The Ashanti (Ashante) are a major ethnic group of the Akans in the region of modern-day Ghana, previously (50+yrs ago) it was called the Gold Coast.  “Twi” is spoken by over nine million Asante people.

Portuguese sailors were the first Europeans to encounter this kingdom in 1471. The area, which lies along the coast of the Gulf of Guinea, is a flat plains with shrubs.  It is divided into numerous kingdoms of which the most well known are the Fante and The Ewe.  The second region includes the central part of the country, which is a forest area where the well-known Ashanti tribes live and this area includes central and south Ghana. The third area, in northern Ghana covered by the savannah, is the habitat of Gur-speaking people.  During the mid to late 1600’s the Ashanti Empire served as the crossroads of the Trans-Saharan trade.

Source:

Baquart, Jean-Baptiste. The Tribal Arts of Africa. New York: Thames and Hudson Inc.