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TELLING THE TALE OF OSEI BONSU: AN ESSAY ON THE MAKING OF ASANTE ORAL HISTORY

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 July 2014

Tom McCaskie
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Abstract

This paper is about the Asante perception and understanding of Asante history as expressed in the apae or ‘praise songs’ of Asantehene (King of the Asante) Osei Tutu Kwame, known as Osei Bonsu (1804–23). As such, it offers an indigenous portrait of kingship and the expectations and behaviours attaching to it in Asante thought. The core of the paper is centred on the role of Osei Tutu Kwame as a leader in war, against the Fante of the southern Gold Coast in 1806–07 and against the Abron of Gyaman (today in the eastern Côte d'Ivoire) in 1818–19. Both campaigns are interpreted from the point of view of Asante thinking about their own historical goals and understandings, and of the fit and proper role of an Asantehene in such matters. Throughout, extensive oral historical materials are used in conjunction with the apae, and a rich range of European sources are deployed as a counterpoint. The paper's claim to originality is that it offers an Asante view, at once intellectual and ideological, of their own constructions of their past and of the nature of their history as they themselves chose to understand it.

Résumé

Cet article traite de la perception ashanti et de la compréhension de l'histoire ashanti, telles qu'exprimées dans les apae, ou chants de prières, du roi ashanti Asantehene Osei Tutu Kwame, également connu sous le nom d'Osei Bonsu (1804–1823). Il offre à cet égard un portrait indigène de la royauté et des attentes et comportements qui s'y rattachent dans la pensée ashanti. L’élément central de l'article s'intéresse au rôle d'Osei Tutu Kwame en tant que dirigeant en guerre contre les Fante dans le sud de la Gold Coast en 1806–1807 et contre les Abron de Gyaman (aujourd'hui dans l'est de la Côte d'Ivoire) en 1818–1819. Ces deux campagnes son interprétées du point de vue de la réflexion des Ashanti sur leurs propres objectifs et compréhensions historiques, et de la compétence et honorabilité d'un Asantehene à ces égards. Toute au long de l'article, l'auteur s'appuie sur de nombreux textes historiques oraux en conjonction avec les apae, et développe en contrepoint une riche palette de sources européennes. L'article revendique comme originalité d'offrir une perspective des Ashanti, tout à la fois intellectuelle et idéologique, de leurs propres constructions du passé et de la nature de leur histoire telle qu'ils choisissent eux-mêmes de la comprendre.

Type
Historical perspectives
Information
Africa , Volume 84 , Issue 3 , August 2014 , pp. 353 - 370
Copyright
Copyright © International African Institute 2014 

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