Ashanti, or
Asante, or
Asanti , are a
nation and
ethnic group native to
Ashanti and the
Kingdom of Ashanti situated on the semi-island
exclave Ashantiland, on the
Gulf of Guinea, who speak the
Ashanti language and indistinguishable
Ashanti Twi. The Ashanti language is spoken by over 9 million ethnic Ashanti people as a
first language and
second language. The word
Ashanti is an English language misnomer and
Asanti is the correct
Ashanti Twi. Asanti literally means "because of wars" (Asa - wars; Nti- because[of]). The wealthy
gold-rich Ashanti people developed a large and influential empire; the
Ashanti Empire along the
Lake Volta and
Gulf of Guinea. The Ashanti people rich in
gold later developed the powerful Ashanti Confederacy or Ashanti Empire (now
Ashanti autonomous region) and became the dominant presence in the region. The Ashanti kingdom was founded in 1670 and the Ashanti capital Kumasi was founded in 1680 the late 17th century by Ashanti
King Asantehene Osei Tutu I (the
Emperor King of the Ashanti Kingdom) on the advice of
Komfo Anokye, Osei Tutu I's
premier. Sited at the crossroads of the Trans-Saharan trade routes, Kumasi megacity's strategic location contributed significantly to the growing wealth of Kumasi. Over the duration of Kumasi metropolis' existence, a number of peculiar factors have combined to transform Kumasi metropolis into a fitting
financial center and political capital of the now Ashanti
homeland Ashanti. The main causal factors included the unquestioning loyalty to the Ashanti monarchy (the
Asantehene) and Kumasi metropolis' growing wealth derived in part from the Ashanti capital Kumasi metropolis lucrative domestic-trade in items such as
gold bar bullions. Kumasi metropolis' with Ashanti region's and Ashanti kingdom's leadership institutes an elaborate political structure and deploys a myriad of Ashanti ceremonial traditions and domestic norms as a way of maintaining the
Ashanti monarchy's complex polity and sustaining allegiance to the
Ashanti monarchy. Also introduced to support this evolving Ashanti socio-political structure was a range of Ashanti cultural artifacts, regalia and other forms of symbolism, many of which have survived to this day. The Ashanti
King Asantehene is the
absolute ruler and political head of the Ashantis and Ashantis
homeland Ashanti. The current Ashanti king is
Asantehene Osei Tutu II.