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WeddinginGhana

Traditional marriage · Akan (Asante, Akuapem)

Akan engagement list (marriage list)

The core Akan pattern. The families speak through spokespersons (akyeame) before the elders; the bride's acceptance of the head drink (tiri nsa) is what seals the marriage.

The knocking is called kɔkɔɔkɔ.

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The list, item by item

For the bride

  • Engagement ring
  • Bible
  • Wax print cloth (GTP or Holland) × 6 (6 pieces is common)
  • Kente cloth — if the family asks for it
  • Suitcase of clothes
  • Shoes and sandals (ahenema)
  • Handbags
  • Jewellery
  • Underwear and toiletries
  • Cooking utensils

For the bride's mother

  • Cloth for the bride's mother
  • Duku (headscarf) and slippers
  • Cash for the bride's mother (About GH₵300–1,000 in recent lists)

For the bride's father

  • Kente or GTP cloth for the bride's father
  • Ahenema (sandals)
  • Whisky for the bride's father
  • Cash for the bride's father (About GH₵500–1,000 in recent lists)

For the bride's brothers

  • Akonta sekan — the brothers-in-law's 'cutlass', now an envelope of cash (About GH₵200–1,000 in recent lists)

For the family and elders

  • Akye ma — the 'good morning' greeting envelope
  • Ɔsrɛ — 'the request': drinks and cash
  • Thanksgiving envelope (About GH₵200–500 in recent lists)
  • Kola nuts

Drinks

  • Schnapps for the libation × 2 (At least 2 bottles)
  • Tiri nsa — the head drink (schnapps or whisky)
  • Whisky, wine or champagne
  • Crates of beer or malt
  • Soft drinks and water

Cash items

  • Dwatire — money to start a business (About GH₵2,000 in one 2026 list)
  • Knocking fee (About GH₵300 in a 2022 list)
  • Tiri nsa cash (bride price) (About GH₵500–1,000 plus 2 schnapps in recent lists)
  • Engagement or acceptance money (About GH₵200–1,000 in recent lists)

A general guide drawn from published lists — not any family's official list. The bride's family gives the actual list, and items and amounts are agreed through the families' spokespersons. Customs differ by ethnic group, hometown and faith; some families accept cash instead of drinks. Always confirm with the bride's family.

Amounts in brackets are what recent published lists showed, not a price. The year of each list is given where we know it.

Common questions

What is on an Akan engagement list?

Published Akan lists usually include engagement ring, Bible, wax print cloth, kente cloth and more: 31 items in all on the list below. The bride's family gives the actual list, so treat this one as a starting point.

What is the knocking called in Akan custom?

The knocking, the groom's family's first formal visit, is called kɔkɔɔkɔ. Many families now hold the knocking and the engagement on the same day.

Who decides what goes on an Akan engagement list?

The bride's family. They give the list to the groom's family, and items and amounts are agreed through the families' spokespersons. Some families accept cash instead of drinks.

Where this list comes from