The vibrant culture of the Ashanti people in Ghana is deeply rooted in traditions, art, and social structures. In Ashanti culture, the use of color plays a significant role in conveying mood and occasion, while large umbrellas, depending on their size and characteristics, communicate identity, authority, and spiritual significance.
As the head of the Ashanti Kingdom, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II holds the highest authority, overseeing numerous paramount chiefs. During state occasions such as funerals, Otumfuo traditionally wears black, symbolizing mourning and sorrow in Akan culture.
A distinctive practice observed in the Ashanti Kingdom is the variation in attire and umbrella color among paramount chiefs. Notably, the paramount chief of Tepa, witnessed at the recent burial rites of the late Berekumhene, Daasebre Amankona Diawuo II, wore white and used a white umbrella. This deviation is rooted in the role of Tepa Baanie, a revered deity under the Tepahene, with historical significance in the kingdom.
Tepa Baanie is renowned for its mystic powers, including granting children to the barren and playing significant spiritual roles in the kingdom’s historical expansion wars. In acknowledgment of Tepa Baanie’s importance, the Tepahene and his priest are permitted to wear white, while the Asantehene and other chiefs wear black during mourning ceremonies.
Functioning as a source of spiritual power and protection for Otumfuo’s reign, the Tepa Baanie priest performs rituals for the Asantehene.
A video from the Berekumhene’s funeral depicts the Tepa Baanie priest tapping the Asantehene with an animal tail, and a deity carried by the Tepahene’s entourage is presented to Otumfuo, who places his hand on the deity for fortification.