Re-Re-Write

So this is my third time writing this! Blast these electrical problems here. But in all, I can't complain. It is so beautiful here! Yesterday we went to the Wli (pronounced Vlick) waterfall on the Ghana-Togo border. Not only was it beautifully breath-taking, but the fact that an Ewe community there reaps the benefits of tourism made it even mor enjoyable. There are so many rastas here! It is amazing. Ghanaians ARE Jamaicans, do you here me! Seriously, it is like Jamaicans or Carribean people never left this area.

This post is going to be short until tomorrow. I'm going to tell you the story of the Fulani priest that blessed the Ashanti village with strength and brought downt he golden stool. Priest Okomfo Anokye was his named. Once upon a time (you say time, time), many years ago there was a war between the Ashanti and the Denkyira. The Ashanti lost, and so Prince Osei-Tutu, the son of the King’s sister was sent to the Denkyira to serve their King Nana Boa. There he met another hostage, an Akwamu priest called Okomfo Anokye.

When the King of the Ashanti died the people sent for their Prince to return and take the throne. Osei-Tutu asked that his friend Okomfo Anokye come back with him to guide him and give spiritual protection to the Ashanti.

Okomfo Anokye became the high priest of the Ashanti and under Osei-Tutu’s rule the people became prosperous. To show his great friendship and love for the King, Okomfo Anokye conjured a solid gold stool from heaven to make the Ashanti invincible.

It was done in this way. He planted two saplings of the “kum” tree a great distance apart and told the people that which ever tree lived, the heart of the Ashanti Kingdom would be there.

He then took the “akonfena” the sword of state, and marked a spot where he would be buried. When he was underground he would consult the tribal elders who had died and they would give him great power to pass on to the Ashanti.

Okomfo Anokye told the Ashanti that he would be in the land of the dead for eight days and on the eighth day he would return to the land of the living. However he could only return if no tears were shed when he was underground. So it was said and so it was done. Okomfo Anokye was entombed at the spot where the sword was in the ground. On the third day after his burial the Golden Stool, which houses the spirit of the Ashanti nation, both living, dead and yet to be born, descended from heaven and it still resides in the great palace of the Ashanti.

On the eighth day all the people gathered at the tomb of Okomfo Anokye to await his return. When the sun set and Okomfo Anokye did not return the people cried out in fear that he was lost and tears made their way down the faces of the women. So Okomfo Anokye was lost forever.

The kum tree that lived became the capital of the Ashanti. The place was called Kumasi which is meaning under the kum tree. It is the capital of the Ashanti today. Where the other tree died is another town called Kumawu. Today Kamuwu, is a 40 minute drive from Kumasi. The akonfena remains where Okomfo Anokye thrust it and no man can remove it. But the priest who gave the Golden Stool to the Ashanti is lost forever.

We say this particular site in Kumasi, which is behind the main hospital there, and the tour guide told us that the white man who built the hospital tried to remove the akofena with a bulldozer and all sorts of technological devices, but it was to no avail. Also, Muhammad Ali tried to remove it (why he would want to attempt destroying the Ashanti kingdom, I don't know) but did not succeed.

I will update you all on the rest of the trip ASAP. Oh, I saw Kali in Cape Coast at PANAFEST and I plan to meet her in Accra in 3 days.

This is just a little side note: there are a lot of lizards, chameleons to be exact, around here. Needless to say, they double as both rats and roaches and squirrels and really aren't pests, but we had some at the other hotel (I'll tell you that story tomorrow).

I love you all!!