Nton ne Abusua - Family & Clans (Explained in Twi)

The various Akan families are the root of all Akans. On migration the people were living together as one Abusua or family. This family is often wrongly referred to as Nton, which is

something completely different.The family or Abusua is matrilineal and each Akan belongs to one of them. Every Akan whose mother is an Akan belongs to one of these Abusua, and it is along these lines that inheritance is determined with regard to Akan stools or family properties.

On creating a stool, if not stated that the stool is for the children of the first occupant, the inheritance is automatically matrilineal.When Otumfuo Opoku Ware ll created the Nkosuo Stool of Kumase, he categorically said it was for the first occupant and his children and so the inheritance is patrilineal or Nton.

According oral tradition it is believed that the families Asona, Ekuona and Aduana are the oldest among the eight Akan families.

I will talk about the Aduana (Atwea, Abrade, Amoakare ne Ada) Abusua or family. These people are believed to have been led out of the ground by a dog which had fire in his mouth. Hence they are referred to as Ogyaasefuo. This has also become one of the accolades of the Dormaahene who is also from the Aduana family.

It is also believed that the first Aduana had a dog that once was out to search for food and on seeing fire the dog thought there was something to eat for him and in doing so got his mouth seriously burnt.

When the owner saw it coming with the fire he then said , “m'atwea woabre me adie- meaning my dog you have brought me something worthy. This gave birth to the name of the Aduana people Aduana Atwea Aberade. Another accolade- “Aduana Nyankonpa Sakyire!!!

Some hundred years ago people from different tribes could even claim a stool from another tribe if they were from the same Clan.That means an Aduana from Akwamu could go to Kumawu and could be given the stool if it becomes vacant.

The totem or symbol of Aduana is the dog and fire. It is believed that their Patriach was Nana Bomaa Kusi of Wam. Although Akwamu was there before Wam this has become the general belief and this has been accepted.

Their symbolic qualities are honesty and industriousness. If someone from the Aduana Clans greets you the response is, “Yaa Aberade or yaa ogyaba.The Aduana is beside Asona the largest family among Akans. Here are some of the major Stools occupied by the Aduana Clan:

Akwamuhene Akwamufie

Takyimanhene

Assumnnyahene

Kumawuhene

Dormaahene

Boamanhene

Agogohene

Denyaasehene

Awua-Domasehene

Tikuromhene

Apagyahene Kumase President Kuffour's family

Nsuatrehene

Drobohene

Bompatahene

Manso Memhene

Kadehene - Akyem

Obo Kwahu

Obomehene Kwahu

Asamankesehene

Kwaasohene

Kwaamanhene

2. Asona Abusua

The Asona Abusua or Clan is called Nsunafo or Dumana in Fantse. Oral tradition has it that they were led out of a cave by a snake and protected by the elephant to their various destinations like Buabinso in Akyem and Edweso in Asante.According to oral tradition every Asonaba originated from Adanse Akurofuom. The first known Asona woman was Asonaba Nana Ano Boadie who gave birth to Nana Ofori Panin, Nana Nyaako Braae and Nana Aberewa Dokuaa. It is interesting to know that all other members of the Asona Family trace their origin from this root, irrespective of what tribe they belong to today. A tribe is something that later came into existence and created a serious problem for the families because it divided them and eventually made them strangers to each other.

The akyenaboa or totem symbol of the the Asona Clan is the crow(Kwaakwadebi) and their patriarch is Nana Kunkuntunkununku l of Akyem Abuakwa. It is also a taboo for an Asona to come across the red snake popularly known as Asonawo, this might mean the death of a family member.

It will be recalled that Nana Kuntunkununku was not the first Asona Chief because he also originated from the Akurofuom family of Nana Atta Apeanim Kwaforamoa who is said to have been the originator and founder of the Akyem Abuakwa Tribe.The first known Asona chief was Nana Amponsa Ahenasa. Among the Asantes the Offinsohene is considered the head of the Asona family.

The symbolic quality of the Asona Clan is statesmanship and patriotism and this is even portrayed by Asona women of today. The Asona Clan is among the few families where the women were given the privilege to rule as Kings or Chiefs three examples could be given here. Nana Abena Boaa who ruled Offinso (1610-1640),Nana Afia Dokuaa who ruled Akyem Abuakwa (1817-1835), and Nana Yaa Asantewaa who ruled Edweso (1896-1900). One of the accolades of the Asona family is that they look so beautiful and pretty.

The saying goes this way: "Asonafuo a ahoofe adware won, won atiko tese obi anim." Literal meaning is - the people of the Asona family are so pretty that the back side of the head is as beautiful as someone's face. Nananom asonafuo a yennko nsuo ngu obi ahinam.