The Ashanti Region, now part of the Republic of Ghana, is a land of ancient royalty and centuries-old traditions. The capital, Kumasi, was once the nucleus of the Asante Kingdom and was the geographic meeting point of the Sudanic Empires across the Sahara to the north, and the gold mining Kwaman Forest Region which traded to the south with Europeans on the Coast. Established by King Osei Tutu in 1695, Kumasi was connected by royal roads and paths to all the leading provinces beyond the "Kingdom Of Gold".

The Ashanti craftspeople are located in rural villages surrounding Kumasi. These villages were established to produce cloth, regalia, household furnishings and religious objects for the Royal families of Ashanti. Each village is dedicated to a particular craft.