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THE ASHANTI REGION |
INTRODUCTION
The Ashanti Region is the cultural heartbeat of Ghana. Land of the Golden Stool expressed in the language, passage rites, festivals, cuisine and ordinary day-to-day activities.
Visitors can participate in several traditional events such as funerals, naming ceremonies. Royal Akwasidae held every six weeks at the Royal Palace of the Asante King, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.
The scenic and hilly capital city of Kumasi is a vast tropical rainforest belt. Still forest country, dominated by impressive buttress rooted forest giants, alongside large cocoa farms and picturesque hillside settlements.
Beautiful weather; chilly in the mornings, bright, clear and sunny in the afternoons for most of the year and cool nights provide ideal conditions for visitors to; experience this exciting colourful world of hearty hardworking people.
Ashanti is also home of the most important god mine in Ghana at Obuasi (50km south-west of Kumasi). Surface visits can be arranged, and the town still has air of the gold rush days of the 1890s.
Throughout Ashanti (and especially in Kumasi) you will find welcoming hotels and restaurants, while in the main town’s nightlife and entertainments are first class. Sporting facilities are available in the urban areas, while exciting fishing can be enjoyed in our lakes and rivers.
To discover the traditional heartland of Ghana, a visit to Ashanti is a must.
HOW TO GET TO ASHANTI
Ashanti Region is well connected by road, rail and air. Inter- City/STC and Neoplan buses shuttle hourly between Kumasi and Accra daily. Similarly, other regional capi- tals and major towns can be reached by buses (or trotros) from Kumasi. Situated on the apex of the railway network, the Ghana Railway Corporation operates comfortable passenger trains from Kumasi to Accra and Kumasi to Takoradi.
RESTAURANTS AND LOCAL EATING PLACES
Restaurants and fast food outlets provide both international and Ghanaian dishes. Visitors may sample tasty indigenous Ghanaian meals, Indian or Chinese delicacies as well as continental dishes. Local eating places (or Chop Bars) are found in most parts of the Region.
A variety of options from open-air drinking bars, street side cafes, casinos, to night clubs and theatres are available. Contact the Ghana Tourist Board for a list.
Remember, whenever you choose to visit, you will be greeted with warmth in the word of welcome "AKWAABA".
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| Cultural Events & The Arts |
Funerals  |
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Funerals are an important occasion when Ashantis celebrate life and bid farewell to the dead. It is to usher the departed souls into the ancestral world. Funerals are normally held on |
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| Places of Interest |
The Crafts of Ashanti  |
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There are many crafts, from Gold, to Pottery,to Kente Weavers within Kumasi and the surrounding vill |
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Ashanti Goldfields |
For details of visits to the Ashanti Gold Mine – available on Tuesdays and Thursdays – contact the P.R. Manager on (0582-40494).
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The Atiwa Rock Formations |
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Located in Nsuta, it offers a beautiful view of Kumasi and the... |
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Ashantemanso Forest |
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Ashantemanso the ancestral origin of the Ashantes is 35km on the Kumasi – Kuntanase Bekai Road, near Essumeja. Other attractions of a special |
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Asuofia – Asamang |
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Located 15km south of Kumasi on Beresese Road. Significant for... |
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Bonwire |
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Located 18km on Mampong Road. A settlement hundreds of Kente weavers. |
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Ntonso |
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Ntonso is located 18 Mampong Road. A settlement of Adinkra textiles printers, using traditional motifs and symbols that are... |
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Foase Atwima |
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Located 20km on Kumasi – Ohwimasi (Trabuom) road. Specialised in woodcarvings such as stools, |
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Ahwiaa |
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Located 9km on Mampong Road. Specialises in woodcarvings such as stools, |
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Pankrono |
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Pankrono is located 8 km on Mampong Road. Renowned for its distinctive and colourful pottery created through transitional |
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Kumasi Zoo |
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The Zoo is located adjacent to the Cultural Centre. It has a collection of reptiles,... |
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Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology |
The University of Science and Technology succeeded the Kumasi College of Technology which was established by a Government Ordinance on 6th October, 1961. It, however, opened officially on 22nd January, 1952 with 200 Teacher Training students transferred from Achimota, to form the nucleus of the new College.
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CULTURAL CENTRE |
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The Cultural Centre incorporates the following in addition to a model typical Asante village: |
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ADANWOMASE: The Home of Quality Kente Cloth & Friendly Cultural Tourism |
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Located 25km NE of Kumasi off the Mampong Road is the royal Kente weaving village of the Ashanti King, Adanwomase. Come and learn from a trained tour guide who will teach you the history, meanings and productions steps of Ashanti Kente cloth. Learn Adanwomase’s history and culture by visiting the chief’s palace, the traditional healer’s shrine, cocoa farms, a forest shrine and much more. |
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| Festivals and Events |
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Adae Kese Festival |
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This is a very important, albeit rare celebration of the Ashantis. It is held in a large open space in the capital city of Kumasi. The festival is normally well attended and embraced by Ashantis from... |
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Papa Festival |
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Celebrated on an Akwasidae date, mostly in March in Kumawu, (Sekyere East District), activities begins with sacrificial rituals on the eve of the actual day... |
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Kente Festival |
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Celebrated in July/ August in Bonwire, (Ejisu-Juaben District). A colourful assembly of local chiefs and people of Bonwire, where participants adorn themselves with beautifully woven Kente clothes and designs which they have created. |
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Yaa Asantewaa Festival |
It is celebrated in August by the Ejisu, (Ejisu-Juaben District). A durbar of chiefs presided over by the paramount chief of Ejisu Traditional area.
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Mmoa Nni Nko Festival |
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A colourful durbar of chiefs accompanied by traditional drumming and dancing amid merry making and funfair and firing of musketry... |
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Nkyidwo Festival |
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Celebrated in the last Monday in November/1st Monday in December by the Essumeja, (Bekwai District)... |
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| Wildlife and Nature Reserves |
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Bobiri Forest Butterfly Sanctuary |
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Located 20km on the Kumasi – Accra highway, a quiet research centre for the Forestry Research Institute showcasing an arboretum,... |
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Bomfobiri Wildlife Sanctuary |
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About 80km northeast of Kumasi. The reserve showcases a rare tropical landscape. Vibrant waterfall and a wide variety... |
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Digya National Park |
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Occupying 3.478 square kilometres of undulating terrain on the western shore of the Volta Lake. Made up of predominately Guinea Savannah Woodland and gallery forest along the major rivers,... |
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Owabi Forest Reserve and Bird Sanctuary |
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Formally, Kumasi only source of drinking waster was the Owabi Reiver, located to the west of the city. When the river was dammed to create a reservoir, the resulting watershed extended deep into city’s nearby forests. The reservoir and forest have since become the natural habitat for... |
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| Women in Ghana |
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Women's Studies Collection |
University of Science and Technology Library
Kumasi
Ghana
Tel: +233 51 60133 or +233 51 60212
Fax: +233 51 60137
E-mail: ustlib@ust.gn.apc.orgSince 1994, the library of the University of Science and Technology has been building a women's studies collection. The collection was started with publications received from organizations in the USA after the 1994 Boston Conference on Women's Information. The library now acquires books through gifts, donations and occasional purchases. Its clients are researchers, students and women's group leaders. |
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| Adventure Tourism |
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The Sacred Groves |
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The Tano and Buoyem Groves feature fabulous rock formations. The source of the Tano River begins from the grove... |
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Czech Republic |
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7 Kanda Highway; tel: 223540; fax: 774588 |
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KAE ARKO |
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This festival is celebrated by the people of Asebu Traditional Area. A mock warfare is re-enacted to instill the spirit of bravery in the people, and also to commemorate the.... |
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| Getting Around |
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Transportation |
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Ashanti Region is well connected by road, rail and air. Vanef STC and Neoplans Buses shuttle hourly between Kumasi and Accra daily. Similarly, other regional capitals and major towns can be |
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