Asase Ya/Afua (or Asase Yaa, Asaase Yaa, Asaase Afua, Asaase Efua) is the Akan goddess of fertility, love, procreation, peace, truth and the dry and lush earth in Ghana and Ivory Coast. She is also Mother of the Dead known as Mother Earth or Aberewaa.
Asase is the wife of Nyankapon, the male sky deity. Asase gave birth to two children, Bea and Tano. Bea is also named Bia. In some folklore tales, Asase is also the mother of Anansi, the trickster, and divine stepmother of the sacred high chiefs.
Asase is very powerful, though no temples are dedicated to her, instead, she is worshipped in the agricultural fields of the Asante and other Akans. Asase is highly respected amongst Akans. Sacrifices are given to her for favour and blessings. Asase's favoured people are the Bono people. Planet Earth is Asase Yaa's symbol whilst Venus is Asase Afua's symbol.
Names The name Asase means 'Land' in Twi. The name Ya means 'one born on Thursday, meaning that Asase was created on a Thursday. However, the name Afua means 'one born on Friday', meaning that in she was created on Friday. In actuality, the Asante believe that Asase was created on a Thursday while the Fante believe that Asase was created on a Friday. Due to this, the Asante and most other Akans call Asase 'Asase Ya' meaning 'Earth born on Thursday' whilst the Fante and the other Akans call Asase 'Asase Efua (Afua)' meaning 'Earth born on Friday'.
The Asante also know Asase Ya as Aberewaa, meaning 'old woman'.
Asase is also known as 'Asase bo ne nsie' meaning 'Earth, creator of the underworld'.
Description Asase has two differing descriptions and, thus, two different personalities. However, they are both one deity.
Asase Yaa: Asase Yaa is described as an old woman, linked to the other meaning of the name Asase Yaa; Old Mother Earth, and the other name Asase Yaa is known as, Aberewaa. As such she is regarded as the Goddess of the barren places on earth and the dead (she is the mother of the Dead). Asase Yaa is also the Goddess of Truth and Peace and is consulted on matters of the community through divination. As the Goddess of Truth and the Mother of the dead, she governs the gateway to Asamando, the Akan Ancestral Realm. At death, Asase Yaa reclaims her mortal children, humanity.
Asase Afua: Asase Afua, by contrast, is depicted as a youthful, incredibly beautiful woman. Due to this, she is regarded as the Goddess of the fertile places on earth, fertility, farming, love and procreation. Mmoatia, the dwarf-like spirits who serve as the protective guardians of nature and the forests in which they dwell, are seen as both her servants and spiritual agents, similar to how baboons are the custodians of Ta Kora. Asase Afua is have said to have given birth to all of humanity, despite the Asante proverb that says that all of mankind are children of Nyame, not Asase, although this actually applies to one's Sunsum and Kra (Ego and Soul), not Mogya (blood) and Honam (body). It is this form of Asase who is the wife of Nyankapon. Asase Afua is represented by the antelope and either still is, or used to be, represented by the goat . The antelope has 10 coils on the left horn and 8 coils on the right, the right horn and the antelope with 8 coils on each of its horns represents Asase Afua as it is a symbol of fertility in the Akan religion due to Venus (the sign of Asase Afua) was said to be an eight-rayed star, with possibly cross-divided or divided eye, representing the waxing and waning moon, symbolic of fertility (Asase Afua) and death. The goat also represents (or represented) her due to goats having a procreative and sexual meaning, but it was entirely supplanted by Ta Kora whom either took the goat symbol for himself or shares it with her.
All Akans, no matter if they call Asase Yaa or Afua, recognize that Asase has two personalities; One old and one youthful.
Asase Yaa/Afua Worship and Taboos There are many ways that Asase Yaa/Afua is worshipped. Here are some of the ways.
Goddess of Truth As the upholder of truth, lying is a taboo committed against Asase. When a member of the Akan people wants to prove their credibility, they touch their lips or tongue to the soil of the Earth and recite the Asase Ya Prayer-Poem as evidence of their honesty.
Goddess of the Earth, Fertility, Procreation and Farming As the Goddess of the Earth, she is credited as being the nurturer of the earth and is considered to provide sustenance for all. As such she is regularly worshipped so she doesn't withhold her abundance of resources. For the Asante, Bono and most other Akans, Thursday is reserved as Asase's day. On said day these Akan people generally abstain from tilling the land. However, for the Fante and few other Akans, Friday is reserved as Asase's day. On said day, Fante and other Akans generally abstain from tilling the land.
No one is allowed to change or agitate the land without the consent of Asase, which can only be gained by pouring libations to Asase. Serious consequences can befall those who violate this rule. Before planting the person who is going to plant must knock upon the earth as if she was a door.
During a child's outdooring (naming) ceremony, once the child's complete name is bestowed upon the infant, the child is placed on a mat symbolizing thanksgiving to Asase for sustaining its life and for allowing the parents to successfully procreate.
As the aspect of Earth, Asase receives the deceased body for interment.
The colour brown is associated with Asase due to its link to clay (which comes from the earth) and the clay, due to its connection to Asase is seen as a healing and purifying agent in Akan culture.
If a person commits a sexual act in the bush, Asase Yaa must be propitiated.
Before setting up a house, a sacrifice of appeasement is made towards Assase so that the house is protected from evil spirits.
When humans die, their honam and mogya are returned to Asase.
During ayie (funeral rites) libations are poured so Asase can permit the grave of the deceased to be buried.
Goddess of Peace Asase is the God of peace, meaning that when there is a murder, war or a way where human blood is intentionally spilt, very substantial sacrifices are needed in order to appease Asase.
Mother of the Dead As the Mother of the Dead, she is the one who comes to fetch Akan people's souls to the otherworld (Asamando) at the time of death [cite]. Also, it is with her name that the first offerings are made to the ancestors, due to the fact that the Ancestors are looked over by Asase. During ayie, libations are poured so Asase can accept and protect the person to be buried and to lead them peacefully to Asamando.
Libations and reverence towards Asase As the first deity to be created by Nyame, Asase is called in libations immediately after Nyame.
The Akan believe that everyone has the ability to show reverence towards Asase, whether by pouring libations to her or by looking after her (i.e. looking after the world).
Fowls are sacrificed in her name and their blood poured onto the floor, specifically by farmers when they need Asase's permission to plough, plant and harvest.
Proverbs and Adinkra Here are proverbs linked to Asase:
Asase Ye Duru: lit The Land has weight. This proverb and Adinkra (shown below) symbolizes the providence and the divinity of Mother Earth and this symbol represents the importance of the Earth in sustaining life.
Tumi nyina ne asase: lit All power emanates from Land. This proverb attests to the power of Asase, where anything earthly that has power is part of her power.
Asase ye duru sen epo: lit The Land is much heavier than the Sea. This proverb shows the importance of Asase to the Akan.
Nipa nyina ye Nyame mma, obi nye Asase ba: lit All mankind is Onyame's offspring, no one is the offspring of the Land. This means that spiritually (as far as Sunsum and Kra go) humans are not Asase's children as all sunsum and kra return to Nyame after death.
Songs and Prayers to Asase
Asase Ya Prayer Poem Prayer Poem To Asase YaFirst stanza Old Woman Earth .... She who Lent the Rights.. Of Cultivation to the Living .... My Prayer to You, of Thanksgiving.Second stanza"Earth, When I am about to Die, I Lean on you. Earth, While I am Alive, I Depend on You".Third stanzaLilacs in your Hair .. Ever Present Mother In each Grain of Sand is thy Story.Fourth stanzaGiver of Nkwagye the Salvation of Life And Nkwa to live Life without Strife To your Everlasting Glory.Fifth stanzaThat Man is Tame is thy Domain... Giver of Law and Ethics Scales of Justice.Sixth stanzaWith Each Field I till.. With Thee I am Still And when Death comes to Claim.. I become One with thy Fame Bringing Life to the Land with my Will.Seventh stanzaThe Fertile Fields and the Woman's Yield All Have felt thy Hand Hail and Thanks Be Great Mother For your Back upon which we Stand.Eight stanzaUpholder of Truth, our Lady Fair To kiss the dust of thy Breast... Is proof of the Tale.Ninth stanzaHail Great Mother Whose Love is in the Earth Thy gifts to your Children Are an Unending source of Mirth.Tenth stanzaA Smile to the Lips with a Song in the Heart Praises we Sing, when the Plantings to Start.Eleventh stanzaHail bringer of Life, bringer of Law and Order Hail Old Mother Earth, your Children Have Crossed the Border Into the Lands of Sweetness and Heart.Twelfth stanzaAsase Yaa, Aberewa, Asase Efua Names without End do we Call You Blessed Be, Asase Yaa To Be Cherished Forever, We Adore You.
Poetry to Asase O Mother Earth, who gives birth, who wed the sky,
Who nurtures and sustains all, who gives us life:
While we live, we depend on You; when we die,
We lean on You. You taught us the tiller-knife,
You give us law, order, and truth-seeing eye;
Save you alone we would live in fear and strife.
We press our lips to your bosom, the rich soil,
Ever turn with song and smile to holy soil.
Short prayer to Asase Into your womb I place the seed of self
To be nurtured in goodness and grown in love.
Poetry to Asase Ya and Nana Firimpong Nana Firimpong
once you were here
hoed the earth
and left it for me
green rich ready
with yam shoots, the
tuberous smooth of cassava;
take the blood of the fowl
drink
take the eto, mashed plantain,
that my women have cooked
eat
and be happy
drink
may you rest
for the year has come round
again.
Asase Yaa, You, Mother of Earth,
on whose soil
I have placed my tools
on whose soil
I will hoe
I will work
the year has come round
again;
thirsty mouth of the dust
is ready for water
for seed;
drink
and be happy
eat may you rest
for the year has come round
again.
And may the year
this year of all years
be fruitful
beyond the fruit of your labour:
shoots faithful to tip
juice to stem
leaves to green;
and may the knife
or the cutlass
not cut me;
roots blunt,
shoots break,
green wither,
winds shatter,
damp rot,
hot harmattan
come
drifting in harm
to the crops;
the tunnelling
termites not
raise their red
monuments, graves,
above the blades
of our labour
Family Asase is the daughter of Nyame, the female aspect of the Nyankapon-Nyame-Odomakoma trinity and the wife to Nyankapon. With him, she has had several children, the most notable being Bosomtwe, Epo, Bia, Ta Kora and possibly Ananse.
Asase Ya's favorite child is most likely Bia (same as Nyame's), as Bia is the Akan God of the Wilderness, and Asase Ya represents the harsh, dry Earth.
Myths
Asase is separated from Nyame and the tower to Nyame According to legend, Asase and Nyame were once very close. However a person, either Asase herself or someone else pounds their yam with a pestle either to prepare fufu for their children or just to annoy Nyame. Either way, the pestle routinely bumps against the heaven, hitting Nyame. Annoyed, Nyame separates himself from Asase by turning into his true creator form; Ananse Kokroko (Great Spider) and climbing on a thread to heaven.