Queen Pokou facts for kids

Queen Pokou, also known as Awura, Aura, or Abla Pokou, was a brave queen who lived around 1750 to 1760. She was the founder of the Baoule ethnic group in West Africa. This area is now known as Ivory Coast. Queen Pokou led a part of the strong Ashanti Empire as it grew. Today, the Baoule people are a large group in modern Ivory Coast. They are part of the bigger Akan people.

Her Life Story

Queen Pokou was born a princess in Kumasi, Ghana. Her father was Nyakou Kosiamoa. She was the sister of Dakon and the niece of Osei Kofi Tutu I. Osei Kofi Tutu I was a very powerful king. He helped start the Ashanti Empire.

Queen Pokou became the leader of a group that broke away from the main Ashanti Confederacy. She did not want to join them. There were disagreements, which led to a war. Pokou led her people on a very long and hard journey. They traveled west until they reached the Komoé River. A famous story says she had to make a great sacrifice. She gave up her only son so her people could cross the river.

After crossing the river, Pokou and her people settled down. They started farming in the savanna area. Queen Pokou died soon after creating the Baoule kingdom. Her niece, Akwa Boni, became the next ruler. Akwa Boni continued to fight wars. She wanted to make the young kingdom bigger. Today, the Baoule people live between the Komoé and Bandama Rivers. They make up about 15 percent of Ivory Coast's population. Over many years, they welcomed smaller tribes into their group.

The Legend of the Baoule People

The story of how the Baoule people started is very famous. It says that when Queen Pokou and her people reached the Komoé River, they could not cross it. The river was too wide and strong. Pokou asked her priest for advice. He told her that a noble child had to be sacrificed. This was the only way to cross the river.

Queen Pokou then made a very hard choice. She threw her own baby son into the water. The legend says that after her sacrifice, hippopotamuses appeared. They formed a bridge across the river. Pokou and her people used this bridge to cross to the other side. Once they were safe, she cried out "Ba ouli!" This means "the child is dead" in their language. This is why her descendants are known as the Baoule today.

Queen Pokou in Movies

An animated movie from Ivory Coast was made about Queen Pokou. It is called Pokou, princesse Ashanti. N'ganza Herman and Kan Souffle made the film. It was released in Ivory Coast in 2013. The movie was inspired by the amazing stories of Abla Pokou's life.

Queen Pokou in Books

The story of Queen Pokou has also been told in books. Véronique Tadjo wrote Queen Pokou: Concerto for a Sacrifice. This book won a big award called the Grand prix littéraire d'Afrique noire. In her book, Tadjo shares different versions of the legend. Maximilien Quenum also retold the story of Queen Pokou and the Baoule people. He wrote about it in his book Légendes africaines.

See also

In Spanish: Pokou para niños