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Traditional marriage · Fante

Fante engagement list (marriage list)

Close to the Asante pattern, with the head drink called tri nsa and a separate head money (tsir sika).

The knocking is called kɔkɔɔkɔ.

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The list, item by item

If a child was born before the marriage, some Fante families add a customary fine (domfa). Ask the family.

For the bride

  • Engagement ring
  • Bible
  • Wax print cloth (GTP or Holland) × 6
  • Suitcase of clothes, shoes and bags
  • Jewellery

For the bride's mother

  • Cloth and duku for the bride's mother
  • Cash for the bride's mother (About GH₵1,000 in a 2026 list)

For the bride's father

  • Cloth for the bride's father
  • Cash for the bride's father (About GH₵1,000 in a 2026 list)

For the bride's brothers

  • Akonta sekan — cash for the brothers-in-law (About GH₵500–1,500 in a 2026 list)

For the family and elders

  • Thanksgiving envelope for the family

Drinks

  • Schnapps for the libation × 2
  • Tri nsa — the head drink
  • Wine, beer, malt and soft drinks

Cash items

  • Knocking fee (About GH₵200–500 in a 2026 list)
  • Tsir sika — 'head money'
  • Tri nsa cash (bride price) (GH₵2,000–10,000 in one 2026 list — varies widely)
  • Domfa — only if a child was born before the marriage

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 a Fante engagement list?

Published Fante lists usually include engagement ring, Bible, wax print cloth, suitcase of clothes, shoes and bags and more: 18 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 Fante 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 a Fante 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