21/08/2024
TAA MENSA DEITY OF TAKYIMAN
Okomfuor Ameyaw from the Ekuona family discovered the god Taa Mensa through his hunting expeditions at Agyentoaso (Tano River on Takyiman-Sunyani Road). During these hunting expeditions, Okomfour Ameyaw heard a voice that cried out to him. The voice was appealing to him to come and take it home. On three separate occasions the voice called out. The spirit of the deity would usually possess him, under which, he behaved strangely. One day a member of his family called Takyia followed him to the place where he normally heard the voice. Nana Ameyaw went in the direction of the voice and discovered a Yaawa (earthen wear) with the god Taa Mensa in it.
He was told to come along with a brass pan, chicken, egg, and white clay(hyire). The items were brought and placed along the river banks. The next day, Nana Ameyaw became possessed again and he was led to the River. At that point he lifted the brass pan and ordered that the chicken should be killed and the blood smear on the white clay which had been put in the pan. After all the rituals were performed he started singing to praise his mother, father, and the wife that he was about to leave them.
In response the wife Aboraa said he should go but come back every year to bath (this was a spiritual communication that occurred between the Taa Mensa god and its relations in the Tano River).
After the people of Takyiman came back from Gyaman, Okomfour Ameyaw stayed at the Agyentoa water body and started the settlement Ameyaw Krom. Later he relocated from Ameyaw krom to the current shrine of Taa Mensa.
It is believed that the god Taa Mensa was discovered during the reign of Ohene Ameyaw. Another name for Taa Mensa is 'Aba Mu' meaning whatever Taa Mensa says or predicted came to pass hence the name Tano Aberim'. The area where Taa Mensa shrine is located is called 'Aba mu Brono'. After some years this 'Aba Mu' was corrupted to be called Abanimu brono
