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Encyclopedic overview
The Akan (/ˈækæn/) people, or Akanfoɔ, are a Kwa group living primarily in Ghana and parts of Ivory Coast in West Africa. The Akan speak languages within the Tano branch of the Niger–Congo family. Subgroups of the Akan people include: the Adanse, Agona, Akuapem, Akwamu, Akyem, Anyi, Asante, Baoulé, Bono, Chakosi, Fante, Kwahu, Sefwi, Wassa, Ahanta, Denkyira and Nzema, among others. The Akan subgroups all have cultural attributes in common; most notably the tracing of royal matrilineal descent in the inheritance of property, and for succession to high political office. All Akans are considered royals in status, but not all are in royal succession or hold titles.
Origins
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Akan people” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.