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Begho
Begho, also known historically as Nsoko or Insoco, was a city located in the Bono state of Ghana, located just south of its successor community, Hani. Begho was established as a trading entrepôt and cosmopolitan centre linking merchants from across West Africa and North Africa. Operating from the northern forest savanna transition zone, just like Bono Manso, it seized new economic opportunities and cross-cultural interactions through expansion as a commercial hub. Before the Europeans arrival in 1471, Begho was initially contacted by Muslim merchants who spoke Mande from the Mali empire. Outside the town limits, these merchants frequently founded permanent outlying settlements. By the 17th centuries, the Europeans who fostered key interests in gold and silver trading, harboured displeasures towards the Juula with an attempt to put them out of trade. Begho’s progress was attributed to the proximity of Akan goldfields from which gold reached Djene and Timbuktu as well as other ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bono State
Bono State (also known as Bonoman) was the first centralized Akan state, founded by the Bono people in what is now central Ghana. Bonoman is generally considered a cultural, political ancestor and origin to Akan subgroups that migrated southward and eastward during and after its decline in the 18th centuries. The capital centered at Bono Manso, the state flourished in the forest–savanna transition zone and encompassed areas within present-day Bono Region, Bono East Region, and Ahafo Region, as well as parts of eastern Ivory Coast. Bono state was a trading centre connecting merchants across Africa. The state's wealth grew substantially through the control of gold production and trade, with material culture such as goldweights, brassworking, and textiles attesting to its urban complexity. The Akan gold trade to the savannah and far beyond had been essential since the opening of Akan goldfields to Juula merchants under Mali and Songhai empire dating back to at least 15th cen ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bono People
The Bono, also known as the Brong or Abron, are an Akan people of central Ghana and northeastern Ivory Coast. They speak the Bono Twi and form one of the largest matrilineal Akan groups. Historically, the Bono were the first Akan to develop a centralized state named Bono state with the core political centers located at Bono Manso and Begho. The Akan people trace their origin to the Bono state based on history and oral tradition. Traditionally, Bono is the hub of Akan culture as various key elements of the culture emanate from. Bono is often highlighted as the cradle of Akan civilisation. The Bono became prosperous at Bono state through gold discovery, trade and commerce from neighbouring partners and across Africa. As part of commercial transactions, gold dust were used as currency and gold weights as a measure of value. In 1471 when the first European-Portuguese visited Gold Coast (now Ghana), Bono Manso and Begho were an urban cities in West Africa. Begho at its peak had a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Akan People
The Akan () people are a kwa languages, Kwa group living primarily in present-day Ghana and in parts of Ivory Coast and Togo in West Africa. The Akan speak languages within the Central Tano languages, Central Tano branch of the Potou–Tano languages, Potou–Tano subfamily of the Niger–Congo languages, Niger–Congo family.''Languages of the Akan Area: Papers in Western Kwa Linguistics and on the Linguistic Geography of the Area of Ancient''. Isaac K. Chinebuah, H. Max J. Trutenau, Linguistic Circle of Accra, Basler Afrika Bibliographien, 1976, pp. 168. Subgroups of the Akan people include: the Adansi, Agona, Akuapem people, Akuapem, Akwamu, Akyem, Anyi people, Anyi, Ashanti people, Asante, Baoulé people, Baoulé, Bono people, Bono, Chakosi people, Chakosi, Fante people, Fante, Kwahu, Sefwi people, Sefwi, Wassa, Ahanta people, Ahanta, Denkyira and Nzema people, Nzema, among others. The Akan subgroups all have cultural attributes in common; most notably the tracing of royal m ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ashanti Empire
The Asante Empire ( Asante Twi: ), also known as the Ashanti Empire, was an Akan state that lasted from 1701 to 1901, in what is now modern-day Ghana. It expanded from the Ashanti Region to include most of Ghana and also parts of Ivory Coast and Togo. Due to the empire's military prowess, wealth, architecture, sophisticated hierarchy and culture, the Asante Empire has been extensively studied and has more historic records written by European, primarily British, authors than any other indigenous culture of sub-Saharan Africa. Starting in the late 17th century, the Asante king Osei Tutu ( – 1717) and his adviser Okomfo Anokye established the Asante Kingdom, with the Golden Stool of Asante as a sole unifying symbol. Osei Tutu oversaw a massive Asante territorial expansion, building up the army by introducing new organisation and turning a disciplined royal and paramilitary army into an effective fighting machine. In 1701, the Asante army conquered Denkyira, giving the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Soninke Wangara
The Wangara (also known as Wakore, Wankori, Ouankri, Wangarawa) are a diaspora community of ethnic Soninke origin who served as specialized long-distance merchants throughout West Africa, particularly in trans-Saharan trade. Originating from the Ghana Empire, over time the Wangara became integrated into numerous other communities and ethnic groups, particularly in Timbuktu, Agadez, Kano, Gao, Salaga, Kong, Bissa, Kankan, Fouta Jallon, Djenné as well as Bambouk, Bure, Lobi, and (to a lesser degree) Bono goldfields and Borgu. They were practicing Muslims who helped spread the religion widely and served as clerics, political advisors, healers and marabouts, often following the Suwarian Tradition. The term 'Wangara' is sometimes used interchangeably to refer to the Jakhanke or Dyula people, who are also diasporic traders and Islamic clerics of Mande origin. History The Wangara, like the Soninke of which they are a part, are descendants from migrants out of the once-ferti ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dyula People
The Dyula (Dioula or Juula) are a Mande people, Mande ethnic group inhabiting several West African countries, including Mali, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, and Burkina Faso. Characterized as a highly successful merchant caste, ''Dyula'' migrants began establishing trading communities across the region in the fourteenth century. Since business was often conducted under non-Muslim rulers, the ''Dyula'' developed a set of theological principles for Muslim minorities in non-Muslim societies. Their unique contribution of long-distance commerce, Islamic scholarship and religious tolerance were significant factors in the peaceful expansion of Islam in West Africa. The term 'Dyula' is sometimes used interchangeably with Soninke Wangara, Wangara or Jakhanke people, Jakhanke, depending on the historical period and region. Historical background The Mandé embraced Islam during the thirteenth century following introduction to the faith through contact with the North African traders. By the 14 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bono Manso
Manso or Maaso, often referred to as Bono-Manso in historical contexts, was an urban centre of significant religious, political, and economic influence. It was situated on the northern Forest–savanna mosaic, forest savanna zone of Akan realm. Founded c. 1000 CE, it was the capital of the Bono state from the 11th century to 1723. Bono Manso flourished into a prominent and cosmopolitan centre of trade to the Bono state, attracting Muslim Dyula people, Juula from the Mali Empire, Mali empire and several merchants across North Africa, North and West Africa. According to oral traditions, merchants brought textiles, salt, and brass where they traded them for gold, kola, and slaves. Just like its twin-counterpart Begho, Bono Manso had a huge market called Dwabirem in the southwest direction, linking the sub-Saharan and ultimately European long distance trade. After the Asante destroyed Bono Manso in 1723, Techiman succeeded it. Presently, Bono Manso is a village north of Techiman in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Djenné
Djenné (; also known as Djénné, Jenné, and Jenne) is a Songhai people, Songhai town and Communes of Mali, urban commune in the Inland Niger Delta region of central Mali. The town is the administrative centre of the Djenné Cercle, one of the eight subdivisions of the Mopti Region. The commune includes ten of the surrounding villages and in 2009 had a population of 32,944. The history of Djenné is closely linked with that of Timbuktu. Between the 15th and 17th centuries much of the trans-Saharan trade in goods such as salt, gold, and slaves that moved in and out of Timbuktu passed through Djenné. Both towns became centres of Islamic scholarship. Djenné's prosperity depended on this trade and when the Portugal, Portuguese established trading posts on the African coast, the importance of the trans-Saharan trade and thus of Djenné declined. The town is famous for its distinctive adobe architecture, most notably the Great Mosque of Djenné, Great Mosque which was built in 190 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mandé Peoples
The Mandé peoples are a linguistic grouping of those African nations who speak Mande languages. The various Mandé-speaking nations are concentrated in the western regions of West Africa. The Mandinka or Malinke, a western Mandé nation, are credited with the founding one of the largest West African empires. Other large Mandé-speaking nations include the Soninke and Susu, as well as smaller ones such as the Ligbi, Vai, and Bissa. Mandé-speaking peoples inhabit various environments, from coastal rainforests to the sparse Sahel, and have a wide range of cuisines, cultures, and beliefs. After migrating from the Central Sahara, Mandé-speaking peoples established Tichitt culture in the Western Saharan region of Mauritania, which had Dhar Tichitt as its primary regional center and possibly the Malian Lakes Region as its secondary regional center. Subsequently, toward the end of the Mauritanian Tichitt culture, Mandé-speaking peoples began to spread and established M ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Guinean Forest–savanna Mosaic
The Guinean forest-savanna, also known as the Guinean forest-savanna transition, is a distinctive ecological region located in West Africa. It stretches across several countries including Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, and Cameroon. This region is characterized by a unique blend of forested areas and savannas, creating a diverse and dynamic landscape. It is an ecoregion of West Africa, a band of interlaced forest, savanna, and grassland running east to west and dividing the tropical moist forests near the coast from the West Sudanian savanna of the interior. Setting The Guinean forest–savanna mosaic covers an area of , extending from western Senegal to eastern Nigeria, and including portions of Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin and Cameroon. The Cameroon Highlands of eastern Nigeria and Cameroon separate the Guinean forest–savanna mosaic from the Northern Congolian forest–savanna mo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Middle Niger
The Middle Niger is a region of Mali that includes Dia, Mali, Dia Shoma, Djenné-Djenno, Méma, Macina, Mali, Macina, and the Malian Lakes Region. Dia The settlement complex at Dia, Mali, Dia consists of an agglomeration of three separate large archaeological sites: Dia-Shoma, Dia, and Dia-Mara. With an area of 49ha, Dia-Shoma is the largest and oldest, dating back to the 9th century BCE. Djenné-Djenno The civilization of Djenné-Djenno was located in the Niger River valley in Mali and is considered to be among the oldest urbanized centres and the best-known archaeological sites in Sub-Saharan Africa. The site is located about away from the modern town of Djenné and is believed to have been involved in long-distance trade and possibly the domestication of African rice. The site is believed to exceed . The city is believed to have been abandoned and moved to its current location due to the spread of Islam and the building of the Great Mosque of Djenné. Towns similar to Dj ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mali
Mali, officially the Republic of Mali, is a landlocked country in West Africa. It is the List of African countries by area, eighth-largest country in Africa, with an area of over . The country is bordered to the north by Algeria, to the east by Niger, to the northwest by Mauritania, to the south by Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast, and to the west by Guinea and Senegal. The population of Mali is about 23.29 million, 47.19% of which are estimated to be under the age of 15 in 2024. Its Capital city, capital and largest city is Bamako. The country has 13 official languages, of which Bambara language, Bambara is the most commonly spoken. The sovereign state's northern borders reach deep into the middle of the Sahara, Sahara Desert. The country's southern part, where the majority of inhabitants live, is in the Sudanian savanna and has the Niger River, Niger and Senegal River, Senegal rivers running through it. The country's economy centres on agriculture and mining with its most promine ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
