Info For Y'all Nana Amuah Afenyi (Peggielene Bartels): The Starting Fourth Dimension Woman Someone Original (King) Of Ekumfi Otuam As Well As Tertiary Adult Woman To Perish A Paramount Original (King) Inwards Ghana
Nana Amuah-Afenyi VI (born 1953), or Peggielene Bartels, known informally equally King Peggy, is the firstly woman soul paramount main of the Ekumfi Otuam traditional expanse inward Mfantsiman East District inward the primal Region of Ghana. She is also the tertiary adult woman inward Republic of Ghana to live enstooled equally a paramount main of a Ghanaian Traditional Area. Ekumfi Otuam people were historically in addition to traditionally warrior people alongside their Ekumfi sub-group of Fante ethnic grouping inward Ghana.
Nana Amuah Afenyi V, aka King Peggy paramount main of Ekumfi Otuam Traditional Area sitting inward solid ground with her Kra (soul, which is the girl) sitting inward forepart of her at a business office at Otuam.
Fante sub-groups include Mankessim (Amanfo), Anomabo, Nkusukum, Abora (Abura), Gomoa, Ekumfi, Enyan (Ajumako), Esikuma in addition to Agona. Ekumfi Otuam people remove hold a famous honor equally a termination of their valor. They are appellated "Se Ekumfi annko a nna nnye Otuam bi a!" (If all Ekumfi volition non fight, Otuom volition stand upwardly up to the task).
Professor John Evans Atta Mills, ex-president of Republic of Ghana was a native of Ekumfi Otuam
Ekumfi expanse inward Central Region has 1 of the most highly educated people inward Ghana. Otuam is also the hometown of belatedly Professor John Evans Atta Mills, the old president of Republic of Ghana in addition to the one-time figurer wiz-kid David Kwamena Bolton.
Nana Amuah Afenyi aka King Peggy on CBS
Nana Amuah Afenyi is the firstly woman soul paramount main of this traditional expanse in addition to 1 of the few woman soul chiefs inward Ghana. As it is the norm, though Fantes are matriarchal people, chieftaincy championship was for men to concur it inward favor of women.
David Kwamena Bolton, a divisional main of Ekumfi Otuam. He was figurer prodigy who at historic catamenia fourteen founded a fellowship inward Britain, that made a 1st twelvemonth turn a profit of 20,000 pounds. At sixteen he developed a software for the British Health Service in addition to made international paper headlines equally a WONDER-KID. He became a main at historic catamenia 17 when his gramps abdicated his stool.
It is the women inward Fante in addition to most Akan cultures that create upwardly one's heed who becomes a main but they are non eligible for kingship. However inward sure circumstances they tin remove their ain topographic point from the men in addition to dominion on their own.
Paramount main Nana Amuah Afenyi V aka King Peggy on her agency to the funeral of her predecessor, 2010.
Nana Afenyi was born Peggielene Bartels inward Republic of Ghana in addition to a naturalized citizen of the United States, she has worked equally a secretarial assistant at the Embassy of Republic of Ghana inward Washington, D.C. since the 1970s. Following the decease of her uncle, Otuam's old chief, inward 2008, she was chosen to supersede him, through a serial of traditional rituals. " Otuam's elders consulted genealogical records, discussed which of the king's relatives had the characteristics required to rule, in addition to came upwardly with a listing of 25 candidates. Bartels was the only woman. Then the main priest poured libations of schnapps to the ancestors, intoning each of the names. When Bartels's scream was called, the schnapps, instead of sinking into the ground, steamed upwardly -- a clear indication of divine approval."
Since chosen the firstly woman soul main of her village, she has spent several weeks each twelvemonth inward Ghana, on the anniversary of her coronation. She plans to go a full-time main after her retirement from the embassy, at which fourth dimension she volition oversee a 1,000-acre (4.0 km2) family-owned estate in addition to occupy an eight-bedroom palace.
Nana Amuah Afenyi aka King Peggy of Ekumfi Otuom inward the Central Region of Republic of Ghana dancing majestically to a Dondo drum sounds equally invitee of honor at the quaternary Annual Gaithersburg Book Festival at Baltimore, USA
Bartels is a fellow member of the Afro-European Bartels family, whose ancestor Cornelius Ludewich Bartels was Governor-General of the Dutch Gold Coast betwixt 1798 in addition to 1804, in addition to whose boy Carel Hendrik Bartels was the most prominent biracial slave trader on the Gold Coast inward the 2d quarter of the nineteenth century.
Nana Amuah Afenyi aka King Peggy wearing Birisi funeral cloth at her predecessors funeral at Otuam
Paramount main Nana Amuah Afenyi V aka King Peggy on her agency to the funeral of her predecessor, 2010.
Uncle Joseph was her mother's brother, in addition to for 25 years he had been manly soul monarch of Otuam, a community of 7,000 souls inward Western Africa. Over the years, when Peggy would furnish to Republic of Ghana to see her mother, they'd drive to Otuam to consider Uncle Joseph, known at that topographic point yesteryear his royal title, Nana Amuah Afenyi V. The lastly fourth dimension she had seen him was at her mother's funeral, inward 1997, when he arrived at her mother's domicile inward Takoradi with a grouping of his elders, a kindness that fifty-fifty inward her overwhelming grief Peggy could appreciate. For years she had regularly sent her woman raise money, in addition to in 1 lawsuit her woman raise was inward a ameliorate identify where no coin was needed, Peggy decided to send it to her uncle out of respect. He had been grateful, in addition to the 2 had kept inward impact for nearly xi years. But for the yesteryear 3 months, her letters had come upwardly bouncing back. Her Western Union wire transfers went uncollected. How old would he live now? Ninety? No, 92.
Truth live told, if he had died, she in all likelihood wouldn't remove hold heard close it immediately. In Republic of Ghana it was considered terribly disrespectful to say, "The manly soul monarch is dying" or "The manly soul monarch is dead." When the manly soul monarch was real sick inward the hospital, people said, "The manly soul monarch has gone to his hamlet for a cure." If it didn't facial expression similar the manly soul monarch was going to brand it, his elders said, "The manly soul monarch is even so inward the hamlet taking tending of himself." And when they said, "He may live inward the hamlet for a real long time. He won't live coming dorsum anytime soon," that's when y'all knew he had died.
Still gripping the letter, Peggy allow herself into her one-bedroom condo, undressed, in addition to slipped nether the covers. She was getting domicile belatedly tonight. Her boss, Ambassador Kwame Bawuah-Edusei, had kept her inward the business office yesteryear 9, typing letters in addition to preparing his schedule for the next day. Though Peggy had worked at the Ghanaian diplomatic mission for 29 years inward a diversity of administrative positions, the 2 years inward the ambassador's business office had been her favorite. She loved the excitement—meeting African heads of solid ground in addition to U.S. senators, in addition to planning glittering receptions.
But equally much equally Peggy enjoyed her work, the best constituent of her twenty-four hours was when she was at domicile inward bed. Asleep, she didn't remove hold to worry close unpaid bills or undeliverable letters. Nor did she remove hold to ponder how to lose the weight she had been gaining from sitting inward a chair 12 hours a day. She didn't remove hold to miss William, her husband, who had returned to Ghana, or resent her body, which had failed to acquit them children. She didn't remove hold to enquiry whether her life had a purpose.
Top left: Peggy in addition to her brother, Papa Warrior, 1959. Top right: Pre-king Peggy inward her Washington, D.C., office. Bottom left: The manly soul monarch in addition to Papa Warrior. Bottom right: Peggy's love mother, Mary Esi Vormoah.
Nana Amuah Afenyi V, aka King Peggy paramount main of Ekumfi Otuam Traditional Area sitting inward solid ground with her Kra (soul, which is the girl) sitting inward forepart of her at a business office at Otuam.
Fante sub-groups include Mankessim (Amanfo), Anomabo, Nkusukum, Abora (Abura), Gomoa, Ekumfi, Enyan (Ajumako), Esikuma in addition to Agona. Ekumfi Otuam people remove hold a famous honor equally a termination of their valor. They are appellated "Se Ekumfi annko a nna nnye Otuam bi a!" (If all Ekumfi volition non fight, Otuom volition stand upwardly up to the task).
Professor John Evans Atta Mills, ex-president of Republic of Ghana was a native of Ekumfi Otuam
Ekumfi expanse inward Central Region has 1 of the most highly educated people inward Ghana. Otuam is also the hometown of belatedly Professor John Evans Atta Mills, the old president of Republic of Ghana in addition to the one-time figurer wiz-kid David Kwamena Bolton.
Nana Amuah Afenyi aka King Peggy on CBS
Nana Amuah Afenyi is the firstly woman soul paramount main of this traditional expanse in addition to 1 of the few woman soul chiefs inward Ghana. As it is the norm, though Fantes are matriarchal people, chieftaincy championship was for men to concur it inward favor of women.
David Kwamena Bolton, a divisional main of Ekumfi Otuam. He was figurer prodigy who at historic catamenia fourteen founded a fellowship inward Britain, that made a 1st twelvemonth turn a profit of 20,000 pounds. At sixteen he developed a software for the British Health Service in addition to made international paper headlines equally a WONDER-KID. He became a main at historic catamenia 17 when his gramps abdicated his stool.
It is the women inward Fante in addition to most Akan cultures that create upwardly one's heed who becomes a main but they are non eligible for kingship. However inward sure circumstances they tin remove their ain topographic point from the men in addition to dominion on their own.
Paramount main Nana Amuah Afenyi V aka King Peggy on her agency to the funeral of her predecessor, 2010.
Nana Afenyi was born Peggielene Bartels inward Republic of Ghana in addition to a naturalized citizen of the United States, she has worked equally a secretarial assistant at the Embassy of Republic of Ghana inward Washington, D.C. since the 1970s. Following the decease of her uncle, Otuam's old chief, inward 2008, she was chosen to supersede him, through a serial of traditional rituals. " Otuam's elders consulted genealogical records, discussed which of the king's relatives had the characteristics required to rule, in addition to came upwardly with a listing of 25 candidates. Bartels was the only woman. Then the main priest poured libations of schnapps to the ancestors, intoning each of the names. When Bartels's scream was called, the schnapps, instead of sinking into the ground, steamed upwardly -- a clear indication of divine approval."
Nana Amuah Afenyi aka King Peggy inward her chieftaincy regalia
Since chosen the firstly woman soul main of her village, she has spent several weeks each twelvemonth inward Ghana, on the anniversary of her coronation. She plans to go a full-time main after her retirement from the embassy, at which fourth dimension she volition oversee a 1,000-acre (4.0 km2) family-owned estate in addition to occupy an eight-bedroom palace.
Nana Amuah Afenyi aka King Peggy of Ekumfi Otuom inward the Central Region of Republic of Ghana dancing majestically to a Dondo drum sounds equally invitee of honor at the quaternary Annual Gaithersburg Book Festival at Baltimore, USA
Bartels is a fellow member of the Afro-European Bartels family, whose ancestor Cornelius Ludewich Bartels was Governor-General of the Dutch Gold Coast betwixt 1798 in addition to 1804, in addition to whose boy Carel Hendrik Bartels was the most prominent biracial slave trader on the Gold Coast inward the 2d quarter of the nineteenth century.
Nana Amuah Afenyi aka King Peggy wearing Birisi funeral cloth at her predecessors funeral at Otuam
How a Plainspoken Secretary from Washington D.C. Became African Royalty
Is the manly soul monarch dead? wondered Peggielene Bartels equally she stood inward the little mailroom off the foyer of her suburban D.C. even out building. Rubbing the forepart of the envelope she'd precisely taken from her mailbox, she couldn't miss the ugly crimson stamp—undeliverable—splayed across the address carefully penned inward her ain hand. For the tertiary time, a missive of the alphabet to her uncle Joseph had boomeranged dorsum from Ghana. Another resident jostled her apologetically equally he took out his picayune silverish key in addition to set it inward the lock, but Peggy precisely kept staring at the letter.Paramount main Nana Amuah Afenyi V aka King Peggy on her agency to the funeral of her predecessor, 2010.Uncle Joseph was her mother's brother, in addition to for 25 years he had been manly soul monarch of Otuam, a community of 7,000 souls inward Western Africa. Over the years, when Peggy would furnish to Republic of Ghana to see her mother, they'd drive to Otuam to consider Uncle Joseph, known at that topographic point yesteryear his royal title, Nana Amuah Afenyi V. The lastly fourth dimension she had seen him was at her mother's funeral, inward 1997, when he arrived at her mother's domicile inward Takoradi with a grouping of his elders, a kindness that fifty-fifty inward her overwhelming grief Peggy could appreciate. For years she had regularly sent her woman raise money, in addition to in 1 lawsuit her woman raise was inward a ameliorate identify where no coin was needed, Peggy decided to send it to her uncle out of respect. He had been grateful, in addition to the 2 had kept inward impact for nearly xi years. But for the yesteryear 3 months, her letters had come upwardly bouncing back. Her Western Union wire transfers went uncollected. How old would he live now? Ninety? No, 92.
Truth live told, if he had died, she in all likelihood wouldn't remove hold heard close it immediately. In Republic of Ghana it was considered terribly disrespectful to say, "The manly soul monarch is dying" or "The manly soul monarch is dead." When the manly soul monarch was real sick inward the hospital, people said, "The manly soul monarch has gone to his hamlet for a cure." If it didn't facial expression similar the manly soul monarch was going to brand it, his elders said, "The manly soul monarch is even so inward the hamlet taking tending of himself." And when they said, "He may live inward the hamlet for a real long time. He won't live coming dorsum anytime soon," that's when y'all knew he had died.
Still gripping the letter, Peggy allow herself into her one-bedroom condo, undressed, in addition to slipped nether the covers. She was getting domicile belatedly tonight. Her boss, Ambassador Kwame Bawuah-Edusei, had kept her inward the business office yesteryear 9, typing letters in addition to preparing his schedule for the next day. Though Peggy had worked at the Ghanaian diplomatic mission for 29 years inward a diversity of administrative positions, the 2 years inward the ambassador's business office had been her favorite. She loved the excitement—meeting African heads of solid ground in addition to U.S. senators, in addition to planning glittering receptions.
Queen Latifah posed with Nana (King Peggy) at the Bay College Women’s leadership.
But equally much equally Peggy enjoyed her work, the best constituent of her twenty-four hours was when she was at domicile inward bed. Asleep, she didn't remove hold to worry close unpaid bills or undeliverable letters. Nor did she remove hold to ponder how to lose the weight she had been gaining from sitting inward a chair 12 hours a day. She didn't remove hold to miss William, her husband, who had returned to Ghana, or resent her body, which had failed to acquit them children. She didn't remove hold to enquiry whether her life had a purpose.
Top left: Peggy in addition to her brother, Papa Warrior, 1959. Top right: Pre-king Peggy inward her Washington, D.C., office. Bottom left: The manly soul monarch in addition to Papa Warrior. Bottom right: Peggy's love mother, Mary Esi Vormoah.
Several hours later, Peggy was jerked awake yesteryear a ringing phone. She flung off the blanket in addition to looked at the clock. It was a few minutes yesteryear 4 A.M. Peggy picked upwardly the phone. "Hello!" she barked.
"Hello, Nana!" said a manly soul phonation on the other end. And then, inward Fante, 1 of the languages of Ghana: "This is your uncle, Kwame Lumpopo."
Kwame Lumpopo. She remembered him. He was her mother's sister's son, technically her cousin. But Africans weren't likewise technical close work solid unit of measurement relationships. They called their great-aunts woman raise in addition to their distant cousins brothers in addition to sisters. For to a greater extent than or less reason, Kwame Lumpopo ever referred to himself equally Peggy's uncle, fifty-fifty though he was close her age.
"What practise y'all mean, 'Nana'?" she asked groggily. Nana literally meant "ancestor" in addition to was an honorary championship reserved for royalty in addition to people of stature.
"Congratulations!" Kwame Lumpopo boomed. "You are the novel manly soul monarch of Otuam!"
She rubbed her eyes.
"Kwame Lumpopo, you'd ameliorate halt your nonsense. You remove hold woken me from a audio sleep," she said briskly. "I remove hold to go to function inward a pair of hours to accommodate the ambassador's java cups, in addition to I don't appreciate this foolishness." She started to set downward the phone.
"No, no, please! Don't hang up!" Kwame Lumpopo protested loudly. "Nana—I'm serious! This is no joke!"
She set the telephone dorsum to her ear.
"Your uncle, the manly soul monarch of Otuam, volition non live coming dorsum from the hamlet anytime soon," he said quickly.
Oh.
"Your uncle ever wanted y'all to live the side yesteryear side king," Kwame Lumpopo went on. "He was so proud of you."
But Peggy knew at that topographic point was to a greater extent than to the procedure of picking a king. As Kwame Lumpopo explained, the king's elders had to advise names to the main priest, Tsiami, who in addition to so said each person's scream spell pouring schnapps into the ground. If the schnapps was absorbed, it meant the ancestors did non desire that soul to live king. If the schnapps steamed up, it was a clear sign they wanted that soul to rule.
"And when Tsiami said my name, the schnapps steamed up?" Peggy asked.
"Yes."
There was a long pause.
"The ancestors picked you, Nana," Kwame Lumpopo said earnestly. "Will y'all remove it?"
Would she remove it? Peggy had no idea. Here it was the middle of the night, she was even so groggy, in addition to this soul was telling her that her uncle was dead in addition to she was an African manly soul monarch because the schnapps had steamed up.
"I'll remove hold to think close it," she said. "I'll telephone phone y'all later."
Peggy slow hung upwardly the phone. She walked out into her living room in addition to sat downward on the sofa. How tin a adult woman live a king? she asked herself. How tin a secretarial assistant live a king? It was all highly unusual, to say the least.
Top left: Canoes are primal to Otuam's line-fishing economy. Top right: Main Street, Otuam, 2009. Bottom left: Otuam's palace after Peggy's restoration. Bottom right: Before restoration.
Peggy loved Republic of Ghana because its 24 1 one m thousand inhabitants were known equally the friendliest people inward Africa in addition to in all likelihood inward the whole world. But life inward Otuam was difficult. The townspeople were real pitiful in addition to the hamlet itself had picayune industry. There were no gilt mines or factories equally inward other parts of Ghana. There were no large Ghanaian cocoa plantations owned yesteryear Nestlé or Cadbury. Many residents were farmers, but it was line-fishing that brought the town its only mensurate of prosperity. Six days a week, fishermen hauled inward heavy nets of mackerel, herring, crimson snapper, tilapia, in addition to salmon from hundreds of feet out at sea, sometimes pulling for viii hours straight, spell their wives cleaned the fish in addition to sold it on Main Street from large silverish buckets on their heads.
Peggy all of a abrupt remembered a twenty-four hours long agone when she was visiting her mother. "I'll live going to Otuam," Mother said. "There's problem afoot betwixt Uncle Joseph in addition to the belatedly king's blood brother James close how Joseph is letting the palace run down. So the work solid unit of measurement is coming together to essay to resolve the dispute. Do y'all desire to come?"
Peggy yawned. What did she tending close falling-down palaces in addition to the arguments of old men? "I'll rest here," she said.
And now, ironically, if she accepted the kingship, the falling-down palace in addition to the arguments of old men would solid ground squarely inward her ain lap.
But would she remove the job? For 3 days, Peggy couldn't decide. She began canvassing her friends at the embassy. "You remove hold to remove it," said her coworker Elizabeth, slapping her desk so hard that a stack of visa applications savage over. "God lonely makes kings. He must remove hold chosen you."
"You would live a damned fool to remove it!" cried Gladys, her huge gilt earrings clacking equally she shook her head. "It volition live a lot of responsibleness in addition to damage y'all a pile of money."
Finally, spell driving on Rock Creek Parkway, she heard a phonation inward her ear. "Nana, this is your destiny," it said. "Not all human beings are born to live kings in addition to queens."
That settled it. She called Kwame Lumpopo in addition to declared herself the novel ruler of Otuam. As she told the ambassador, who was at firstly openly skeptical close a adult woman becoming an African king, she would hold her task but remove her month's opor-garai fourth dimension (and accumulated leave) inward Ghana. "Very well," he said finally. "Congratulations."
About 3 weeks later, when Peggy arrived at the aerodrome inward Accra, tall, charming Kwame Lumpopo was waiting for her; after piling her bags into his old SUV, they laid off on the 60-mile drive to Otuam. It was a trip that could live long or short, depending on the traffic in addition to the solid ground of the roads, which were at to the lowest degree equally bad this fourth dimension equally Peggy remembered from years ago; today it took them almost 2 hours precisely to go out of Accra. Finally, they turned onto a sandy path that ran behind the palace. But Peggy wouldn't live staying at the palace because, according to Kwame Lumpopo, it was completely uninhabitable. Instead, he had arranged for her to see the domicile of a distant cousin precisely a few hundred feet away.
Suddenly, the SUV stopped inward forepart of a one-story concrete block house. "Welcome, Nana!" cried a grouping of half dozen women on the porch. Peggy recognized only 3 of them: Auntie Esi, who at 85 held the condition of eldest woman soul inward Peggy's family; 76-year-old Cousin Comfort; in addition to 50-year-old Cousin Aggie. "We couldn't believe it when y'all were made king," Auntie Esi said, hugging her enthusiastically. "This is a novel twenty-four hours for Otuam."
Peggy couldn't assist feeling the love, the comfort of beingness accepted into her African family, something she hadn't felt since her mother's funeral. And she wondered, suddenly, how she could remove hold stood to alive without it for so long: the shining eyes, the form words, the laughter in addition to stories in addition to humanness that saltation them all together. In the United States, she did her task in addition to came domicile to her condo. Sometimes she feared that if she died or had a stroke at home, no 1 would detect her for weeks. That would live impossible inward Ghana: There would ever live relatives calling to consider how y'all were, banging on your door, bringing y'all plates of fish in addition to rice, inviting y'all to church building in addition to work solid unit of measurement events. They wouldn't leave of absence y'all alone.
Troop And Ambassador Scout with King Peggy
As if to bear witness the point, Auntie Esi turned to Peggy in addition to said, "We volition live sleeping with you. Just equally a pride of lions sleeps surrounding its leader, equally a manly soul monarch y'all must remove hold attendants inward your room at all times."
Peggy frowned. Suddenly the warm comprehend of work solid unit of measurement did non seem so desirable.
"But I am an American," she replied. "I demand to slumber alone, non with a bunch of people."
The aunties roared with laughter in addition to shook their heads. "You are a manly soul monarch now, in addition to y'all demand our spirits to protect you."
Auntie Esi explained that Cousin Comfort would percentage the bed with her spell the other 4 would slumber on mats on the floor.
There was no arguing with them. As king, it seemed, Peggy would remove hold to surrender sure things.
The side yesteryear side day, the aunties took Peggy to encounter her royal council. Nervous but excited, Peggy inhaled sharply. Suddenly, this was no longer simply an amazing story. The reality, the responsibility, was here.
She stood upwardly straight in addition to squared her shoulders. She was a king. She had lived lonely inward America for decades, no like shooting fish in a barrel thing for an African woman. I tin practise this, she thought, touching her mother's picayune gilt bracelet on her wrist for luck.
She glided downward the corridor in addition to found the council seated inward the parlor.
"Akwaaba," she said, smiling cordially in addition to nodding at each 1 equally she took her seat. Welcome. They greeted her in addition to smiled back. Peggy recognized to a greater extent than or less of the men from her mother's funeral in addition to her previous visits to Otuam.
Peggy's main elderberry in addition to priest, Okyeame (as everybody called him), was sitting at her correct hand. In improver to beingness a priest, a Okyeame was the king's official spokesman. On grand official occasions, such equally royal funerals, the manly soul monarch whispered into a Okyeame's ear in addition to it was the Okyeame who spoke, holding the royal speaking staff, spell the manly soul monarch sat silently in addition to serenely, likewise violet to utter a word. Next to him was Uncle Moses; in addition to so his skilful friend, Isaiah the treasurer. Across from Peggy, Uncle Eshun reclined on the overstuffed sofa, side yesteryear side to Baba Kobena. As they exchanged little verbalize close her journey, Peggy decided she would give it to them straight.
"You may live the men in addition to I the woman, but y'all actually remove hold to live ready for me," she said. "I am non going to remove nonsense from anybody. You are also much older than I am, but y'all remove hold given me the ability to rule. And I volition practise the best I tin for you, but don't think that y'all are putting me hither for y'all to dominion me. I volition live ruling you. I am your king, in addition to the manly soul monarch rules."
They nodded, smiling. Peggy couldn't say whether they were taking her seriously.
The side yesteryear side topic was Peggy's enstoolment celebration, the Ghanaian version of a coronation. Tsiami said, "You volition demand to purchase many crates of beer in addition to Coke, Fanta, in addition to other drinks for the political party nosotros are going to remove hold hither after the ceremony. Some whiskey, too, equally good equally fish, chicken, in addition to rice to feed all the guests."
Peggy had to pay for the nutrient in addition to drinks? She hadn't expected this. "Are at that topographic point no funds that tin live used for the party?" she asked, turning to Isaiah the treasurer. If he was the treasurer, that must hateful that coin went through his hands, right? "Isaiah, is at that topographic point no coin at all?"
Isaiah shook his head. "Not a penny, I'm afraid," he said, smiling apologetically. Peggy had assumed at that topographic point would live at to the lowest degree plenty cedis inward the treasury to pay for her food, the reception, in addition to whatever other little costs that mightiness arise. While she had stuffed a few $100 bills from her lastly paycheck into her bra for emergencies, she was at nowadays starting fourth dimension to fearfulness it wouldn't fifty-fifty lastly her these nine days inward Otuam.
It was presently clear that the lack of coin was the to the lowest degree of Otuam's worries; the elders in addition to aunties spent the afternoon bringing Peggy upwardly to speed on life inward the village, in addition to the pic they painted wasn't pretty. There wasn't much trigger-happy criminal offense inward Otuam—unless y'all counted rampant married adult woman beating, which Peggy did—but at that topographic point was pitiful medical care, terrible schooling, no trash pickup, in addition to no running water. Peggy had been aware of all this earlier she accepted the kingship, but now, face-to-face with the harsh realities, she found herself coasting downward. She couldn't assist wondering if she had made a terrible mistake.
When Peggy returned to Washington she found herself devoting much of her fourth dimension to telephone calls with the elders. Things were non going good inward Otuam: Peggy regularly made long-distance recommendations in addition to rulings, but months would top in addition to tasks never seemed to live completed. When, for example, she'd enquire the council if they had collected the holding taxes fishermen were supposed to pay the king, she wouldn't acquire a straight answer. Worse, it was becoming clear to Peggy that the 1 who claimed to live her greatest fan—Kwame Lumpopo—was the most dishonest of all. From a set out of sources, Peggy learned that when fees did acquire collected, at to the lowest degree constituent of the coin tended to disappear downward his trousers.
This can't go on, Peggy vowed. On her side yesteryear side trip, a twelvemonth later, she announced that she would live choosing novel elders. She asked the town crier to roam close banging his drum to allow her people know that anyone who wanted to bring together the council—including women—should exhibit upwardly at her cousins' work solid for an interview. One afternoon, equally Peggy in addition to Comfort sat at the dining room tabular array sipping beer, the forepart door swung opened upwardly in addition to a adult woman stomped into the work solid inward an old land wearing apparel in addition to apron, her tatty headwrap askew, her calloused hands holding a machete.
"Nana!" the adult woman cried inward a husky phonation equally she approached the tabular array in addition to performed a crooked curtsey. "I heard y'all desire potent women on your council." Cousin Comfort eyed the machete with apprehension.
Peggy looked the adult woman upwardly in addition to downward in addition to considered. She sure enough had a commanding presence. And her phonation was real loud, loud plenty to brand herself heard inward council when the men tried to drown her out, equally they sure enough would.
"What is your name?" Peggy asked. "How old are you? What are your qualifications? Can y'all read in addition to write?"
"My scream is Mama Amma Ansabah," the adult woman replied. "I am 67 years old. I was born inward Otuam but moved away with my married adult man for many years. Last twelvemonth I returned hither to remove tending of my sick sister. I don't know how to read in addition to write, but I tin say incorrect from right, which is to a greater extent than important, in addition to I allow everybody know if they are doing good or not. My neighbors said that I am so loudmouthed in addition to nosy in addition to bossy that I should set these qualities to skilful usage in addition to bring together your council."
"Would y'all tending to remove hold a beer with Cousin Comfort in addition to me?" Peggy asked. Aggie, who had been standing against the kitchen door with her arms crossed, grinning, chop-chop brought Mama Amma a beer.
Nana Amuah Afenyi aka King Peggy sitting majestically on chair equally a invitee of honor at the quaternary Annual Gaithersburg Book Festival at Baltimore, USA
Mama Amma plunked herself downward inward the chair, gulped her beer inward a long swig, laid downward the empty bottle in addition to belched energetically. Then she wiped her oral cavity noisily with the dorsum of her hand.
"You remove hold a lot of thieving old men on your council, Nana," Mama Amma said. "Dogs, snakes, in addition to crocodiles. They don't tending close the children of Otuam. If y'all allow me bring together the council, I volition hold an optic on them. I volition hold them inward their identify when y'all are non hither in addition to brand sure they don't steal to a greater extent than or less other penny."
Right in addition to so in addition to there, Peggy gave her the job. After Mama Amma left, Cousin Comfort surprised Peggy yesteryear smiling broadly in addition to saying, "Nana, of all the applicants, I similar that 1 best of all."
And Amma was equally skilful equally her word. At the firstly coming together the side yesteryear side day, she allow loose with her accusations in addition to what she thought should come about to wicked, dishonest old men. Peggy precisely sat dorsum in addition to watched. She was glad to consider that Mama Amma was to a greater extent than similar an American woman, self-confident in addition to unafraid to limited her opinions.
Peggy's spirits rose. For the firstly fourth dimension since this odyssey began, the novel manly soul monarch knew that she was actually in addition to genuinely ready to rule. No longer afraid of the problems inward Otuam—the angry elders, the dishonest behavior, the vengeful plots—Peggy felt confident. Bring it on, she thought.
Adapted from King Peggy, yesteryear Peggielene Bartels in addition to Eleanor Herman. Copyright (c) 2012 yesteryear Peggielene Bartels in addition to Eleanor Herman. Published yesteryear scheme with Doubleday, an imprint of the Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, a sectionalization of Random House.
In Ghanaian Village, American Woman Reigns As King
yesteryear Ofeibea Quist-Arcton
King Peggy, who is wearing traditional crimson funeral fabric, is beingness fanned yesteryear attendants. She is the firstly adult woman ruler of Otuam, Ghana.
King Peggy, who is wearing traditional crimson funeral fabric, is beingness fanned yesteryear attendants.
King Peggy, who is wearing traditional crimson funeral fabric, is beingness fanned yesteryear attendants. She is the firstly adult woman ruler of Otuam, Ghana.
Nana Amuah Afenyi aka King Peggy on CNN
It was 2 years ago, at 4 a.m. at her even out inward Maryland, that Peggielene Bartels got the word from West Africa. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 relative called from Republic of Ghana to say that her uncle, the manly soul monarch of the line-fishing hamlet of Otuam, had died.
The word didn't destination there. She was also informed that she had been anointed his successor: King Peggy.
"He said, 'No, no, no, no, Nana, don't hang up,'" Bartels recalls. "'We chose so many names, manly soul in addition to everybody, in addition to somebody suggested that nosotros select your name, also. And when nosotros poured libation in addition to did the rituals, equally presently equally nosotros mentioned your name, it started vaporing in addition to nosotros were surprised. So nosotros did it 3 times. So that's when nosotros got to know that y'all are the king.'"
Nana Amuah-Afenyi VI is Bartels' novel title, but she is ameliorate known equally King Peggy. This straight-talking, 57-year-old is the firstly adult woman inward her line-fishing community of 7,000 people inward Ghana's Central Region to live anointed a king, or "nana."
She is at nowadays a king, so she has a lot to handle.
- Nana Boakye Asafo Adjei, to a greater extent than or less other regional manly soul monarch inward Ghana
Eleanor in addition to King Peggie
She at nowadays juggles 2 lives — from the palace inward Otuam in addition to from a pocket-size condo exterior Washington, D.C. Since the 1970s, Bartels, a naturalized U.S. citizen, has been a secretarial assistant at Ghana's Embassy inward Washington where she even so spends most of her time, running royal affairs dorsum domicile inward Otuam over the telephone in addition to on trips to Ghana.
"So, when they told me, I was a picayune fleck reluctant to remove it, because it comes with responsibilities. And hither is a secretarial assistant inward the United States, I remove hold my ain obligations, bills in addition to materials in addition to becoming a king, y'all remove hold to live actually rich," she says.
"And then, equally if someone was talking to me, a phonation said, 'Accept it, it is your destiny in addition to y'all volition live helped to assist your people.'"
With assist from her friends in addition to scraping together her ain savings, King Peggy says she is determined to assist her people inward Republic of Ghana to progress.
During the traditional funeral ceremonies for her belatedly uncle, "King Peggy" is required to acquire upwardly in addition to dance.
During the traditional funeral ceremonies for her belatedly uncle, "King Peggy" is required to acquire upwardly in addition to dance. In her other life, American Peggielene Bartels is a secretarial assistant at the Ghanaian diplomatic mission inward Washington, D.C.
During the traditional funeral ceremonies for her belatedly uncle, "King Peggy" is required to acquire upwardly in addition to dance.
During the traditional funeral ceremonies for her belatedly uncle, "King Peggy" is required to acquire upwardly in addition to dance. In her other life, American Peggielene Bartels is a secretarial assistant at the Ghanaian diplomatic mission inward Washington, D.C.
On a sweltering twenty-four hours inward Ghana, Peggy is overseeing her uncle's funeral. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 slight breeze is blowing inward from the Atlantic Ocean in addition to the freshly painted bluish in addition to white royal residence gleams. In the sandy courtyard, drums are beating spell a human inward a trance performs a frenzied trip the lite fantastic toe earlier a body of body of water of crimson in addition to dark — mourners dressed for a royal burial.
The old manly soul monarch died inward 2008, but his trunk was kept inward a mortuary until King Peggy could relieve upwardly plenty coin to give him a proper send-off. She's dressed similar a manly soul monarch — albeit with a impact of lipstick — wrapped toga-style inward regal crimson traditional cloth in addition to seated upon a royal stool.
Dignitaries attending the funeral include to a greater extent than or less other royal, Nana Boakye Asafo Adjei, the Sanahane, or ruler, of Asamankese Traditional Area inward eastern Ghana.
He said he had nix but honour for King Peggy.
"I've been actually surprised yesteryear what she has done because I thought beingness a woman, she can't," he said. "But she has competed with the men, so I give her congratulations. She is at nowadays a king, so she has a lot to handle."
Those of us who didn't go to school, especially the women, we'd similar to learn.
- Aba Nyame Bekyere, a villager, praising King Peggy's efforts to construct a novel school
Bartels says most people are willing to function with a adult woman equally their traditional ruler.
"The women are so happy for me, they are actually on my side," she says. "But it's only a few elderly men — because they are used to bossing females around. And I don't give them the chance. They are the people resisting me."
She adds that during meetings, if they experience she is coming on likewise strong, they say: "'Listen you're a woman, so y'all hear to us.' Then I also say, 'I'm inward the States, I'm a adult woman and, inward the rituals with the ancestors, y'all chose me inward the scream of God, so close upwardly in addition to sit down down.' And they volition sit."
Back inward the U.S., King Peggy is on the lecture circuit, talking close Ghana, its traditions in addition to her line-fishing community. While she's inward Otuam, she presides over fisherfolk in addition to has confronted many hurdles, including, she says, tackling graft in addition to dishonesty inside the royal circle.
"At firstly when I started, it was a tough challenge because they were precisely collecting our work solid unit of measurement line-fishing fees in addition to they were misusing the funds. But I came on so strong," she says. "So I had a tough fourth dimension straightening that out."
villagers from the Otuam line-fishing community ship the casket of their belatedly ruler Nana Amuah-Afenyi.
Enlarge Eric Don-Arthur for NPR
Dressed inward customary dark in addition to crimson funeral clothing, villagers from the Otuam line-fishing community ship the casket of their belatedly ruler Nana Amuah-Afenyi V, who died 2 years ago. He is succeeded yesteryear his niece, King Peggy, a secretarial assistant at the Ghanaian diplomatic mission inward Washington, who says she had to relieve upwardly to give her uncle a plumbing equipment send-off.
villagers from the Otuam line-fishing community ship the casket of their belatedly ruler Nana Amuah-Afenyi.
Eric Don-Arthur for NPR
Dressed inward customary dark in addition to crimson funeral clothing, villagers from the Otuam line-fishing community ship the casket of their belatedly ruler Nana Amuah-Afenyi V, who died 2 years ago. He is succeeded yesteryear his niece, King Peggy, a secretarial assistant at the Ghanaian diplomatic mission inward Washington, who says she had to relieve upwardly to give her uncle a plumbing equipment send-off.
King Peggy insisted futurity proceeds go straight into an concern human relationship inward a rural banking corporation they opened inward her village. She rejuvenated her royal council to include people she trusted, in addition to has turned her attending to improving the lives of her community.
The side yesteryear side projection is to construct a high schoolhouse for students who remove hold finished 9th grade, she says.
Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 villager, carrying a large basin upon her head, gives King Peggy high marks for her rule. Aba Nyame Bekyere, 51, a old fishmonger, says she's pleased with what she hears Bartels is doing for Otuam, especially for women in addition to children.
"Those of us who didn't go to school, especially the women, we'd similar to learn," she says through a translator. "And nosotros demand a high schoolhouse here, so that our kids don't remove hold to go so far away to study."
King Peggy is getting assist from donors inward the U.S., including the Shiloh Baptist Church inward Landover, Md. Pastor Be Louis Colleton in addition to his congregation heard close Bartels, met her in addition to committed to helping her line-fishing community.
Colleton in addition to to a greater extent than than a dozen other Americans accompanied her from Maryland to Republic of Ghana this autumn in addition to traveled to palm tree-lined Otuam, along the shores of what used to live constituent of West Africa's Atlantic slave coast.
"We remove hold covenant with Nana, the manly soul monarch — nosotros equally a church building — to assist her to ameliorate her community of people to convey fresh water," he says. "Now we're moving toward the possibility of establishing a school."
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