Bonoman
Encyclopedia
Bonoman is a term used to describe the trading State created by the Abron
people which culminated in bringing wealth to the Akan people.
Bonoman was a Middle Ages Akan Empire in what is now Brong-Ahafo region of Ghana and Eastern Ivory Coast. It is generally accepted as the Origin of the Subgroups of the Akan people
who migrated out of the state at various times to create new Akan states in the Search of Gold. The Gold trade which started to boom in Bonoman as early in the 12th century was the genesis of Akan power and wealth in the region beginning in the Middle Ages.
. Located just south of the Black Volta
river at the transitional zone between savanna and forest, the town was frequented by caravans from Djenné
as part of the Trans-Saharan trade
. Goods traded included kola nut
s, salt, leather and gold; gold was the most important trading good of the area starting in the mid-14th century.
located just south of the Black Volta
at the transitional zone between the forest and savanna (present-day Ghana
, north-western Brong-Ahafo region). The town like Bono-Manso was of considerable importance as an entrepot
frequented by northern caravans northern caravans from Mali from around 1100 AD. Goods traded included ivory
, salt, leather, gold
, kola nut
s, cloth, and copper alloys.
Excavations have laid bare walled structures dated between 1350 and 1750 AD, as well as pottery
of all kinds, smoking pipes, and evidence of iron smelting
. With a probable population of over 10 000, Begho was one of the largest towns in the southern part of West Africa
at the time of the arrival of the Portuguese
in 1471.
and Côte d'Ivoire
.
. Painted pottery of this period was found distributed within a radius of 3.3 km.
In the second phase, sixteenth to seventeenth century, the urban centers was larger, consisting mainly of evenly distributed houses and a nuclear market
center. Many indications of participation in long-distance trade, such as imported glass beads and mica coated pottery stem from this period.
weaving and goldweighing.
Abron
The Abron or Bono are an Akan people of West Africa. They speak the Abron language.In the late sixteenth century, the Abron founded the Gyaaman kingdom as extension of Bono state in what is now Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire.-References:...
people which culminated in bringing wealth to the Akan people.
Bonoman was a Middle Ages Akan Empire in what is now Brong-Ahafo region of Ghana and Eastern Ivory Coast. It is generally accepted as the Origin of the Subgroups of the Akan people
Akan people
The Akan people are an ethnic group found predominately in Ghana and The Ivory Coast. Akans are the majority in both of these countries and overall have a population of over 20 million people.The Akan speak Kwa languages-Origin and ethnogenesis:...
who migrated out of the state at various times to create new Akan states in the Search of Gold. The Gold trade which started to boom in Bonoman as early in the 12th century was the genesis of Akan power and wealth in the region beginning in the Middle Ages.
Origin
The origin of the people of Bonoman was said to be further up north in what is now called the Sahel.Bono Manso
Bono Manso (sometimes known as Bono Mansu) was a trading area in the ancient state of Bonoman and a major trading center in what is now predominantly Brong-Ahafo region of GhanaGhana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
. Located just south of the Black Volta
Black Volta
Black Volta or Mouhoun is a river of western Africa rising in western Burkina Faso and flowing about 1,352 km to the White Volta in Ghana. The Black Volta forms a small part of the boundary between Ghana and Ivory Coast, and also a section of border between Ghana and Burkina Faso.-See also:*Deux...
river at the transitional zone between savanna and forest, the town was frequented by caravans from Djenné
Djenné
Djenné is an Urban Commune and town in the Inland Niger Delta region of central Mali. In the 2009 census the commune had a population of 32,944. Administratively it is part of the Mopti Region....
as part of the Trans-Saharan trade
Trans-Saharan trade
Trans-Saharan trade requires travel across the Sahara to reach sub-Saharan Africa. While existing from prehistoric times, the peak of trade extended from the 8th century until the late 16th century.- Increasing desertification and economic incentive :...
. Goods traded included kola nut
Kola nut
Kola Nut is the nut of the kola tree, a genus of trees native to the tropical rainforests of Africa, classified in the family Malvaceae, subfamily Sterculioideae . It is related to the South American genus Theobroma, or cocoa...
s, salt, leather and gold; gold was the most important trading good of the area starting in the mid-14th century.
Begho
Begho (also Bighu or Bitu) was an ancient trading townMarket town
Market town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
located just south of the Black Volta
Black Volta
Black Volta or Mouhoun is a river of western Africa rising in western Burkina Faso and flowing about 1,352 km to the White Volta in Ghana. The Black Volta forms a small part of the boundary between Ghana and Ivory Coast, and also a section of border between Ghana and Burkina Faso.-See also:*Deux...
at the transitional zone between the forest and savanna (present-day Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
, north-western Brong-Ahafo region). The town like Bono-Manso was of considerable importance as an entrepot
Entrepôt
An entrepôt is a trading post where merchandise can be imported and exported without paying import duties, often at a profit. This profit is possible because of trade conditions, for example, the reluctance of ships to travel the entire length of a long trading route, and selling to the entrepôt...
frequented by northern caravans northern caravans from Mali from around 1100 AD. Goods traded included ivory
Ivory trade
The ivory trade is the commercial, often illegal trade in the ivory tusks of the hippopotamus, walrus, narwhal, mammoth, and most commonly, Asian and African elephants....
, salt, leather, gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
, kola nut
Kola nut
Kola Nut is the nut of the kola tree, a genus of trees native to the tropical rainforests of Africa, classified in the family Malvaceae, subfamily Sterculioideae . It is related to the South American genus Theobroma, or cocoa...
s, cloth, and copper alloys.
Excavations have laid bare walled structures dated between 1350 and 1750 AD, as well as pottery
Pottery
Pottery is the material from which the potteryware is made, of which major types include earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. The place where such wares are made is also called a pottery . Pottery also refers to the art or craft of the potter or the manufacture of pottery...
of all kinds, smoking pipes, and evidence of iron smelting
Smelting
Smelting is a form of extractive metallurgy; its main use is to produce a metal from its ore. This includes iron extraction from iron ore, and copper extraction and other base metals from their ores...
. With a probable population of over 10 000, Begho was one of the largest towns in the southern part of West Africa
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
at the time of the arrival of the Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
in 1471.
Bondukru
Bonduku was another trading center within the empire of Bonoman. It gave birth to the state of Gyaman also spelled Jamang Kingdom. The state existed from 1450 to 1895 and was located in what is now GhanaGhana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
and Côte d'Ivoire
Côte d'Ivoire
The Republic of Côte d'Ivoire or Ivory Coast is a country in West Africa. It has an area of , and borders the countries Liberia, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana; its southern boundary is along the Gulf of Guinea. The country's population was 15,366,672 in 1998 and was estimated to be...
.
Structure of towns of Bonoman
Based on excavations, carbon datings and local oral traditions, Effah-Gyamfi (1985) postulated three distinct urban phases. According to him, in the early phase (thirteenth to fifteenth century) the urban center was relatively small and the towns were populated by thousands of people (not all living in the urban center). Buildings were made of daubted wattleWattle and daub
Wattle and daub is a composite building material used for making walls, in which a woven lattice of wooden strips called wattle is daubed with a sticky material usually made of some combination of wet soil, clay, sand, animal dung and straw...
. Painted pottery of this period was found distributed within a radius of 3.3 km.
In the second phase, sixteenth to seventeenth century, the urban centers was larger, consisting mainly of evenly distributed houses and a nuclear market
Market
A market is one of many varieties of systems, institutions, procedures, social relations and infrastructures whereby parties engage in exchange. While parties may exchange goods and services by barter, most markets rely on sellers offering their goods or services in exchange for money from buyers...
center. Many indications of participation in long-distance trade, such as imported glass beads and mica coated pottery stem from this period.
Influence on Akan culture
Various aspects of Akan culture stem from Bonoman, including the Umbrella used for the kings, the Swords of the nation, the stools, goldsmithing, blacksmithing, Kente ClothKente cloth
Kente cloth, known locally as nwentoma, is a type of silk and cotton fabric made of interwoven cloth strips and is native to the Akan people of Ghana and the Ivory Coast.- Etymology :...
weaving and goldweighing.