Wrapping and ratification: an early nineteenth century display of diplomacy Asante ‘Style’

Abstract

During the pre-colonial period (before 1896) diplomatic relations between European trading companies and the peoples of the Gold Coast (now modern-day Ghana) were articulated, in part, by the public display of symbolically invested items such as badges of office, flags and uniforms and the presentation of costly gifts. On the 7 September 1817, the first Anglo/Asante trade treaty was formerly ratified by between Osei Tutu Asibey Bonsu, King of Asante, (dates of reign 1800–1824) and Thomas E. Bowdich, (1791–1824) the conductor of the first British Mission to Kumase, the Asante capital. Bowdich later wrote that the Asantehene appeared on this day wrapped in a cloth that was made from European flags sewn together. Did the King present himself in this way in order simply to mark the occasion, or was it motivated by other considerations? Drawing on Bowdich's published account and imagery of the Mission I will attempt to provide some answers to this question by contextualising this extraordinary act in relation to three other Asante practices: traditional cloth production, the ritual containment of powerful entities and the appropriation of things from the outside. In doing so I hope to demonstrate that by dressing himself in this way, the Asantehene was not only expressing economic, political and spiritual aspirations but also concealing and revealing Asante ambitions, hopes and fears for the future.

Keywords:

• appropriation
• diplomacy
• display
• outside
• wrapping