When mentioning Africa, most people think of it as a land of poverty, backward economies, and underdevelopment. However, in reality, it is a continent rich in abundant mineral resources.
Africa is considered the cradle of humanity. It is the birthplace of the Nile River—the longest river in the world. The Nile River basin is also where the ancient Egyptian civilization originated, one of the four major civilizations in human history.
Few people know that there is an extremely wealthy tribe in Africa. This tribe has so much gold that it is said they can “wear it on their bodies and adorn their nails” without running out.
This is the Ashanti tribe, located in southern Ghana, West Africa. Ghana is a small, developing country with an estimated GDP of $85.96 billion in 2022, a figure that is not particularly impressive.
This tribe has so much gold that they can “wear it on their bodies and adorn their nails” without running out.
However, Ghana is a country that possesses abundant mineral resources, with a massive gold reserve ranking second in Africa and a diamond reserve that ranks fourth in the world. Additionally, Ghana is also rich in oil, iron ore, and rare manganese ore.
With the advantageous position of having enormous mineral reserves, gold can be easily bought and sold at low prices here. Gold in Ghana is genuinely easy to find everywhere; it is said that if you see a river here, you can probably scoop up some gold dust from it.
According to researchers, the gold mines here have been exploited for over 500 years, but based on current mineral reserves, the people of Ghana estimate that they can continue mining for another 700 years.
Gold in Ghana is genuinely easy to find everywhere; it is said that if you see a river here, you can probably scoop up some gold dust from it.
A wealthy tribe adorned in gold
In the gold-rich nation of Ghana, the Ashanti tribe is famous for owning some of the largest gold mines in the country. The people of this tribe live luxurious lives, with women often wearing several kilograms of gold.
The Ashanti tribe has a population of about 3 million people and is organized and lives like a small independent nation.
This tribe is extremely wealthy; they possess a large chair made of solid gold. However, this golden chair is only used for ceremonial purposes during significant events within the tribe, and no one is allowed to sit on it.
The Ashanti people love to wear various gold jewelry and accessories, including crowns, to enhance their beauty. Their gold accessories are crafted with exquisite detail and feature diverse designs. Even their nails are often covered in gold.
The people live luxurious lives, with women often wearing several kilograms of gold.
Like many other tribes in Africa, the Ashanti tribe practices polygamy. Notably, the chief of this tribe has up to 80 wives.
What surprises everyone is that the wives of the chief live harmoniously with one another. They regard each other as sisters in the household and serve their husband together.
The Ashanti tribe also follows a hereditary system. The successor to the chief inherits all the property of the previous chief, including wives and concubines.
Each time the chief goes out on a journey, it is a remarkable sight, akin to an emperor from ancient times traveling with many close attendants along with 70 wives and concubines.
