainly made them up. For instance, China’s real name is Zhoungou. Mandarin (The language is called MANDA-rin) is actually Pottunggua (Similar to what this branch of Ghana and South Africans call themselves – Potu and Putu/Pondo = Glory, a twin whose brother is Pon-Domise = May He be Glorified = what the word Judah means = Dumisa). The Phoenicians did not call themselves Phoenicians but Fenkhu. In South Africa, some of the Zulu clan also calls themselves Fengu or Fing or Hing or Fik (Bafikeng or Mahikeng or Mohecans – the people of the Hot Springs or Bela or Bela Bela – my clan was always the springs people – they found water and then managed it for the people). Lastly, as an example, the Aztecs did not call themselves Aztecs. The white people decided to call them that even though they called themselves Nahuatl. I can prove that Swahili and Nahuatl are the same. Unless we stop getting lazy and start doing deep research to rewrite our own history as it truly is, we will not know who we are. IF we are Moors, which I am 1000% sure of, then we lost in 1493, in Europe (The Moors controlled Spain for 700 years and they draw the Moors black, not Arab or mixed, black and big lips and then were hunted down over 4 continents. Some of our brothers with surnames such as Tutu (Ghanaian and South African) can be found in Fiji, Solomon Islands – it’s called Solomon aint it – and the rest of the Tonga – there are Tonga or Tsonga tribes within the Zulu – and other Islands. We were one nation. Hunted and Killed and enslaved, till today. The word Nigga comes from what all black people called themselves in Africa = ManYika. Just like Nagra or Negran or Nkala or Ngala or Najran means the same thing = Negro. So, why then do we believe the Vijayanagra indians are the people currently calling themselves Indian? why do we not believe that the Jewish/Arab Jewish Ma’rib (as in Carib or Cariba or Kariba or Gariep) Governorate that had Najran as its Capital city. Just the same way how Negros or negritos are regarded as the indigenous people of the Phillipines and we still debate whether it is true. They are all black and the mostly importantly, they were Jewish. While I support your info, dadewethu, I differ when it comes to God. We are in this situation because we have turned away from God. We need to seek Him and find Him as the one true God, who is more powerful and all-seeing, all-conquering than all other gods combined, for true salvation.
Dowry should be tribute. Queen of Saba/Sheba paid Solomon. That is why, on 3 continents, the Malinga, Maharlika and Madinga or Nodinga are teased for having bought the Kingship of Israel or of the nations they live in. Mandinka = Mande + Inka. Inka = Intu = Inti = Sun people = Langa. 1800s South Africa was called eLangeni. The Ndebele say they descended from a person called Mhlanga = reed or Mahalanga = Sun King.
Zambia is called ZamBIA for a reason. Their national soccer team is called Chippolloppollo and they have Mzimba – Ngweni people or hunter-gatherers and khoi khoi – cattle herders only. ALL Zambians are Zulus. Most moved into Zambia only in the 1800s from South Africa. My paternal clan is a Sotho tribe from there called Bafokeng BaSekete BaLewanika (Rewa Nyika – a Tonga tribe with a presence in Fiji, America and Asia as well as Africa as indigenous people) – Like me, it is 100% Zulu. My paternal grandmother is a Tsuntsha or Tshutsha, a Gadluma or Duruma who use Thyopho as a praise name. The Duruma have a presence as the Pokomo in Kenya on the border with Ethiopia and are Oromo. Oromo is also Dlomo or Dolomo.
The same could be said for Zimbabwe. The true name is Nzimabgwe – the stone builders – In South Africa, you still have the Nzimakwe/Xolo (Peace) clan. The Kwe or Bgwe means stone as it does Ngo = Leopard.
Other BIA or Nzima people are the Hima or Namibia, the Hamar of Ethiopia and other tribes in that area. Bia is a Gusii/Kisii/Nkosi/Ekossi tribe that always travels with their mates the Chuka, Mbo/eMbu/Igbo, Gikuyu (Kru/Guru/Khulu tribes), Kadama, Meru and all countries have the same social caste tribes. From this tribes then fall each of the sub-tribal structures and clans of each Gaada. For instance, each tribe has Nguanes in them, just like they have Gona/Kwena/Ngwenya (Crococile) – artists, spiritualists, gaada ceremony handlers, initiation and circumcision and life stage ceremony handlers, the Sapo/Mampo/Mambo – the warriors, also called Mputu or Mpondo or Mpondomise – my paternal grandmother’s tribe falls under Ngwanes in Swaziland, where they were citizen, and are Mpondos in Lower KwaZulu in South Africa. In Kenya, they are Pokomo (called Mphankomo in South Africa and probably Dagomba in Ghana – my Mom’s Sibiya claim to all be Khomo – they have a praise saying – Sibiya ngezinkomo abafokazane beBiya ngamahlahla – they say, they were so rich that, they used cattle to fence their homestead, while the poor or common people used amahlahla – which is a tribe of the Guan called Hlenge or Helenge or Mashasha). (An aside, the Madagombe (Gombe = Cow) of the Zimbabwean Kalanga whose full name is MaNdebele Kalanga (Of Langa) clan regards themselves as a predecessor to the current Zulu clan in terms of formation into existence. Even the whole of Botswana are Bukalanga Ndebele as Mafana = Matswana and they came from the Tswa /Sawa tribe of Mozambique, a predecessor tribe to the Swahili. Only 60% of Botswana speaks Tswana as a first language – there are still Mzimba people there as well). I think Nzima or Mzimba were traders who also ran the caravan routes of trade in Africa. I also think the wars could have led to salves being carried to other parts of Africa and the world and some people moving voluntarily. what would be a gem is if we get some proof that the British and Dutch, that played footsie with both Ghana and South Africa actually bought slaves and who they were. That would be awesome.
The Guan people fall under the Kweny or Ngweni tribe tribe. The Ngweni is called Nguni or Ngoni or Koni or Kuni or Jukun and the tribe is made up of all black people in Africa = ALL of Africa including middle east (there is no such thing as middle east, It’s Africa). I have Ngwane Lineage but there is a website with some information. Swaziland was called KaNgwane/Nguane or KaNgoane (it’s not lost on me that it looks like Guyana). Ngwane was also a homeland or bantustan under South African apartheid laws. It is now called Mpumalanga (puma = lion in Inka language) which means sunrise or East. It is traditionally the home of the Ngweni’s pre-South Africa. Ngweni’s were once the rulers of Munhumutapa in Zimbabwe until they got taken over by the Mambos/Sambos/Sapos.
For now, most South Africans believe they are Zulus and very different from West Africans. It is all BULL. South Africa will always be a pull for West Africans and the world. It is the country through which God will save ALL HUMAN BEINGS. That’s why in 2018, you still have millions coming into the country per year. MILLIONS. Our official figures are 55 million people (2011). I think we are closer to 75-80 million people with the bulk of the rest living here illegally. Zimbabwe (probably 60-80% lives or works here), Nigeria (people say I look Igbo and I do. Nigerians always expect me to speak pidgin), Cameroon, Ethiopia (Still ruled by bantus, even the Solomonistic Oromos have been kicked out), Somalia (also ruled by Bantus or mixtures thereof), Bangladesh (See comment for Pakistan – also the same), Pakistan (pick up the language and accent l very easily because Pakis were once ruled by Bantus) and Indians (used to be ruled by Bantus – Kannanda or Chalukya or Chola (Jola) Indians that called themselves Soazhi (Swazi) or Saei – Saweyi). COME OUT WITH IT: GHANAIANS ARE INDIANS. MGA BISAYA (the former president of Zimbabwe is called Mugabe, my High School friend’s surname was Mgabhi and it is a praise name for my clan and family: Ngweni and Zwane) OR BIA OR VIJAYANAGAR INDIANS THAT RE-SETTLED IN AFRICA IN THE 1200S AFTER BEING KICKED OUT OF INDIA BY THE SLAMOS (Muslims). SOME OF THE GROUP WENT TO PHILIPPINES, CHINA AND ENDED UP IN SOUTH PACIFIC – THEY ARE STILL THERE. SOME OF THE GROUP COLONISED AMERICA AND INTERMARRIED WITH THE JEWISH/MANDE/TONGA (ABRAHAMITE AND ISHMAELITE AND HEBREW) ABORIGINES THERE BUT COULD NOT ESCAPE THE COLONISATION EFFORT THAT LASTED FROM 1500s UTIL THEY SUCCEEDED IN THE 1800s/1900s.
the Nzema's are not Ivorians if I should add to what has already been attended to.If you contacted paramount chiefs in Nzema,you would realize that there were demarcation lines after Bassam and all the adjoining Nzema/Apollo villages. Due to illiteracy among the population, past chaos, coup d'etats in Ghana and the untimely death of Kwame Nkrumah, Houphouet Boigny (the then Ivorien President) was able to appropriate part of the Nzema lands, changed documents and called them Ivorien territories. In fact, the Anyili and the Nzemas are from Ghana.
Hi Anonymous,
Thanks for reading. I think we are going to have to disagree about the Nzema. My point is they existed in that area before there was a "Ghana" and before there was a "Cote d'Ivoire". Just because the majority of Nzemaland is now in Ghana doesn't mean those left in what is now Cote d'Ivoire are not Ivorian Nzema.
This divisive attitude contributes to civil wars in our African countries. Most of the ethnic groups didn't get to choose who they wanted to share their country with – that decision was made by the Europeans in Europe. So it's wrong to deny ethnic groups along the border rights within the country just because there is another part of their ethnic group (larger or not) across the border.
Bassam was the French colonial capital in the 1800s. So Houphouet Boigny was not the one to incorporate it into Ivory Coast.
Hi
Very interesting article, I was facinated reading it. Actually I will like to know a little bit more about the Nzema tribe. I am not African or belong to a tribe, I am a hispanic female planning to visit Ghana next month.The man I am meeting there belong to the Nzema tribe, is there any special way how to deal or treat them. No offence intended with this question.
Thank you
No offense taken and thanks for reading. I don't think you need to do anything other than be yourself which hopefully is naturally respectful. Cultural customs are often not expected of foreigners and if you were to be ingrained long term you will soon learn whatever nuances there are.
However, I will say that if you are going to Ghana to meet a man you do not know (eg. met online) I would be very careful as there are dating scams out there, both financially and emotionally, and unfortunately Ghanaians are not exempt from being perpetrators.
Peace K_Chie, I was reading a book called "Africans who wrote the bible" the author states that the modern Nziman were at one time in Mesapotamia they were known as the people of Akka. Since you have they were in the middle east, what has your research told you about this?
Thanks Jahiem. In Southern Africa, there are Nzimandes – whose praise names are Mphephethwa, Mdluli, Mdlobhiya, Mngcamane
(With translations from Zulu in brackets) – Mphephethwa (I think this means Bhebhe + Twa tribes – Bhebhe (a Songo tribe) praise themselves as Mkhedama – Kedma is the last son of Abraham and Ketura – they were Arabs called Nabatu – we call ourselves Bantu or Bato (Tswana and Sotho) and Twa is the what the Zulus (AbaThwa, Thethwa – NdeTwa, Muthwa etc.) and Israelites (Zethua – a clan recorded in the Book of Esdras/Ezra as one of the tribes that came back to Jerusalem from Babylonian exile) call themselves. I think these are Manding – meaning they were warrior class of this tribe.
Mdluli (Mudululi = Zulu = Highland people = also a priest clan of some sort = ended up practicing witchcraft). It means the one who passes.
Mdlobhiya (Dolobhiya/Moholobhiya could be Drobo + Bia, Dlo (or MoHolo = Mukhulu = Muguru) in South Africa, generally means old clan = Tonga – it is a clan joined by a person who does not want to start their own clan after leaving the military class (Mandinga, Maputo/Mapoto or Maluba or Yoruba) gaada or nkatha – existing and established clan. The ones who created their own clans would then be allocated their clan name based on the rules of the Aaadaa Gaada and then continue to start Mfecane/Difaqane which is nation-building – you basically issue a call throughout all of Africa to call people to come and join your clan. This is how the Zulu nation was formed). Tonga in Zulu means ancestors. In Kalanga, I think it means Judge.
Mangcamane – ma = the people of, ng = I am (Asia, America and Africa) and Camane. Cama means to trip in Bantu or to stand out or to wring (Khama – like the former presidents of Botswana who are both MaNdebele) – one married that white lady – there’s a movie about that). It also means to Pee. Lol. But I think this shows they were part of the Jacobian nation: Israelites or Yocama = Yakuba = Yacuba = Yakubu = Yakov = Yakriba = Yakeqa = Jacob.
Macabebe is also a tribe in the Philippines. It was black in the 1600s. For some reason, it has turned white Asian. If you google it, you will see what i mean. Mean Arabs. King Shaka’s Mom was a Bhebhe. Her name was Nandi which means the same in Zulu as in Sanskrit = Sweet.
Bia or Sibiya or Zibiya (the “Zi-” or “Si-” mean “clan/tribe of”) is also the name of the clan or Abusua of the mother of King Joash or Jehoash of the split Kingdom of Judah. It is a Gusii or Kisii or Ekossi or Nkosi or “Kingly” clan of the larger Bantu tribes. The president of Cameroon is a Biya, my Mom’s family is Sibiya, who are the mazalankosi (“birthers of Kings”) of the Zulu nation in South Africa – they intermarry with these folks a lot – my grandmother is a Zulu princess – from King Dinizulu – married to a Sibiya man. There are also other Biya clans such as Subiya in Zambia, the Nambya in Zimbabwe and most prominently the Mga Bisaya or Vijayanagar indians – who fled India in the 1200-1400s and went to Phillipines, Australia and then South Africa and then up the coasts to the rest of Africa. Some were brought as slaves TO AFRICA, all the colonies basically in Southern Africa because we have Igbo obstinance.
Lineage of Judah going back to David (just the Solomonistic line from my Mom’s (Sibiya) clan back to Solomon plus their mother’s names in Brackets is (Book of Kings 9-10 – the Douay Reims – the best version as it is translated from Old English which is closely related to Bantu/Sintu/SiNguni/Swahili):
King Joash (Sibiya) – From Athaliah – Joash’s grandmother and son of a Israelite (split Kingdom) King, Omri – To Ahaziah (Joash’s Dad who was killed by Lawa or Jehu – interesting since South Africans call themselves Barawa or Malawu or Birwa = Lawa = flames = langabi) – From Joram/Jehoram, son of Jehoshaphat – To Jehoshaphat, son of Azubah, daughter of Shilhi (Jili-Vilakazi-Nzimande in SA) and Asa – From Asa (could it be Asante, could it? Could it?), son of Maacha, daughter of Abishalom, son of Rehoboam – From Abijam, son of Maacha, daughter of Abishalom – From Rehoboam, son of Naamah (Gama = Nama = Nyama in South Africa = Duiker = Phuthi = Punzi) an Ammonite and King Solomon and then King Solomon, son of Beersheba or Besaba (From Beersheba in Simeon territory in the nation of Judah – we call this Muhlaba, Musaba or Musapa, note that Saba = Sheba and is pronounced both ways – the kings of the Incas were called Sapa Inka).
When I started my research, I realised that African tribes called themselves by their matriarch’s names such as Tonga-Leya (Judah-Zunda-Dumisa-Duma, Simeon-Nyoni-Siyoni-Ngwane, Levi, Reuben, Issachar (I am convinced my father’s clan is Issachar but I am Judah due to my Mom) and Zebulun), Nama (the Ammonite (daughter of Lot, nephew to Abraham) mother of King Rehoboam), Biya (from Sibiya – mother of King Joash (Mo-Ash), son of Joram and Athalia – I read somewhere that Sibiya was Judah), Birwa/Zeroua (Zerua an Ephrathite from Caleb the Dog – mother of King Jeroboam) etc. These are the real tribes and not the ones that were written down and taught to us. The ones written down are the micros tribes and are still relevant but not as much as the ones that reveal our true history. I think the coming of a Biya to South Africa, might have led to King Shaka finally being able to create a Zulu state. His grandmother was MThaniya (meaning Princess) Sibiya.
Hello El Jahiem Allah, it is my understanding that Mr. Darkwah's book traces the Old Testament not just to Africans but specifically to the Akan of modern day Ghana/Ivory Coast. I don't really know anything about that aside from what I wrote above. That as a youth learning about the origins of the Akan, it seemed commonplace that the Akan (and the Ga in a different wave/migration) trace their roots to the Middle East area.
Iam Michael Abadi-Lartey, of mixed Akan (Akwamu, Aburi) and Guan (Okere, Aseseeso-Akwapim) heritage. I also have blood from Ningo, Yendi, Oyoko, at least, so I'm a happy mongrel. And I'm married to an Nzema from Esiama, with 6 kids between us. Thanks so much for an enlightening and enthusiatic piece. But i think you need to check your facts, preferably from outside your family, as they may be unintentionally biased.
Nzemas are NOT Akans. They are GUANS this link may be of help: http://okere.ghanamps.gov.gh/about/index.php?id=35). The Ashanti (Asante) subjugated Nzema culture since their empire days. They imposed Asante ruling classes t5o control the rest. This is still a problem today, as chieftaincy succession turns ugly by the day. The Guans are patrilinel, so any matrilineal system you are told of pertians to those of Akan origin, not the actual Nzema.Susch detailsmatter when we have to explain to our smart kids.
Hello Mr. Abadi-Lartey,
Thanks for your tidbit.
The Asantes never subjugated the Nzemas (will explain as I go on). Nzema is an akan tribe just like the Akwamu, akyem, asante etc. However, those (the likes of Prof. Adu Boahene) who wrote about the akans was by merit of the Twi language. Historically, the original akan language was not necessary twi – it is like saying Latin must have come from English just because English is the language of the day. In fact, the original akan language was bono-guan which are more closely related to the nzema, baule, anyi, aowin bono etc meaning the twi was an offshoot of the akan big dialect in the past, just as the English is to the Latin (more specifically the Germanic language of the past).
Now the trademark to identifying an akan (akan means the enlightened) more so akan tribe is by the “Boklo” meaning by the matrilineal heritage and its institution (clan arangement of 7/8, naming criterion etc): That is what all the akan abusua agrees on, be it asante akyem nzema and what not. The clans of the nzemas were actually 8 but the last one was distroyed (exterminated) due to a dispute somewhere in the 1500s; they were those who sympathized with the Portuguese (the nzemas were mad when the Portuguese named them Appolo because they reached the shores on the day of Appolo) when they arrived on nzema shores – of course that is oral history the nzemas don’t talk about.
Before I come to the issue of Nzema vrs Asante, I would want you to read this on wikipedia atleast although not sufficient: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Okomfo_Anokye. Just read about the early life of Okomfo Anokye.
Let’s begin. 9 years after Okomfo Anokyi was no more to be found specifically in 1715 the asantes attacked the nzemas ( well by oral tradition its like the asantes lost because they underestimated the nzemas therefore asante retreated). Why do you think they attacked the Nzemas (called Apollonia from the days of the Portuguese to 1928 when the nzemas rejected the name) ?. Well the Aowin people having been defeated by the asantes, (wanting to make themselves valuable to their new masters) told the asantes that they (the Aowin people) control the commodities or the business route of Apollonia. So the asante already aware of the fact that anokye was no more wanted to strengthen their muscles on their brothers the nzemas. Of course the Aowin people were not in control of Nzema-Apollonia; they (Denkyera sub Aowin) staged several wars on nzema and lost but the nzema king Nana Amihere gave all the akan tribes easy route of trade on his shores except that they are to pay an annual compulsory gift of their choice to the king of nzema. And the asantes did not want any of that to happen. Don’t forget Nzema had never held or would never hold any grudge against asante because of the covenant of Anokyi and other subsequent covenant between them (the asantes seemed to be naughty though).
Again, 5 to 6 years after the first attempt, in 1721 the asantes attack nzema again. You can guess what happened; Serious casualties on the part of the asantes. Now the asantes have now realized that Anokye was right that nzema was a secret force to reckon with. So they made a final pact of alliance that continued till to day. Read this:
“That Asantes bestowed one of the highest accolades on two tribes who in their various ways had assisted them during different wars? That is the reason why apart from Asante Kotoko, there is Anwaa Kotoko for the Dagombas and Nzema Kotoko for the people of Nzema. Since then there is a cordial relationship between the Asantes and those two tribes..” sub-section of http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/tribes/ashanti_facts.php. So the question is what wars did Nzema fought with the asantes for them to be accorded “kotoko” ? Anyway ignore the asante politics, nzema was kotoko before asante (after all that appellation was inspired by Anokyi himself who had that knowledge growing up as an nzema child).
During the days of king Kaku Aka I ( Kweku Ackah or Ackaah), that is early 1800s there began internal wranglings among the Apollonians:
(1) that king kaku aka is very wicked (Tyrant) and does not respect the council of elders ( nzema ngbanyema and belemgbunli nkyi kyi)
(2) that he has shifted the seat of kings from Beyin to Aduabo (Atuabo). A travesty against the foremost king of nzema, King Ano Asaman.
(3) That his selfishness and misguided ways, has reduced the population of nzema significantly.
So a plan was hatched to overthrow him (in fact, oral history tells us that kaku aka had a powerful magic that caused many other kings and chiefs alike to fear him). Therefore, there were some separatist among kaku aka’s government on his blind side. And also some open opposition in exile at Nvuma ( currently called Dixscove). These separatist connived with the then British government to halt kaku aka at Sanwoma (Ankobra).
Now nzema was divided. Some separatist claim the lineage of kaku aka should not rule and that the person who helped the British to arrest kaku aka should be the acting king, others rejected that option with the view that in time it may become a problem. And they were right.
So Nzema has become two zones, those who agree of the new British order and those who disagree even though they are happy kaku aka is no more a nuisance to them.
This ushered in the final civil war of nzema. Nzema was now getting to the point of obliteration. So the separatist ruling class called upon the asantes (for Okomfo Anokyi sake) to come and help defend Nzema. So this is how the war went on Nzema ellembelle (Separatist + Asantes) against Nzema Jomoro. Guess what Nzema Jomoro conceded defeat (although not too much casualties). So the asantes who were now under the British protectorate together with the colonial government upheld that there should be two kings in nzema (one for evalue-gwira-ellembelle and another for Jomoro) so that peace may prevail in Nzema. Is there actual PEACE in Nzema now ?
So you see there are no subjugation of any sort, nzema culture stood in time past and it is still the same nzema culture today. Whatever you find as a similarity between asante and nzema is because they are both akan and or the nzema stuff okomfo Anokyi taught the asantes.
Hope that helps.
correction paragraph 6 should begin : During the days of king Kaku Aka I ( Kweku Ackah or Ackaah), that is early to mid 1800s there began internal wranglings among the Apollonians:
Wow Amoah!
Thanks for taking us to school and back. Any other knowledge you wish to impart is much appreciated.
This is a remarkable account of Nzema, however it may need further authentication through independent and reliable sources. I really enjoyed reading this as I am desperate to know more about the history of Nzema and other parts of Ghana.
In regard to Asante Subjugation, I think you are quite close to the facts. Despite what is narrated elsewhere there is no evidence whatsoever which demonstrates an Asante presence or that they subjugated the Nzema and I can say with some confidence that they never did.
As a point of reference we can look at the Bono and their resistance against the Asante which was a reason for the plebiscite and eventual creation of the Brong Ahafo Region. There is no such history in Nzema and if there ever was a subjugation surely there had to be a campaign and resistance to reverse this.
Furthermore it is well documented that there was a continued presence of the Dutch from the 17th through to the 19th century in Nzema and this attests that the Asante could not have subjugated the Nzema. In fact the Dutch were badly defeated by the Nzema themselves.
I have come across something that suggested the Nzema eventually rejected the Dutch (who did create protectorates in Nzema and Ahanta) as they also had an allegiance with the Asante and because of concerns over Asante Hegemony they felt the Dutch might betray them.
I also have heard an oral tradition in which the Asante came to fight with the Nzema. which goes like this; as the Nzema live by water the Asante decided to engage them by a body of water and followed a river to get to them. The Nzema also said to themselves as the Asante dwell in the forest we will meet with them in the forests and by doing so they both missed each other. The Asante only met the womenfolk in the Nzema towns who created a racket by banging on their utensils. Meanwhile the men of Nzema had turned back and met the Asante who were now in a panic and met a sound defeat.
Some parts of this tradition may be bizarre and embellished, however interestingly in Wilhelm Bosman’s book there is a claim that the people of Axim used to deposit women and children on the Island Beboawusi for safety in times of war, which in a strange way correlates with some events of the story.
It is said as a result of this defeat the Asante gave the Nzema the accolade Kotoko and that when they meet the Nzema they (Asante) remove their shoes.
Whatever the case what we do know is that the allegiance and accolade is fact and exists to this day. For instance in the early days of its establishment the footballl club Asante Kotoko only people permitted Asantes or Nzemas to play for them.
Of course this allegiance must have come about somehow and is likely from one of two scenarios. Either that they were defeated by the Nzema or that the Nzema assisted them substantially. Also it is rare that cordial relations exist after one group has unshackled itself from the domination of another.
I would hypothesise that the term Nzema Beyie comes from the fact their neighbours (including Asante) couldn’t understand how this small population resisted domination and attributed this to some mystical powers and this is evidence that the Nzema were not conquered or rendered services to the Asante or both.
We also have to be mindful that the Nzema states existed long before the Asante who only emerged as a more recognised state in the late 17th century and as mentioned earlier the Dutch had a presence in Nzema decades before this time but never recorded any significant threats or attacks from the Asante in the region.
In respect to the question are the Nzema Ivorienne or Ghanaian, the answer is simple. The Nzema existed and settled in the areas between the Comoe river and to the west of Butre long before the arrival of any european. Nzemaland lies in both countries and so there are Ivorienne Nzemas and Ghanaian Nzemas. Both groups are true Nzemas and One people!
The Nzema are Akan and as rightly pointed out their linguistics suggests their language is an earlier form of Akan. It is said that humans have a proclivity to abbreviate not extend words hence Nzule (water) becomes the Twi/Fante nsu. There are numerous other examples of longer forms of words in the Nzema language.
Additionally most of the earlier migrators end up in the most advantageous locations such as by rivers on hilltops or by the sea. As is the case with the Nzema who are a coastal people.
By the fact they had arrived at this location earlier there is a great probability that they met small populations of other earlier inhabitants such as the Guans, who we know were displaced in other areas by Akan’s such as at Mankessim. So there is a very strong chance that the Nzema absorbed some Guan people and with them some parts of the Guan culture and linguistics.
Now here is where I throw an adze in the works of everything said before and you will note that I have already referenced Axim. There are a few subgroups of Nzema which include the Gwira, Pepesa and Evalue. One to the north and the others east of the Ankobra. In fact some parts of Ahanta were initially part of these Nzema subgroups. The boundaries of these states lay just before Agona Nkwanta and east of the town Butre. Valsecchi records that in many of these towns and villages Nzema is still the spoken language.
To some extent the history of these subgroups is separate to the Nzema west of Ankobra but the fortunes of these states changed particularly Axim (the state not the town) as trade with outsiders particularly for gold was established from the beginning of the 16th century onwards.
I am also doubtful that it was wars that caused the Nzema to depopulate or if so it was in fact the Ahantas who had engaged in many wars (Bosman) who would have also had allies fighting besides them.
A text book by Amihere explains that the sandy soils of Nzema (and probably the formidable forests) meant that large populations could not be sustained and so many Nzemas travelled elsewhere to make a living. Ayensu also claims that the Nzema were experts in gold mining as they are at gold-craft. This is probably why when you go to places like Tarkwa etc there are significant Nzema populations.
Believe it or not the history of Nzema is fairly well documented by the Portuguese and the Dutch but much of these records lie outside of Ghana.
There are books by Pierluigi Valsecchi, Grotanelli (already mentioned in this forum), Bosman, Barbot, Casely-Hayford that also hold some valuable information.
But our oral traditions cannot be ignored, some of them are pretty accurate and correlate with these written sources. The other valuable part of the oral traditions is they go much further back.
A strong word of warning wikipedia is a very unreliable source, I would avoid using it only were any other sources are scarce or as starting point
Much appreciated. I take it you are Nzema then. Do you have any of the books you referenced? What other oral history do you have to share? I am most certainly not an expert on Nzema. Just a student of my people. When people talk about Ghana, or even the Ivory Coast, we don’t get talked about much.
How you say i love you in nzema? cn sommebody tell my please
'' me kulo wor ''…..could also mean 'i like you …im not sure if the spelling is correct cz i hvnt studied how to write in nzema but dats exactly how it sounds
Very interesting, I am a Highlander Guan and most often when the Nzemas speak, I sit back and understand almost everything they say. In Kyerepong, we say “me keray wo”. My reading traces the Guans as one of the Nubian sub-divisions.
There is not much known about guans in Ghana but I have noticed that they general have a different physic compared to most other Ghanaians/Ivorian’s they have a majority caramel brown complexion {wich other ghanians and ivorians also have} with very northern/ semi fulanioid looks especially in eastern region which is a region of mix ethnicities in itself from Ghana and Togo, Burkina this phenotype I saw among the larteh people who are guans but some are mixed with Akans witch changed some of their looks.
but there are alot of etnicities in ghana people dont know about the fulanis, mandingas, dyula, guans, etc. nice article ghana and ivory coast are like a jewel in west africa beutiful civilazations,history and societies.
Our history is fascinating. Sometimes I wonder what genetic testing (ancestry) can teach us.
Mmmm.. This is getting very interesting. It’s surprising that little is known about the Guans (includes the Nzemas) yet most lower niger tribes cannot write/talk about their history without mentioning the Guans. The original Akans were pygmy looking but with the mixing of Guans, they attained their current physical looks. It is believed that Guan were Akanised, but I see it the other way round. This is evident in the Akan calendar, architecture, festivities, etc. Typical example is the Adinkra symbols that Akans use for cloth designing. This is know to some Guans as a form of written communication tool that is far greater that any spoken language if one understands.
I am a Guan from the Kyerepong division and I’m naturally muscular built with very dark skin. I’m going to take a DNA test to see how many people will be linked to me on my Ancestry tree. Lol.
I’ll encourage other black Africans to do this to help our brother and sisters across the globe to trace their roots…….:-)
Very annoyed today that somebody chose to plagiarize my post and not give credit where credit is due. The very least Kwekudee of "Trip Down Memory Lane" could have done was to link to the websites he stole his information from. The whole blog, though quite informative, reeks of poor blogging etiquette. Not cool at all!
thank you, these information has helped me in my assignment..
Interesting,I am not Nzema but rather Kusasi and Sissala. It appears to me that you need to take your work further using DNA to compare natives of north Africa to your ethnic group. I am told there r still native Africans in Kemet and what is now called Israel. Perhaps,that could be applied to other ethnicities…it has potential for reunification of Africa..Awini Baaba
Thank you for sharing, very interesting and wish you will continue to share your new discovery about the Nzema clan
Interesting revelations about the Nzemas. Wow.How I wish I could establish the truth about who my ancestors are and where I come from!