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History of the Queen Mother

Power of the Queen Mother

BENIN
-The Palace
-Iyoba and Oba heads
Altars

ASANTE
-Royal Kente cloth
-Gold Stools

Sources

African Art Home

          The Spiritual center of Asante politics is the Golden Stool.  The mythical story of the stool is that it is believed by the Asante to have fallen out of the sky after the chief priest of King Tutu, Okomofo Anokoye.  It was then presented to the Asante people after they defeated Denkiyra and it was declared that the strength of the nation was on this original Golden Stool.  The stools that were made to follow were considered royal pieces of art.  The Asante King and Queen Mother each possess a unique stool which represents their place in the royal society by markings made in gold.  All stools have the same basic forms and the owner is the only one allowed to sit in the stool.