The mysterious pan of Bono Manso - Provider of protection for community
Bono Manso, a farming community in the Nkoranza North District in the Bono East Region, has a magic pan, known in Akan as “Ayadasuo”.
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History or tradition has it that the pan fell from the sky alongside a strange chain and other metals. The identity or type of the strange chain and metals, which accompanied the pan from the sky in the 14th century, is yet to be known even after several studies have been conducted on them.
Metalsmiths and researchers have not been able to establish whether the pan and metals are made of gold, brass, silver, bronze, steel, iron or lead. The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and some foreign universities are said to have also conducted inconclusive research on the items to identify the metal type.
Purposes
The pan contains water, which is said to be used for several purposes, including saving of lives in the farming community. The Assistant Head of Performing Arts Department of the Bono Regional Centre for National Culture (CNC), Julius Yaw Quansah, told the Daily Graphic that the water was used for healing the sick, particularly children, when they drink from the pan.
He said the Ayadasuo also protected the Bono Manso community from all forms of calamities and had power to order rain to fall when the need arose.
14 virgins
Mr Quansah said in the event of severe drought in the community and there was the need for rainfall to farm, elders of the community mobilised 14 virgins made up of seven boys and seven girls to go and fetch water from a particular river to fill the pan.
Some foreign tourists who visited the site to see the magic pan
He explained that some eggs were put in the pan before the virgins filled it with water. "As soon as the pan gets full and starts running over, rain starts falling in the area," he said.
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Mr Quansah, who is also a multidisciplinary artist, said some community members, including prominent personalities had developed strong belief and faith in the pan. He said some used the water to bath or wash their faces to receive their blessings, miracles, heart’s desires and breakthroughs in life.
However, Mr Quansah said on two occasions, the magic pan and its metals got missing from its original place, explaining that one of such incidents was a theft case. "In one of such occasions, the magic pan and its accompanying metals were stolen from their original place.”
"However, the items mysteriously returned to their original abode at Bono Manso," he said.
From sky
Narrating how the magic items, which now belong to the Dwomo Family in the community fell from the sky, Mr Quansah said the incident happened when it was raining heavily in the community.
He explained that the chain first fell from the sky, which attracted the attention of the people around to rush to witness the mysterious object. Mr Quansah said while the onlookers discussed how such a chain could fall from the sky, the pan also appeared from the same direction and landed close to the place where the chain fell.
He said during the period, the whole community, including the elders kept wondering what the metals were and their reason for falling in the community. Mr Quansah said when the elders consulted a fetish priest, he told them the items fell from the sky to save and provide spiritual support to the chiefs and people of the community.
He said the elders were then directed by the priest to perform some rituals to activate their powers. He said the items were still at the place where they landed from the sky several years ago.
Writer's email: biiya.ali@graphic.com.gh