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The Dente Oracle, the Bron Confederation, and Asante: Religion and the Politics of Secession*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 January 2009

D. J. E. Maier
D. J. E. Maier
Affiliation:
University of Northern Iowa
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Extract

This paper traces the formation, growth, and contraction of the Bron Confederation, a group of small provinces which seceded from Asante in 1875 and remained independent until British and German acquisition in the mid-1890s. The Confederation was headed by the priest of a traditional religious shrine called Dente. The paper analyses how, operating initially from a solely religious base, the Dente priest achieved real political power over the Confederation. He became increasingly threatening to Asante and entwined in Asante politics, ultimately coming to the attention of European officials. His nemesis lay in the fact that neither Asante nor European strategists could afford to tolerate a successful Bron Confederation. Nevertheless the Confederation coalesced under his leadership and his ultimate authority was religious. A case study in the process of pre-colonial African religious/political synthesis, this paper specifically proposes that the sanctions resulting from religious oath-swearing and the wealth accruing from religious consultation were managed skilfully by the Dente priest and provided the basis for secular economic and political power.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of African History , Volume 22 , Issue 2 , April 1981 , pp. 229 - 243
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1981

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References

1 See, for example, Ramseyer, F, ‘Eine Reise im Norden von Asante,’ Mitteilungen der Geographischen Gesellschaft, Jena, iv (1886), 82Google Scholar; Britain, Great, Parliamentary Papers [hereafter BPP], Cd. 892 (1874)Google Scholar, encl. 6 in no. 156: Glover to Colonial Office, ‘Intelligence’, 2 October 1873; and BPP, Cd. 3386 (1882), encl. 2 in no. 42: R. Lonsdale, ‘Report of his Mission to Coomassie, Salagha, Yendi, & c.’, October 1881 to February 1882 [hereafter Lonsdale, , ’Mission‘], 78.Google Scholar

2 Basel Mission Archives [hereafter BMA], Special File on Salaga Journeys: T. Opoku, ‘Journey to Salaga’, 12April 1877 [hereafter Opoku, , ‘Journey’], 15Google Scholar; Great Britain, Public Record Office, Colonial Office [hereafter PRO CO] 879/9: Gouldsbury, S., ‘Journey into the Interior’, 27 03 1876Google Scholar; and Asante, D., ‘Eine Reise nach Salaga und Obooso’, Mitteilungen der Geographischen Gesellschaft, Jena, iv (1886), 24.Google Scholar

3 Bonnat, M. J., L'Explorateur, iv (Paris, 1876), 5.Google Scholar

4 Opoku, , ‘Journey’ 15.Google Scholar

5 Lonsdale, , ‘Mission’, 78.Google Scholar

6 ‘Bron’ is also a linguistic term, but the casual usage of the word in the nineteenth-century documents and even current uncertainties with regard to the distinction between ‘Bron,’ ‘Akan’, and ‘Guan’ language families renders a close ethnic definition very difficult. See, for example, Dickson, K., A Historical Geography of Ghana (Cambridge, 1969), 115–22.Google Scholar

7 BPP, Cd. 1402 (1876), encl. in no. 77: Bonnat to Strahan, 30 September 1875; PRO CO 879/39, no 458, encl. i in no 45: Ferguson, G., ‘Memorandum’, 24 11 1893Google Scholar [hereafter Ferguson, ‘Memorandum’], para. 4. See also PRO CO 96/215: Ferguson, , ‘Report on Mission to Atebubu’, 18 01 1891.Google Scholar

8 Lonsdale, , ‘Mission’, 78–9.Google Scholar

9 Ramseyer, , ‘Eine Reise’, 75.Google Scholar

10 University of Ghana, Institute of African Studies [hereafter IAS], AM/14: ‘History of Ajade’, recorded by K. Ameyaw, 7; and IAS AM/15: ‘Akroso Tradition’, recorded by K. Ameyaw, 4.

11 See especially Rattray, R., Ashanti Law and Constitution (1929), 103–4Google Scholar, where a sample oath of allegiance is given. Rattray, , Religion and Art in Ashanti (1927), 205–15Google Scholar, also gives a long discussion on oaths.

12 BMA, D-i, 79, no. 64 (1903): Clerk, N., ‘Meine Missionsarbeit im Voltagebeit, 1888–1903’, 36Google Scholar; Interview with Kumah, Nana Kwadwo of Genge, , in Weaver, D. Maier, ‘Kete-Krachi in the Nineteenth Century’, PhD Dissertation (Northwestern University, 1975) ii Field Note 38Google Scholar; and Ferguson, ‘Memorandum’, para. 10.

13 Lonsdale, , ‘Mission’, 77–8.Google Scholar

14 Ibid. 70; and Ramseyer, , ‘Eine Reise’, 74.Google Scholar

15 BPP, Cd. 3386 (1882), encl. 5 in no. 42: C. Graves, ‘Concise History of the Abruno Rebellion’, n.d. Many of the inhabitants had still not returned in 1884–see Ramseyer, , ‘Eine Reise’, 81Google Scholar.

16 African Times (London), 2 10 1876, 39–40.Google Scholar

17 The issue of plantation settlements planned by the Dente Bosomfo for market production is discussed and supported in detail in an article by the author, ‘Competition for Power and Profits in Kete-Krachi, West Africa; 1875–1900’, International Journal of African Historical Studies xiii, i (1980), 33–50.Google Scholar

18 Opoku, , ‘Journey’ 15.Google Scholar

19 Ferguson, ‘Memorandum’ para. 14.

20 Ramseyer, , ‘Eine Reise’, 75.Google Scholar

21 BMA, D-i, 61, no. 132: E. Perregaux to Basel, Abetifi, 10 Mai 1894.

22 Comparisons with the Gold Coast Colony are interesting in this aspect because the Colony was serving the same purpose of a secure site for subversion of Asante throughout the nineteenth century, although the Colony was being used to a much greater degree than Bron.

23 Rattray, , Ashanti Law, 262.Google Scholar

24 Lonsdale, , ‘Mission’, 66.Google Scholar

25 Wilks, I., Asante in the Nineteenth Century (Cambridge, 1975), 527–39.Google Scholar

26 Ibid. 540–43.

27 PRO CO 879/21, no. 277, encl. in no. 48: B. Kirby, ‘Report’, Accra, 15 April 1884.

28 National Archives of Ghana [hereafter NAG] Accra, ADM 11/1170: ‘Palaver Book’, entry of 26 September 1887, 196.

29 BPP, Cd. 5615 (1888), E. Barnett to Governor, Eduabin, 24 February 1888, 31.

30 NAG Accra, ADM 11/1170: ‘Palaver Book’, 26 September 1887, 196.

31 BPP, Cd. 7917 (1896), no. 5: Hodgson to Knutsford, 9 December 1889.

32 Ibid.

33 Ferguson, ‘Memorandum’, para. 10.

34 Wilks, , Asante, 297.Google Scholar

35 PRO CO 879/38, no. 448, encl. i in no. 21: Ferguson to Griffith, Ateobu, 17 May 1892.

36 Ferguson, ‘Memorandum’, para. 14.

37 Ibid. para. 12.

38 PRO CO 96/232: Williams and Hull to Griffith, i June 1892, encl. in Griffith to Ripon, 3 March 1893.

39 NAG Accra, ADM 12/5/184: Griffith to Ramseyer, 31 August 1892.

40 Ferguson, ‘Memorandum’, para. 13.

41 Ibid.

42 BMA, D-i, 58, no. 58: Müller to Basel, 13 Oktober 1893, quoting Clerk to Müller, Worawora, 23 September 1893.

43 NAG Accra, ADM 12/5/184: Griffith to Ramseyer, 31 August 1892.

44 Ferguson, ‘Memorandum’, para. 14.

45 Ibid. para. 12.

46 PRO CO 879/39, no. 458, encl. 2 in no. 24: Hull to Hodgson, 17 September 1893; PRO CO 879/39, no. 458, encl. 2 in no. 39: Ferguson to Hodgson, Atabubu, 27 October 1893.

47 NAG Accra, ADM 12/5/181: Hodgson to Inspector General, 24 September 1893.

48 PRO CO 879/39, no. 458, encl. 2 in no. 39: Ferguson to Hodgson, Atabubu, 27 October 1893; interviews with Krachi Adontenhene Sreagyema, at Krachikrom, and Kwadwo Boame at Genge, in Maier Weaver, ‘Kete-Krachi’, ii, Field Notes 74 and 53.

49 Ferguson, ‘Memorandum’, para. 9.

50 BPP, Cd. 7917 (1896): encl. 3 in no. 43, Scott to Colonial Secretary, 7 November 1893, and encl. 4 in no. 43, Ramseyer to Acting Governor, 5 November 1893.

51 BPP, Cd. 7917 (1896), encl. i in no. 42: Vroom to Colonial Secretary, 20 November 1893.

52 PRO CO 879/39, no 458, encl. 5 in no. 39: Hodgson to Herr Boeder, 14 November 1893.