Gyaman

Gyaman (also spelled Gyaaman or Jamang, and later known as Jaman) was a prominent precolonial Akan kingdom that flourished in parts of present-day Ghana and Ivory Coast. Established by the Bono people from the Aduana clan, Gyaman evolved into a significant political and cultural power, extending its authority across the Banda, Jaman North, Jaman South, and Bonduku regions. It is notably regarded as the origin of the Adinkra symbols, which are now central to Akan philosophy and visual culture. The kingdom served as a cultural and political crossroads between the Akan, Gur, and Mande-speaking regions, facilitating trade, diplomacy, and cultural exchange across the forest–savannah frontier. Its history was shaped by conflict with the Asante Empire and the eventual partition of its territory between the British Gold Coast and French West Africa in the late 19th century.