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3 Things You Didn’t Know About the Denkyira Kingdom [ EPISODE 3]
3 Things You Didn’t Know About the Denkyira Kingdom [ EPISODE 2]
3 Things You Didn’t Know About the Denkyira Kingdom [EPISODE 1]
1) Women are very sacred to Denkyira Kingdom because the spiritual and social philosophies of the Denkyira Kingdom was established by a woman called Nana Ayekra Adeboe. It was this amazing woman who Twene-Adu-ampon Kwame entrusted the Supreme Bankam Dwa and its three Guardian Archangels/beings to be the first Priest-King of Denkyira. She established the Odwira Festival. This festival was first celebrated to cleanse/purge the Bankam Dwa and the Kingdom of Denkyira from any evil forces. Odwira means to purge or cleanse – Denkyira celebrated the first Odwira as a national festival around 1502. Nana Ayekra Adeboe was the one who instituted the isolation of women during their menstruation from family houses with deities. She believed menses ward of deities and women needed to be isolated during that period. She instituted mfikyiri koro for women as ancient Denkyira Tradition. She also established the Ankobia Divison of Denkyira Kingdom to take care of women and children during wars. The safety of women was her topmost priority.
2) Nana Ayekra Adeboe instituted that pre-marital sex was unclean and defied the Bankam Dwa and Denkyira Kingdom. So she instituted *Bragoro* and customs surrounding it to usher young girls into womanhood after their first menstruation. This she believed was to add value to the girl-child by preparing her into womanhood and also maintain the sacred state of her Kingdom. Nana Ayekra Adeboe passed on to the ancestral dwellings in 1587 after living a long life.
3) In 1662-1677, the Denkyira Kingdom was led by Nana Boadu Ankafu Berempong. She totally defeated Adansi king, Awurade Basa, after Awurade waged war against Denkyira during the death of Odeefuor Werempe Ampem. In the 1640s, Denkyira King, Odeefuor Mumunomfi conquered the Adansi King, Otibreko Asare. Odeefuor Mumunomfi appointed Awurade Basa as the leader of Adansi after he conquered it. So when Werempe Ampem died and Denkyira was led by a female king, *Nana Boadu Ankafu Berempong,* Awurade Basa sought to take revenge on Denkyira once and for all. But Odeefuor Boadu Ankafu Berempong conquered Awurade Basa and humbled Adansi. In 1732-1773, Odeefuor Amoako Atta Yiadom was also a woman who became leader of Denkyira Kingdom. She also continued to gather the remaining states of Denkyira after the infamous Denkyira civil riots in 1698 and Feyiase Battle in 1701. She succeeded King Kyei Akobeng and led her people and gave them hope for the future as prophecied by Nana Ayekra Adeboe that so far as the Bankam Dwa exist, Denkyira can always be rebuild and become great.
Today, we acknowledge the great Denkyira women who had to step in as Kings when the going was tough. We also appreciate and invoke the spirit of the great Queens who aided their children (Kings of Denkyira) to lead their people successfully. Women are regarded as the true owners of towns or states in Denkyira Kingdom. Today, we wish our brave, supportive and beautiful women especially
Nana Ama Ayensu Saara III (Denkyirahemaa) Happy Mother’s Day.
Written by Nana Boadu Ntiamoah
