worlds—the two complement each other and often
overlap. The physical is directed by the power of the
spiritual—Nyame, the Abosom (deities/divinities),
and the Nsamanfo (ancestors). Each individual
transitions through these two realms by way of the
Akan life cycle: birth, puberty, marriage, physical
death, and rebirth.
Thus, the Akan do not regard physical death as
the end of life, but as the transition from Earthly
life to spiritual life. It is a transition that each indi-
vidual must make to reach the spiritual world and
continue to live as Nsamanfo. Physical death
instead renders family relationships eternal,
and the rituals performed by the living Abusua
(family) emphasize the unbroken bonds between
those living on Earth, the departed sunsum
(spirit), and Nsamanfo. It is the responsibility of
those living on Earth to perform the Ayie so
that the sunsum can properly transition to the
Asamando (ancestral world); if not, the sunsum
will transform into an unsettled and malevolent
spirit and may come back to harm the family.
Thus, great satisfaction is derived from the per-
formance of the Ayie, and the community looks
down on those who do not properly bury their
kin. Unlike in Western society, where the dead are
generally mourned by friends and family, in Akan
societies, the entire community mourns the loss
of one of its members. Communal performance of
appropriate rites helps to strengthen the bond
between the living and the Nsamanfo. The Ayie is
performed in four stages: (a)Adware(preparation
of the corpse), (b)Adeda(lying in state) andSiripe
(wake-keeping), (c)Asie(burial), and (d)Ndaase
(thanksgiving). In contemporary times, the Ayie
usually takes place over the course of a weekend.
To demonstrate the grief caused by the loss of a
loved one, family members must wear black and
refrain from wearing white or any bright colors,
jewelry, or any adornment that may be perceived8 Adinkra Symbols
Close-up shot of two adinkra stamps carved out of calabash gourds, from Ghana. Used mainly when someone dies, the adinkra
symbols are stamped on fabric worn on funeral occasions.
Source:Karen Low Phillips/iStockphoto.