Akan Abusua Nhyehyɛeɛ (Akan Family System)

Objective
Mmotaeɛ (Objectives) By the end of the unit you should be able to: 1. Identify the two types of Akan family and their members. 2. Identify the kinship terms in the Akan family system 3. Talk about their family 4. Use adjectives properly to modify nouns
Introduction

Nnianim (Introduction) There are two types of families among the Akans. These are the nuclear family (na-ne-agya abusua) and the extended family (abusuasanten). The nuclear family is made up of the mother, father and children. This family type is an adaptation from the western culture. This type of family is more recognized and take precedent over the extended family among educated and city dwellers perhaps due to economic constraints. The extended family is what comes to mind of any Akan at the mention of the word “family”. The extended family still plays a dominant role among the Akans especially in the rural areas as a result of the desire to keep particular lineages. Most Akans, with the exception of the Akuapims practice matrilineal inheritance. All children belong to their mother’s family (clan). An important feature of the extended family is that children do not inherit their father but uncles and aunts in the case of women. The Akans believe that a human being is formed from the blood of the mother and the spirit of the father. The child inherits courage, talents and wisdom from the father. The father and other members of the nuclear family do not belong to the same extended family. There are eight clans (extended families) in the Akan community. These are Asona, Agona, Aduana, ɔyoko, Asenee, Biretuo, koɔna and Asakyiri. Each clan is headed by a family head known as abusua pinyin who is both the spiritual and physical representative. Members of the same family are believed to trace their lineage to one ancestor. Members of the same clan do not marry each other; it is a taboo. Though there has been constitutional intervention (PNDC Law) to give children and mothers the right to inherit their father’s property, the matrilineal system still prevails. There is always close ties between the members of the extended family and the nuclear family. The Akans do not have a vocabulary for cousins but brothers and sisters. The Akans value mother-brother and mother-children relationships.

Lesson Vocabulary

Lesson Vocabulary

Abaayewa Young girl
Ababaawa Young girl
Abarimua Young boy
Aberanteɛ Young man
Aberewa Old lady
Aberewa posoposo A very old lady
Abofra/akwadaa Child
Abusua ho nsɛm bi Some kinship terms
Abusuafo Family member
Abusuakuo Family (group)
Agya/papa/se Father
Akonta Brother in-law
Akumaa Sister in law
Akɔkora/akora Old man
Ani gye To be happy
Anuanom Siblings
Ase In-law
Asebaa Mother in-law
Asebarima Father in-law
Aware Has married
Awuraa Lady
BAAKO Singular
Busuani Family member
DODOɔ Plural
Eno/maame/ni Mother
Fɛfɛɛfɛ Beautiful
KASA MMARA GRAMMER
ketewa Small/junior
Krokrowa Round/cute
Nana Grandparent
Nanabaa Grandmother
Nanabarima Grandfather
Nkitahodie Relationship
Nnsɛnhia Useful expressions
Nuabaa Sister
Nuabarima Brother
Okunu Husband
Onua Sibling
Onua baa Sister
Onua barima Brother
Onua kumaa/ketewa Junior brother
Onua panyin Elder brother
Owura Gentleman
Owurayere Missus
Sewaa Aunt
Taa Often
Wei kyerɛ This shows
wɔfa Uncle
wɔfaase Nephew
wɔfaasewa Niece
ɔba Child
ɔba baa Daughter
ɔba barima Son
ɔbaa Female
ɔbaa Female
ɔbaabunu Teenager
ɔbarima Male
ɔyere Wife

Lesson Conversation:

Abena | Frempon Dialogue (nkɔmmɔdie): Abena sua Twi. Ne kyerɛkyerɛni se ɔnkɔhwehwɛ nsɛm mfa Akan Abusuakuo ahodoɔ no ho. Abena kɔAgya Frempɔn hɔ. Kan nkɔmmcdie no. (Abena studies Twi. Her teacher asks her to research on the types of Akan clans. Abena goes to Mr. Frempɔn. Read their conversation)
Abena ɔpanyin, mema wo akye ?
Frempɔn Yaa ɔba. ɛte sɛn? ?
Abena Mepa wo kyɛw, me ho yɛ ?
Frempɔn Akwaaba ?
Abena Yaa agya ?
Frempon Amanneɛ? ?
Abena Bɔkɔɔ, mɛyɛ nhwehwɛm(u) afa Akan mmusua ho ?
Frempɔn Tena ase ?
Abena Meda ase. ?
Frempon ɛdeɛn na wopɛ sɛ wohu? ?
Abena Akan mmusuakuo no yɛ sɛn? ?
Frempɔn ɛyɛ nwɔtwe ?
Abena Wobɔ deεn abusua? ?
Frempon Mebɔ aduana abusua ?
Abena Aduana abusua asεnkyerεneε ne dε aboa? ?
Frempon εyε ɔkraman ?
Abena Na wo yere nso ε? ?
Frempon Me yere bɔ asakyiri ?
Abena Wo mma no nso bɔ deɛn abusua? ?
Frempon Wɔne wɔn maame bɔ abusua baako ?
Abena Asikyiri akyeneboa yε deɛn? ?
frempon ɛyɛ asee ne ampan ?
Abena Asee yɛ deεn aboa? ?
Frempon εyε anomaa ketewa bi. ?
Abena Yoo, ɔpanyin meda ase paa. ɔkyena mεsan aba. ?
Abena Yoo, ɔpanyin meda ase paa. ɔkyena mεsan aba. ?
Frempon Yoo, mεhwε w’anim ?

Lesson Monologue

Akosua Boateng ka ne na-ne-agya abusua ho asɛm kyerɛ ne nnamfo( Akosua Boateng talks about his nuclear family to her friends).

Me na-ne-agya abusua din de Boateng Abusua. Me papa Kwaku Boateng ne abusua ne ti. Me maame din de Akua Boateng. Mewɔ anuanom miɛnsa, ɔbaa baako ne mmarima mienu. Wɔn edin de Akwasi Boateng, Kwaku Boateng Ketewa ne Abena Boateng. Me papa adi mfe aduosia baako na me maame adi mfe aduonum nsia. Akwasi Boateng na ɔyɛ anuanom no mu panyin na ɔadi mfe aduasa. Me na medi Akwasi akyi na madi mfe aduonu nson. Kwaku Boateng Ketewa adi mfe aduonu nan na Abena Boateng adi mfe aduonu. Yɛtaa frɛ Kwaku Boateng Ketewa “ketewa” firi sɛ ɔne me papa din yɛ baako. Wei kyerɛ sɛ Boateng Abusua wɔ mmaa minsa ne mmarima minsa. Yɛfi(ri)Ghana nanso seeseiara yɛte Worcester wɔ Massachusetts wɔ Amɛreka. Me papa yɛ kyerɛkyerɛni na me maame yɛ nɛɛse. Akwasi Boateng aware na ɔwɔ mmofra mienu. Wɔn edin de Kwame Boateng ne Afia Boateng. Me nso maware Owura Akwasi Frempong. Yɛwɔ ɔbabaa krokrowa fɛfɛɛfɛ bi. Yɛfrɛ no Abena Sikafɛ. Yɛn ani gye yɛn ho paa.

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Lesson Note

Cultural Notes

Abusuasanten (Extended Family)

The Akans have eight extended families also known as clans. Each Akan belongs to one of these families. Each family/clan has a tótem as its symbol called akyeneboa. The symbol marks each family out from the other. The tótems are animals, which have some historical significance to the family. The following are the Akan families and their tótems: Abusua (Clan) Akyeneboa (Totem) Agona Akoo (parrot) Asakyiri kɔkɔsakyi ne ɔkɔdeɛ (vulture and Eagle) Aseneɛ Asee ne ampan ( a small bird and bat) Biretuo ɔsebɔ (leopard) koɔna koɔ (bufallo) Ayoko akorɔma (hawk) Aduana ɔkraman (dog) Asona Anene/kwaakwaadabi (crow)

Grammar Notes

Abusua ho nsɛm bi (Some Kinship Terms)

BAAKO (SINGULAR) DODOɔ (PLURAL) TWI ENGLISH busuani Family member abusuafo agya/papa/se father agyanom/papanom/senom no/maame/ni mother nonom/maamenom/nanom nana grandparent nananom nanabarima grandfather nananom mmarima nanabaa grandmother nananom mmaa ɔba child mma ɔbaa female mmaa onua sibling anuanom onua barima brother anuanom mmarima onua baa sister anuanom mmaa ɔba barima son mma mmarima ɔba baa daughter mma mmaa okunu husband nkununom ɔyere wife nyerenom onua panyin Elder brother anuanom mpanyimfoɔ onua kumaa/ketewa Junior brother anuanom nkumaa/nketewa sewaa aunt sewaanom wɔfa uncle wɔfanom wɔfaase nephew wɔfaasefoɔ wɔfaasewa niece wɔfaasewafo Ase In-law nsenom asebarima father-in-law nsenom mmarima asebaa Mother-in-law nsenom mmaa akonta Brother-in-law nkonta akumaa Sister-in-law nkumaanom owura gentleman awuranom awuraa lady nwuraaba ɔbaabunu teenager mmaabunu owurayere missus nwurayere abaayewa Girl (young) mmaayewa abarimua Boy (young) mmarimua aberanteɛ Young man mmeranteɛ ababaawa Young girl mmabaawa aberewa Old lady mmerewa akɔkora/akora Old man nkɔkora Abofra/akwadaa child Mmofra/nkwadaa Aberewa posoposo Very old lady Mmerewa posoposo

KASA MMARA (GRAMMAR)


Nkabɔmdeε (ntoasoɔ) – Subordinating Conjunctions (continued) In our previous lesson we discussed coordinating conjunctions. In this unit, we will discuss subordinating conjunctions. A subordinating conjunction joins a subordinate clause and a main clause. Such clauses are usually introduced by a subordinating conjunction or a relative pronoun. Its meaning depends on the rest of the sentence (main clause). It can not express a complete thought until it is joined with the main clause. It must always be attached to a main clause to complete the meaning. The following are some examples of subordinating conjunctions: sε (that), gye sε (until), ma, kansa … (mpo) a, (if even), ansa (before), sε … a, (if) etc. In the examples below, the subordinate clauses are underlined/italized and the subordinating conjunction blocked. The main clauses are left unmarked. 1. sε (that): This conjunction ends the subordinate clause which initiates the sentence. The main clause always follows the conjunction. Nhwεsoɔ: a. ɔkaa sε ɔmmɔ abusua. (He said that he does not belong to a family) b. Kofi baa sε ɔbεdi fufu. (Kofi came that he will eat fufu). c. Abofra no suu sε ɔbεkɔ California. (The child cried that he will go to California) d. Mmaa no kaa sε wɔbεkɔ dwaso. (The women said that they will go to market) e. Charles kaa sε ɔnkɔ Ghana. (Charles said that he will not go to Ghana) 2. sε … a, (if/when): This conjunction is the condition clause in conditional sentences. They can occur at the beginning or end of the sentence. In some cases the sε is omitted as in sentences d and e below. The a always occurs immediately followed by a comma. Nhwεsoɔ: a. Sε Kofi ba a, yεbεkɔ New York. (If Kofi comes, we will go to New York) b. Mεhwε me papa, sε ɔhwε me a. (I will care for my father if he cares for me) c. Sε woma me sika a, mεkɔ. (If you give me money, I will go) d. Mesua Twi a, mεkɔ Ghana. (If I learn Twi, I will go to Ghana) e. Me maame ba a, yεbεdi fufu. (If my mother comes we will eat fufu) 3. gye sε (unless/until) Nhwεsoɔ: a. Menkɔ Ghana gye sε menya sika pii. (I will not go to Ghana unless I get a lot of money) b. Asuafoɔ no rensua Twi gye sε Charles ba. (The students will not learn Twi unless Charles comes) c. Memfi ha gye sε mahu Twi tikya (I will not leave here unless I see the Twi teacher) d. Menkɔ fie gye sε abofra no da (I will not go home unless the child sleeps) e. Ghanafoɔ rento aba gye sε amanyεkuofo yε adepa (Ghanaians will not vote unless political parties do what is good) Note: in these types of sentences, the second part cannot be flipped to the initial position. When this happens gye sε will co-occur with another conjunction ansa na as we will see very soon in this section. 4. ansa (na) (before): This type of conjunction is used to join two clauses (main and subordinate) indicating two actions with one occurring before the other. The first action is most of the time in the past and the second part in the progressive as in the sentences below. Nhwesoɔ: a. ɔbaa ha ansa yεrekɔ (He came here before we went/left) b. Wɔyεε bɔne pii ansa wɔrenu wɔn ho. (They committed a lot of crime before repenting) c. Asuafo no suaa Twi ansa wɔresua Swahili (The students learned Twi before learning Twi) d. Mmofra no dii fufu ansa wɔrekɔ fie. (The children ate fufu before going home) e. Megyee sika no ansa mereba ha (I got the Money before going home) If it is a habitual occurrence, then this is how the above sentences will look like: a. ba ha ansa yεakɔ (He comes here before we go/leave) b. Wyε bne pii ansa wɔanu wɔn ho. (They commit a lot of crime before they repent) c. Asuafo no sua Twi ansa wɔasua Swahili (The students learn Twi before they learn Twi) d. Mmofra no di fufu ansa wɔakɔ fie. (The children eat fufu before they go home) e. Megye sika no ansa makɔ hɔ (I get the Money before I go there) 5. gye sε … ansa (na) (unless-before combination) Nhwεsoɔ: a. Gye sε woba ansa mede sika no ama wo (Unless you come before I give you the Money) b. Gye sε asuafoɔ ba ansa yεakɔ fie (Unless the students come before we go home) c. Gye sε osuani no kɔ Ghana ansa ɔasua Twi (Unless the student goes to Ghana before he learns Twi) d. Gye sε moba ansa yεakɔ (Unless you come before we go) e. Gye sε awofoɔ hwε wɔn mma ansa wɔn mma ahwε wɔn (Unless parents take care of their children before they take care of them) When ansa initiates the sentence there is the introduction of the marker bε in the first clause. Examples: a. Ansa yεbεkɔ Ghana no gye sε yεsua Twi (Before we go to Ghana (unless) we learn Twi) b. Ansa osuani no bεsua Twi gye sε ɔsua Swahili (Before the student learns Twi she has to learn Swahili) 6. εfi sε/εfiri sε/esiane sε (because): This conjunction is used to answer the question why? (adεn?). the three conjunctions are used interchangeably. Nhwεsoɔ: a. ɔkɔɔ ayaresabea εfiri sε ɔyare (He went to the hospital because he is sick) b. Afia bεkɔ Ghana εfiri sε ne kunu firi Ghana (Afia will go to Ghana because the husband comes from Ghana) c. Yaa resua Twi εfiri sε ɔpε sε ɔkɔ Ghana (Yaa is learning Twi because she wants to go to Ghana) d. Menni Amεreka nkrataa εfiri sε menyε Amεrekani (I do not have American papers because I am not an America) e. ɔnka Twi εfiri sε ɔnyε Ghanani (He does not speak Twi because he is not a Ghanaian) 7. esiane sε/εfiri sε/εfi sε … enti (because-so combination) Nhwɛsoɔ: a. ɛsiane sɛ asuafoɔ nni Twi nwoma enti kyerɛkyerɛni no yɛɛ bi maa wɔn. (Because the students do not have Twi book (so) the teacher made some for them) b. Esiane sɛ ɔyare enti ɔkɔɔ ayaresabea (Because he was sick (so) he went to hospital) c. Esiane sɛ ɔny adwuma enti ɔnni ska (Because he does not work (so) he hasn’t go money) d. Esiane sɛ Kofi nni sika enti ɔankɔ New York (Because Kofi has no money (so) he did not go to New York) e. ɔnni sika enti ɔndi/ɔnni aduane pa ((Because)he hasn’t got money (so) he doesn’t eat good food) Note: Esiane sɛ can be dropped as in sentence (e). 8. abere a .... no (by the time/when) Nhwɛsoɔ: a. Abere a ɔbae no, na mekɔ dada (By the time he came, I had left already) b. Asuafoɔ resua Twi no, na meredidi (By the time the students were learning, I was eating) c. Meredidi no, na asuafoɔ no resua Twi (By the time I was eating, the students were studying Twi) d. Abere a merekɔ fie no, mehuu ɔwɔ (By the time I was going home, I saw a snake)

Lesson Exercise

    Nnsɛmmisa

    1. Abusua no din de sɛn? ...................................................................................
    2. Hwan na ɔrekasa yi? ......................................................................................
    3. Akwasi Boateng mma yɛ Akua Boateng dɛn? ...................................................
    4. ɔkasafoɔ kunu din de sɛn? ................................................................................
    5. ɛdeɛn nnwuma na ɔkasafoɔ awofoɔ yɛ? ..........................................................
    6. Yɛ abusua dua ma akenkansɛm yi.

    Nsεmmisa:

    1. Hwannom na wɔredi nkɔmmɔ yi? …………………………………………………………
    2. εdeεn na ɔbaa no reyε? …………………………………………………………………….
    3. ɔpanyin no bɔ deεn abusua? ……………………………………………………………….
    4. Asikyiri akyeneboa yε εdeεn? ……………………………………………………………...
    5. ɔpanyin no ne ne yere bɔ abusua baako. (aane/daabi) fa baako.