The Asoro

Omigosh guys, I didn't know you would be so interested in hearing about my culture. First of all, I just want to answer to a few questions a lot of people seem interested in.

Question 1: How old are you?

You went straight for the jugular, didn't you. Don't worry about it. In mortal terms, let's say I'm a few centuries old but for this human experience I present myself as a vivacious 18-year old.

Question 2: What do you identify as?

I honestly don't understand this term. So I would appreciate it if you could clarify further in the comment section. Thank you so much.

Question 3: Does a Male version of your species exist?

You know what? That's a really good question. And it's going to take the entirety of today's TikTok video to explain it.

Million of years ago, At the cusp of creation Ɔbɔadeɛ and Asaase Yaa created the various bosom and gave them all special powers. They were divided and put into three separate realms.

For the aquatic realm which was headed by their oldest son, Tano, the atano gods were made.

For the realm of the skies which was lead by their second-child, Bia, the ewim gods were created

For the forests and the Land, the abo gods were formed.

Guardians were made for The Asoro and every god within the majestic forests of The Asoro had a task.

Every god had a purpose. There was uniformity and above all peace and harmony.

Ɔbɔadeɛ created mortals in the realm below. He permitted a few of the gods to move closer to the mortal realm so they could facilitate the development of their civilization.

In those days gods and mortals fraternized as though they were equals. The mortals quickly realized the difference in their capacity and power and began to worship these gods.

Shrines were built to worship particular gods and so far as they made tributes, these villages thrived.

Throughout the land, gods and humans thrived.

In those days, the most powerful altar was that of Abena Motianim. She was the the goddess of wisdom, knowledge and divination. In her human form, she was dark, tall and gracious. All mortal men who sought clarity on matters of decision and conquest came to her.

She was fair and just. It was said she never had a dissatisfied customer.

Abowie was not just the goddess of healing and fertility but also stunningly beautiful. Men trooped from all over the land to gaze upon her beauty. They would pay her tributes of silver and gold. It was said that the entrance of her shrine smelt like crushed gardenia.

How can we forget our champion of war Afua Kranka. She stood at a towering height of 8m and her glowering muscles struck fear in all who laid on eyes on her. It is said that she once struck a bet with Ɔbɔadeɛ to only marry her equal. The bet lies that she would marry whoever whether god or man who bested her in an arm wrestling duel. Men and gods scour from all over the land for the chance to best Ɔbɔadeɛ's strongest warrior.

The rule of law in the mortal realm was monitored by Adu Agyinae. I don't think I ever saw this god smile. He's always been so serious. Justice was safe in his hands because he presided over all matters fairly and there was peace all through the land.

Ɔbɔadeɛ had a single rule for the abosom and his children. He forbade the abosom to take husbands and wives from members of the mortal realm. He forbade incest among the gods in the Asoro and the mortals within the mortal realm.

For several years, there was peace and harmony in the land.

The god Tano was one of the most powerful gods. He commanded the seas, the lakes and the rivers.

His waters were teeming with life and mortals all through the land blessed him. 

He was a formidable god, formidably handsome. His skin was as dark as opal and shimmered as the sun shone on it. It seemed as though he had a perpetual glow. It is said that on the days the days that he would smile, the oceans would tremble with delight.

The oceans would tremble because it was the physical manifestation of Epo. Unlike other gods she was unable to appear in a mortal form. Her power was too great to be contained in a single vessel. In the moments she did, the lower part of her body looked like the bottom part of a fish. Epo possessed the kind of beauty that could blind a mortal man. She ranked all the goddesses in radiance and ambiance. Truly no one could compare.

It still would not be enough to be with her love, Tano.

Tano, on the other hand was in love with, my mother Bosomtwe. He would spend his days writing sonnets he planned to recite to her one day. Bosomtwe was gentle. She spent her days talking to the fish and singing. Tano loved listening to her. 

One chill harmattan evening, Bosomtwe sat on the shores of the river and singing her favorite song. On that day Tano made his intentions known to Bosomtwe and was surprisingly met with the same affection. The two made up their minds to sway their parents because they had been madly in love with other for years.

Tano and Bosomtwe pleaded their case before their parents hoping to sway them. Ɔbɔadeɛ was so furious that on that day the earth experienced its first earthquake.

Asaase Yaa's heart was filled so much sorrow at the thought of losing two of her children. Her tears tumbled from her cheeks in great streams the earth experienced its first floods.

She begged for her children's lives and made Ɔbɔadeɛ promise to reduce them to mortals if they decided to marry each other. At least he would grant them the mercy of dying in a few years and spare her the pain of grieving her children.

Ɔbɔadeɛ agreed.

They would have to perform the marriage rites on the next full moon else they would be revert to their deity states and be forbidden from ever speaking to each other. Tano was put in his human form and made to begin his journey from the north. Bosomtwe cast away her god-state and began her journey in the south.

As one would think, they made it.

They were strengthened by their life for each other triumphed over every adversity thrown at them. The met at the banks where Tano first proclaimed his love for Bosomtwe. Just before he poured the schnapps to invoke the presence of the abosom, a dagger pierced his heart.

Bosomtwe looked in horror as Tano's blood gushed through his wound.

"It was worth it" He said as he looked at the moonkissed face of his lover. The one he fought several beasts and climbed mountains to be with. A sad smile appeared on his face "I think this is what it means to be human. I've lived. I've loved and now I will die. My greatest achievement was loving you"

His eyes closed as his body crumbled into a golden sand. Bosomtwe's body quaked as she lifted her head to meet eyes with the perpetrator.

It was her sister, Epo who met her with an unrelenting stare. The two sisters fought. For seven days and seven nights the two sisters fought.

Asaase was grieving the loss of her dear son and oldest child. Ɔbɔadeɛ too was grieving but he had to put an end to this sibling feud.

From that day the waters of the sea were separated from the fresh water bodies.

He marked the oceans with salt to represent the bitterness of his daughter, Epo.

From that day, the creatures of the sea were unable to enter fresh water bodies.

The gods and goddesses of the sea were cursed to always remain in their mermaid form. This curse refrained from being able to live on land.

The sea retained its brute strength and whenever Epo was angry, she would lash out in tsunamis and claim hundreds of lives.

Bosomtwe was her father's favorite. Her descendants retained their dual forms and could exist on land and in the city. He made her waters fresh and pure.

He permitted her to consume the remnants of Tano in order to have his child.

Bosomtwe was inconsable. It is said that she wept and welt till she filled the craters left by her father's earthquakes. Her tears were full of love and from it spring new life. The deity Volta was born from the beds that were going to form the river Volta.

Epo's tears caused destruction

Bosomtwe's reared brought life.

In the depth of her sorrow and bliss, she had me, her love child: Yaa Bosomtwe I.