The Ashanti regional capital, Kumasi on Saturday went dead as final rituals and funeral rites for the late Queenmother of Asanteman, Nana Afia Kobi Serwaa Ampem II, were performed.
Residents of Kumasi were placed under ‘curfew’ yesterday by the Asanteman Council to allow the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, and the Asantehemaa, Nana Ama Konadu send the family pot ‘abusua kuruwa’ from Manhyia to the ancestral home at Breman.
The thirteenth (13th) queenmother, who died on November 20, 2016, has since been buried with gold ornaments.
The curfew, which started at exactly 9:00 p.m, yesterday ended at dawn today at 3:00 a.m.
As early as 5:pm just a few cars and people were spotted in town as major streets in the city including Adum, Suame, Atonsu, Bantama,Krofrom, Ashtown and Amakom were deserted.
Many mourners were seen hurrying from the funeral grounds in their homes to beat the curfew.
At about 7:00pm, the Garden City as Kumasi went dead silent to allow the custodian of the land bid his mother a final goodbye.
As at 5: 30 am the commercial capital in Ghana remains ”ghost town” as inhabitants out of fears decided to take risk and confined themselves to indoors with principal streets also abandoned.
By Asante custom and usage, no one, apart from members of the royal family, is allowed to view the abusua kuruwa.
The age-old tradition of carrying the pot, which is a specially decorated form of domestic pottery, occupies a significant part in rituals for Asante kings and queen mothers. It is a symbol of unity of the royals of the Golden Stool.
Typically, the abusua kuruwa is used during funerals but they can also be used to store traditional medicines.
The hairs and fingernails of royals are collected and deposited in it as a sign of cleansing and matrilineal unity, and for the ancestors to maintain a spiritual bond with their families.
After the journey to Breman, the royalty will drop the black and red mourning attire, which they have worn since they started going to the village of the Asantehemaa, and put on white apparels.
Black Stool
In line with strict customary practice, the carrying of the abusua kuruwa was preceded yesterday by the consecration of the black stool of the departed queen mother, Nana Afia Kobi Serwaa Ampem II.
It took place in private and was meant to exorcise the spirit of the late queen mother from all the gold ornament she used when she occupied the stool. Otumfuo Osei Tutu II will sit in state at Bogyawe, Manhyia Palace, this morning to welcome the consecrated stool of the late queen mother, who was also his biological mother.
Yesterday was the second time Otumfuo Osei Tutu II will be carrying the abusua kuruwa.
In March 2000, he and the then queen mother, Nana Afia Kobi II, carried it to Breman during the final funeral rites of his predecessor, Otumfuo Opoku Ware II.
Source: Ghana Adomonline.com / Gershon Mortey
PHOTOS: Kumasi turns”ghost town” as Otumfuo performs final rituals
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