THE GOLDEN STOOL

In this episode, Zeinab Badawi travels to Ghana and Cote D’Ivoire to find out about the history, myths and legends of the Asante people. We attend the Akwasidae, a colourful festival where the ‘King of the kings’ of the Asante – known as the ‘Asantehene’ – has his retinue and gold regalia on full display as a way of projecting wealth and prestige. And we hear about the great Asante queen who led the resistance against the invading British and concealed from them the Asante’s most valued and sacred possession: the Golden Stool. The Asante serve as an example of how despite decades of colonial rule, Africans maintain their traditions and continue to revel in and perpetuate their heritage and customs.