Tano (Tanoɛ), whose true name is Ta Kora (abbreviated from Tano Kora/Akora, not to be confused with Tano Akora) and is known as Tando to the Fante is the Abosom of war and strife in Akan mythology and Abosom of Thunder and Lightning in the Asante mythology of Ghana as well as the Agni mythology of the Ivory Coast. He represents the Tano River, which is located in Ghana. He is regarded as the highest and king of all Obosom. The Tano abosom are his sons in Akan mythology.
Names and epithets Tano is commonly as Kora, Ta Akora, Tano Kora and/or Tano Akora in the Techiman-Bono area. The name Ta Kora most likely means the “immense father' as “kora” means "the immense" and “ta” may be derived from a word meaning "father", stemming from how he is the father of a majority of the abosom. "Kora" can also mean "to mend", which means the name can also translate to "Tano The Mender” or "Tano The Healer”, referencing his healing abilities. Another name for this deity is ‘’Tano Kwasi’’, although saying the name belongs specifically to Ta Kora may be incorrect, as another atano abosom shares this moniker. He has 4 epithets: Asuhyia Tano meaning “The Blessed Waters of Tano” (a reference to Tano being a river deity), Nana Ko Nim, meaning “The One Who Wins Wars” (linked to Ta Kora being a war deity), Obomuhene, meaning “King Within The Rock” (as Ta Kora was also identified with the rock promontory from which the river Tano springs) and Tano Okoradie, meaning that he is a saviour and protector, not a destroyer (this is a callback to him despising Owuo as he represents destruction, whilst Ta Kora is a protection abosom).
Attributes and symbols Ta Kora is represented by the Tano River and the rock promontory in his nature form. Ta Kora has the appearance for a big and strong warrior armed who can change his appearance via shapeshifting, who has several Akrafena, two of which make up his emblem with a sword with two blades fused at the middle, and a legendary gun known as "Kodiawuo", literally meaning to "Go eat and die" or more simply "Pandemic", attributing to Tano's ability to spread illness amongst his enemies. It also has links to its destructive power as the word "Kodiawuo" is used when talking about missiles in the Twi dialect and other such weapons of mass destruction. He also wields Thunder and Lightning due to him being the Abosom of Thunder (although in the case of the Fante, he never was a Thunder Abosom). His day may be Sunday, as said by one of his names, but there is an atano Abosom who has the name Tano Kwesi.
Ta Kora's animalistic symbols are baboons, fish, crocodiles, elephants() and goats. Fish are said to be the children of Ta Kora, with him being able to appear as a bearded fish with a double line of cowrie shells on his back with a braided dorsal midrib. The fish's superiority is maintained in the proverbs; it is never referred to irreverently and is not subject to the usual harsh comment or sarcasm. The solemn maxim "From the river whose fish we do not eat, we do not [even] take a [gold] nugget, displaying the extent that the Asante revere the Tano river and Ta Kora. Goats were said to be taken from Asase Ya, and as a nod to Akua Abirekyi, a goat who was the old messenger of Nyame and who helped Tano become the patron Abosom of the Asante by tricking his brother Bia. It is said that his shrine and home is protected by Ta Kora's personal army of baboons, who serve as guards and fight spiritually for humans and the Tano family. Crocodiles are the messengers of Ta Kora. He sends them to deliver news of evil that is about to befall the community. Their presence on land out of the river is an indication. There are times when the crocodiles lie across the roads and streets instead of being in the river. When this happens, the traditional priest propitiates Ta Kora to find out the bad news and ways the society could avert such calamities from happening.
Ta Kora also has several pieces of regalia, including a crown, staffs, large umbrellas with ornamental tops, several Akrafena and precious beads worn henes (kings), as well as a brass pan.
His emblem is made up of stones which are taken from the bed of a river, a sea or a stream. Such stones are heaped in a place where medicinal herbs are grown.
Character Ta Kora is amongst the most powerful deities in the Akan Pantheon of Abosom, possibly second to that of Onyame and rivialling that of Bobowissi, whom to the Fante is Onyame, meaning that Ta Kora is possibly just as powerful as his father. For this reason, Ta Kora is the patron Abosom of most Akan tribes, specifically those of the north. Unlike other deities of war, like Ares, he is in rivalry with Owuo (Death). Ta Kora is a War deity more like Mars or Athena, as he uses military tactics to defeat his enemies, evident in the Akan military ideology of adaptation.
His most famous tactic is the ‘Captured on purpose’ tactic, in which he would transform himself into a little boy during wars, allow himself to be taken to the enemy kingdom, then spread pestilence among them, leaving them vulnerable to his own armies. He is also a heroic deity, who knows no fear, which is evident in the Akan belief that bravery in battle is honorable, and cowardice punishable by death.
Despite his reputation being the Abosom of war and strife, he is often depicted as merciful as it is said that if a person is a witch and they confess and vow to change, he will forgive them. He will try and find a peaceful solution to war, due to him valuing life (which is the reason why he despises Owuo, who is literal death), but will quickly, effectively and ruthlessly use force against those who don't heed his calls for peace.
However, it is said that when he was younger and due to him being the Absom of Thunder, he often displayed the extent of his power in massive thunderstorms, and even went out of his way to disrespect Nyankapon when it came to him displaying his might, going as far as to directly interfere in Nyankapon's realm of the sky to display his power. He was also very stubborn. He has since become a more peaceful deity, which might display the difference between how some Bonos saw him compared to Asantes due to their patron abosom being either Ntoa or Asase Ya.
Representation Ta Kora is considered as a river abosom, owing to his representation as Tano River. He is also known as a nature abosom as well as a war abosom, with the latter role taken up in times of conflicts. As with several of his siblings, Ta Kora is known as the father of the Atano Akan divinities, and is the greatest of the abosom whom are not the atano. The Atano (Water/Tano- Abosom) are said to 'descend' from Ta kora and the river Tano. He is a thunder abosom as well, although in Fante mythos, Bobowissi holds that spot. Due to his struggle with Owuo who is a powerful Asante deity, he also became the Asante abosom of war.
Family According to Asante mythology, Ta Kora is the second son of Nyame, the supreme creator god, and Asase Ya, the earth goddess. It is said that Ta Kora has several siblings: his older twin brother, Bia (who represents Bia River) is the Asante abosom of the wilderness, wild animals and the bush (this is due to Ta Kora cheating him out of his inheritance). In some stories, specifically Agni people stories, Ta Kora is the firstborn twin, and Bia is the younger brother. He also has three younger brothers Bosomtwe (who represents Lake Bosumtwi), Anansi and Apo, Asante Abosom of the Sea. Ta Kora is known for not getting along with his brothers Bia and Bosomtwe. He is said to be married to the abosom Afua Kranka (Also spelt Kanka Afia) and has 30 or so child deities. Two of their children are Oman abosom, abosom of the Techiman-Bono state.
The name Tano is a generic, family name of which all of his descendants bear. Such children who have the name Tano are Tano Kofi, Tano Kwasi, Tano Kwabena and Tano Yaw. He also is said to have an army of Baboons who protect his shrine and household.
Worship and Shrines
Shrines Ta Kora has shrines dedicated to him at Tanoboase (a village named after him), the Tano Rock shrine, at Saaman (The Tano Kwadwo shrine), in Tomade and the Tano Abenamu shrine, amongst other places in Ghana. Tano's shrine at the Tano river is the largest of the Atano shrines and contains several pieces of regalia, including a crown, staffs, large umbrellas with ornamental tops, several Akrafena and precious beads worn henes (kings), as well as a brass pan.
Prayers The 'Beautiful Prayer' is dedicated to Ta Kora.
Music, poems and dance Many Traditional Asante War songs may be also dedicated to Ta Kora, as he is the Akan Abosom of War. The circular dance is dedicated to Ta Kora and invokes him. stating:All hail.
Yes, Akyena, come along:
Something is happening to me.
Hail the water that found a stopping place.
River god Tano, come along:
Something is happening to your children.
All hail,
Yes, Akyena, come today,
For something is happening to us.Ta Kora also has a poem dedicated to him. It is actually called "Okwan Atware Asuo" ("The path has crossed the river"), but in the book Ayan: The Poetry of the Atumpan Drums of the Asantehene the poem is called "Tano", named after Ta Kora.
Okomfo and Abisa Most, if not all, Asante priests and priestesses will state that the reason they first adopted their profession was because they discovered that they were subject to possession by some spirit influence. They might have been going about their ordinary tasks, but more often were attending some religious ceremony, when suddenly, and without previous warning, they heard ' the voice of Tano ' (or of some other abosom) and fell into a fit or went into a trance.
Sacred rituals, lakes and festivals The Tano River is said to be a sacred river, and a woman going through puberty may not cross the River (or any sacred rivers) until she stays in a 'bush' village for six days. Other festivals which include the river Tano are the Odwjra ceremony and in funerals.
Hunters, after a successful hunt, give offerings to goats, who are one of the animals that represent Ta Kora.
There is a bailing ceremony involving fish from the Tano river called "fishing" where the priests bail the river and expose live fish for worship. The bailing ceremony is performed at intervals prescribed by the priests. It consists of the transfer of this messenger of the abosom from one pool to another, with care taken never to let the fish touch ground, which would offend Ta Kora
Taboos Menstruation is Ta's taboo, and no women who goes through menstruation is allowed to go near Tano's shrine. Also, due to Tano being guarded by Baboons, eating, killing or even harming baboons is an unforgivable offense and leads to death or great punishment to the person's society. The same rules apply for Crocodiles and any wildlife that lives in or near the Tano river, such as mudfish and antelopes.
During the bailing ceremony, care is taken to never let the fish touch ground, which would offend Ta Kora.
The day of Wednesday is said a taboo day for Ta Kora, possibly due to Owuo's connection to the day and the fact that Wednesday in Akan belief is a day associated with evil. As such on Wednesday and upon Thursday, Ta Kora's temple is closed and no one has access to it.
Myths Ta Kora has a few myths involving and/or about him. Here are some of the most popular:
How Asuo Tano (Ta Kora) was introduced to humans, the first priestess and the founding of the state of Techiman