13/09/2022
GOOD NEWS!
British Museums To Return 19th Century Asante Gold Regalia. They are returning ornaments they looted from two great Kingdoms who fiercely fought their imperialism. The Asante Kingdom and Benin Kingdom both in West Africa.
These Ornaments include:
- 13 pieces of Asante Court regalia: a decorated gold pectoral soul disc shaped like a flower, which is worn by priests involved in the ritual purification of the king’s soul.
- 105 items: including King Kofi Karikari's Gold Head which is the largest known piece of historic gold work made outside Egypt.
- Important ceremonial bowl which stood outside the royal mausoleum.
- Gold ram's head.
Currently, Manhyia Palace Museum is being expanded and its reopening is likely to coincide with the return of 1874, 1876, and 1896 looted regalia from the Aban Palace during Asantehene Kofi Karikari's reign.
These historical Regalia are coming to Kumasi, Manhyia Palace Museum straight, not bent no curve.
Aseda piesie to the 3 Asante Kings who thoroughly had discussions with the United Kingdom for the safe return of the looted artifacts. Asantehene Agyemang Prempeh II, Opoku Ware II, and Osei Tutu II.
As written by Victoria and Albert Museum.
The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) is likely to return Asante gold regalia to Ghana after a recent visit there by its director Tristram Hunt. These treasures had been seized during a British punitive raid in 1874.
Although international attention is now focused on the restitution of Benin bronzes to Nigeria from European and American collections, items from the Asante kingdom are arguably of equal significance. Together, Benin and Asante (now in Ghana) represent two of the greatest West African cultures. A return of treasures to Ghana by the V&A will inevitably increase pressure on the British Museum, which holds a much larger Asante collection.
The British colony of the Gold Coast was expanded in 1872 and conflicts then intensified with the Asante kingdom, which lay to the north. In January 1874 British troops entered Kumasi, the Asante capital. Queen Victoria’s forces looted and blew up the palace of the king (Asantehene), Kofi Karikari. They then demanded 50,000 ounces of gold, nominally to recover the expenses of the punitive raid. The seizure of the gold regalia stripped the Asante king of his symbols of government. Tensions continued over many years and further treasures were seized during later military campaigns in 1896 and 1900.
http://news-af.feednews.com/news/detail/41370a5b533bf11216fa16a8eaaf1639?country=gh&language=en&share=1&client=hwbrowser&appid=hwbrowser&ctype=news
Piawwwwwwwwww!!!!
Credit to Asanteman news
