Moves to enhance Asante culture and history

Kumasi, July 16, GNA - The refurbished Manhyia Archives was on Friday inaugurated in Kumasi.

The Royal Netherlands Embassy in Accra funded the refurbishment under the auspices of the Institute of African Studies (IAS) of the University of Ghana at a cost of 51,000 euros and forms part of the Manhyia Palace Expansion Project Phase One.

Established in 1964 under the supervision of Otumfuo Sir Osei Agyemang Prempeh II, late Asantehene, the archives is stocked with records on the oral traditions of Asantes, stool histories of the Kumasi State, history on the Golden Stool, minstrel songs and poetry, court poetry and praise poems.

It is also stocked with records on the media through which the forebears of some communities in Africa and Ghana without the knowledge of writing were able to record, re-enact and transmit the substance of family, sectional and personal histories.

Speaking at the inauguration, Oheneba Adusei Poku, Akyempimhene, who represented the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, said the refurbishment is to enhance the reconstruction of the history and sociology of Asanteman through the preservation of authentic historical and sociological data.

He said under the project, staff of the Asanteman Council, the Kumasi Traditional Council, Manhyia Archives and other offices within the Manhyia Palace were trained in records management and electronic records management.

The project also saw the de-acidification of record books, installation of metal shelves for the proper storage of records, provision of new archival boxes for the preservation of records, rebounding of damaged court records and minute books. Oheneba Adusei Poku said one heavy-duty canon IR 3300 photocopying machine and materials for the production of surrogates to replace aged documents has also been provided.

He commended the Royal Netherlands Embassy for their commitment to sustain the bilateral relationship that existed between Asantes and the Dutch, which dates back to the 1700.

Mr Arie Van Der Wiel, the Netherlands Ambassador to Ghana, who inaugurated the archives, said a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) had been signed for a joint framework for co-operation in the field of Mutual Cultural Heritage between Ghana and the Netherlands. In the contest of this agreement, he said funds are made available to his mission for supporting activities in the area of culture and development, adding that the Manhyia Archives is one of the first projects that had benefited from this new programme. He was happy that the refurbishment of the archives would provide a more professional environment for the safe keeping and accessibility of the records to benefit scholars.

The Ambassador later presented to the archives for keeps a novel titled: "The Two Hearts of Kwasi Boachi," which highlights how two young Ashanti princes were sent to the court of William I in the Netherlands and their experience in 1837 as a measure to strengthen the ties between the two royal houses. Arthur Japin, a Ghanaian-Dutch historian, authored the book.