AMOKYE
allyFerrywoman of the dead
In Akan religion, in particular among the Ashanti of Ghana, Amokye is the keeper of the threshold of the kingdom of the dead. She stands at the edge of the river that souls must cross to reach Asamando, the land of the ancestors, and welcomes above all the souls of departed women. In exchange for the crossing, she receives the offerings with which the dead women are adorned — beads and the amoansie, a small piece of cloth. This is why the Asante traditionally dressed women for burial with beads and this cloth, so that they could pay the toll to Amokye. According to tradition, she can prove benevolent or, on the contrary, stern. She appears in the famous tale of Kwasi Benefo, a man who, having lost his successive wives, descends to the river of the dead and there sees an old woman surrounded by a brass basin, beads and cloths reserved for women. He then understands that this is Amokye, the one who receives the souls of women in the hereafter.
Powers & Attributes
Role in the ROHO universe
A fragment of Onionkupón's Breath, bound to one of the five elements of the cosmic balance.
Sacred Mask
A mask carved of ancient energy — a symbol of the cosmic force proper to its pantheon.
Era
3,000–1,000 BCE — Cycle of Elemental Powers
Spiritual Lesson
To understand the nature of one's own balance and the wisdom hidden behind every trial.
Words of the Spirit
“Between the worlds, the border is a breath.”
Frequently asked questions
What is Amokye's role?
She guards the passage to Asamando, the land of the dead, and welcomes in particular the souls of women at the river they must cross to join the ancestors.
Why were Ashanti women buried with beads and a cloth?
These beads and the amoansie served as payment to Amokye for the crossing into the hereafter. The dead women were adorned with them so as to be able to pay this toll.
In which narrative does she appear?
In the tale of Kwasi Benefo, in which the hero, reaching the river of the dead, recognises Amokye by her brass basin and by the beads and cloths meant for women.
Related spirits
Sources and references
- Encyclopedia of African Religion, dir. Molefi Kete Asante et Ama Mazama, Sage, 2009, entrée Amokye
- Harold Courlander, A Treasury of African Folklore (1975)