User:Leprachaun38/Yaa Asantewaa

Lead: The Ancient Gold stool was never surrendered to the Europeans
copied from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1188837018 Yaa Asantewaa article from The Rebellion and It's Aftermath: "On 1 January 1902 the British finally annexed the territory that the Asante Empire had been controlling for almost a century, and the Asante was transformed a protectorate of the British crown."

=== Article body: Arnold Fredrick Hodgson required the Ashanti empire to sacrifice their ancient "golden stool" when they surrendered. The golden stool has been a revered symbol of the Ashanti nation's soul since the 17th century. The stool is 18 inches tall and 12 inches wide. It is never to be sat on but instead is placed next to the throne of the Ashante king. Despite the British defeating the Ashanti army, the golden stool was never turned over. A fake golden stool was delivered to the British governor while the nation's symbol of freedom, the ancient golden stool was kept safely hidden. in 1920, a group of African railroad builders discovered the hidden golden stool and vandalized it. They were judged and sentenced to death by the Ashanti. British authorities exiled the criminals from the Golden Coast colony before they were killed. British colonists agreed to not get involved with the Golden stool after realizing the significance of the object. The Golden Stool is still used today to initiate and crown the asantehene (Ashanti ruler). === "The rebellion represented the final war in the Anglo-Asante series of wars that lasted throughout the 19th century"

'''Article body: More than 2,000 Ashanti warriors were killed and 1,000 British troops. This was the highest death toll from the Anglo-Asante wars and lasted 6 months.'''

Copied from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1188837018 Yaa Asantewaa article from Prelude to Rebellion: "Yaa Asantewaa was chosen by a number of regional Asante kings to be the war-leader of the Asante fighting force. This is the first and only example for a woman to be given that role in Asante history"

'''Article body: Yaa Asantewaa inspired and rallied her people to fight back against the British. Traditional Ashanti military was revitalized by her passion to resist colonization. She questioned male leader's response to British colonization. Yaa Asantewaa challenged gender roles and urged women to stand up to fight.'''

'''beginning of prelude to rebellion: Yaa Asantewaa's older brother, Nana Akwasi Afrane Okpase was in a powerful position in the empire and selected Asantewaa as the Queen Mother. This was a prestigious position as she is responsible for protecting the golden stool, advising the King of Ashanti, and choosing candidates for the next king.'''

https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1188837018 Social roles of Ashanti women: "The role she played in influencing the Ashanti men to battle the British appears to be a function of her matriarchal status."

'''The Ashanti people are organized in a matrilineage, women descended from a common female ancestor. The ashanti believe a person's blood comes from the mother and spirit comes from the father. The queen mother was often the sister of the chief and was the head of kinship relations. Yaa Asantewaa status and warrior spirit lead the Ashanti people during an uncertain time. During this crisis, the Queen Mother was the ultimate leader of the empire.'''

https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1188837018 Place in history and cultural legacy:

'''Yaa Asantewaa's legacy and memorials is a tourist attraction and revenue generator for Ghana. In 1999, 350,000 tourists came to the country and Ghana made $340 million in return. In 2000, the hundredth year anniversary of the Yaa Asantewaa war, the Yaa Asantewaa festival was celebrated all throughout Ghana. The festival included the Yaa Asantewaa Musuem launch, an international conference, a women's convention, and a funeral service for Yaa Asantewaa's remains. The first lady of Ghana, Nana Konadu Rawling unveilved the Yaa Asantewaa museum alongside her daughters, continuing the matrilineage. The musuem features traditional Ashante architecture and a house Yaa Asantewaa might have lived in. Dedications to Ashante culture are visited by locals and tourists. These attractions memorializing Yaa Asantewaa's legacy brings people from all over the world together. Her legacy in Ghana holds pride for Ashante heritage. The effects of British colonization in Ghana are resisted by keeping Yaa Asantewaa's history alive.'''

ways to improve article: More information on the war. Expand on the festival. Add more reliable sources