The Ashanti tribe is the largest tribe in Ghana, and one of the few matrilineal societies in West Africa. Ashanti kings retained figurehead status after colonization, and even today great pride in the Ashanti King lives on in the tradition of the Golden Stool.

The Ashanti are noted for their expertise in a variety of specialized crafts. These include weaving, wood carving, ceramics, the reknown kente cloth and metallurgy. Of these crafts, only pottery-making is primarily a female activity; the others are restricted to male specialists. Even in the case of pottery-making, only men are allowed to fashion pots or pipes.

The language is very rich in proverbs, the use of which is taken to be a sign of wisdom. Euphemisms are very common, especially about events connected with death. Rather than say "the King has died", one would say "a mighty tree has fallen".