Asantes believe that they are made up of two elements, blood and spirit both of which they obtain from their parents. The blood which comes from the mother determines the clan, Abusua, and the spirit which comes from the father determines the Nton. Since Asantes, like most Akans, are matrilineal, a child is what his/her mother is. Therefore a person can be Asante only by virtue of the fact that his/her mother is Asante. It is possible for an Asante not to have nton but impossible not to belong to an Abusua. At the time of conception or even before, the clan is already determined and once born, the child is stuck with it. There is an Akan/Asante saying that the clan is not like a tune that you can change simply because you don't like it. It falls on the people within the clan to improve it. . The eight clans are Oyoko, Bretuo, Agona, Asona, Asenie, Aduana, Ekuona, and Asakyiri

There are various beliefs as to the origins of these clans:-

Aduana believe that at the time of creation, their ancestors descended from the skies on a golden chain. Others believe that they originally came from Asumanya and they were led by a duiker with a flame in his mouth and gold in his cheeks. They proceeded to Dormaa where they believe the flame is still kept alight. Still others believe that from Asumanya a section of the Aduana clan headed for Akwamu. Some of the principal towns of the Aduana are Dormaa and Akwamu. In Asante a principal towns for the Aduana are Kumawu, Asumanya, Kwaman, Boaman, Agogo, Apromaase, Tikurom, Kaase, Apagya, Bompata, Kwaso, Akyease, Takyiman, Nsuatre, Drobo, Manso-Mmem, Manso-Abodom, and Nyinahen. Members of this clan are hardworking, clever and brave. The symbol of the Aduana is the dog.

People of the Agona clan are predominant in Denkyira and therefore in Asante, Nkawie. It is recommended never to pick a fight with a person from this clan because s/he is likely to have a clan member within the vicinity who will quickly come to his/her aid. The symbol of this clan is the parrot and members of this clan are eloquent. When greeted by a person from this clan, the reply should be, 'Yaa ago nana'. Some towns of the Agona clan are Tafo, Bodwesango, Fomesua, Asienimpon, Trede Ahwaa, Ampabame

Asakyiri claim that they were the first to be created by God. Their characteristics are beauty and patience. They are to be found in the Adanse area and their main towns are Akorokyere (Akrokere), Ayaase and Asokore. When greeted by a person from this clan, the reply should be 'Yaa Ofori nana'. Other towns of the clan are Abofuo, Abrenkese, Asakyiri, and Apeadu.

The symbol of the Asenie is the bat and its main towns are Kumase Amakom and Dompoase. The characteristics of this clan are bravery and diplomacy. When greeted by a person from this clan, the reply should be, 'Yaa adu nana'. Other towns of this clan are Antoa, Agona, Nkoranza, Wenchi, Atwoma, Kofiase, and Denyase.

The symbol of the Asona is the crow or wild boar and its characteristic is wisdom. It is said that more people generally, belong to this clan than to any other clan. The principal towns are Edweso and Offinso. When greeted by a member of the clan, the reply should be 'Yaa Ofori nana'. Other towns of the clan are Ejura, Feyiase, Manso-Nkwanta, Bonwire, Atwima-Agogo, Abrakaso, Taabuom, Beposo, Toase, and Odumase.

Bretuo are found mainly in Mampon, Amoafo, and Afigyaase/Effiduase. Its symbol is the leopard and its characteristic is aggressiveness and exceptional bravery. It is worth noting that the commander of the Asante army against Denkyira was the Mamponhene and in the past, generally, matters relating to war in Asante was the domain of the Mamponhene. When greeted by a person from this clan, the reply should be 'Yaa etwie nana'. Towns of this clan are Jamase, Apaa, Domeabra, Agogo-Hwidiem, Adankranya, and Abuotem

Ekuona are not found in great numbers in Asante. They are mainly found among the Fantis but in Asante, their main town is Adanse Fomena. The symbol of this clan is the buffalo and its characteristic is uprightness. When greeted, the reply should be, 'Yaa Doku nana'. Other towns of the clan are Banko, Kona, Asokore-Mampon, Brekum, Kokofu-Abuoso, Adumasa, Heman, Abenkyem, and Duayaw-Nkwanta.

The falcon is the symbol of the Oyoko and its characteristic is patience. It is also the clan from which the Asantehene comes. Its main towns are Kumase, Dwaben and Nsuta. When greeted, the reply should be, 'Yaa Obiri nana'. Other towns are Kokofu, Bekwae, Mamponten, Bogyae, Dadieso, Obogu, Asaaman Adubiase, Pampaso, Kontanase, Kenyase, and Ntonso.

The list of the towns of the various clans is by no means exhaustive.

These days because of 'modernisation' and 'progress' it is nearly impossible to tell what clan a person belongs to unless you know what town a person comes from. Even coming from a particular town does not necessarily mean that the person is from the dominant clan in the town. In Asante, the occurrence of this is fairly remote. This problem is likely to occur among Fantis. For example, although Saltpond is considered to be a Fanti town, their ancestors are likely to be Akyem. So to find the clan of somebody from Saltpond, one might have to head in the direction of Oda. However, the Fantis have found a back to front but remarkable solution to the problem. Among Fantis, you don't need to know beforehand what clan a person is from. S/he tells you how to respond to his/her greetings. In doing so they have ditched the clan somewhat and gone for the nton. There are fewer of them, nton, and the replies are therefore not that many. It is a rather straightforward way of dealing with the tradition because it is less tasking on the person being greeted. In addition to the nton, the person greeting might opt for the duties associated with that nton. A Fanti might therefore say by way of greetings, 'Amanfo mema hom atsenase, wogye me anyaado'. Anyaado indicates that the people of that nton are drummers. The reply would then be 'Yaa anyaado, okyerema ba.'

In addition to these clans, there are 6 Nton (spirits) in Asante which are Bosompra, Bosomtwe, Bosomuru, Bosompo Tano and Bia. But the number among Akans is anything up to 12. These are Bosomkrete, Bosomafram, Bosommran, Bosompra, Bosompo, Bosomuru, Bosomakom, Bosomkonsi, Bosomsika, Bosomayesu, Bosomdwerebe and Bosomafi.

These spirits, at least in Asante, reside in water. Legend has it that when God created the earth; he left his six sons on earth that if man wanted anything, they could ask him through any one of his six sons. Bosompra resides in River Pra; Bosomtwe in Lake Bosomtwe, Bosomuru in Birem, Bosompo or Bosom Nketia resides in the sea, Tano in River Tano and Bia in River Bia.

The question that people tend to ask in order to ascertain a person's nton is to ask, 'In which river do you wash?'

Both the nton and abusua performed a useful function of holding the society together and what might perhaps be seen these days as conservation of animals and plants. Each of these clans and nton had rare animals and plants that they were forbidden to kill or destroy. It made it possible to live in harmony with nature.

In the past when a man travelled and needed overnight lodgings in a village, he would seek out a member of his clan in the town or village. When found, he would take the traveller home and treat him like a brother. If it happens that the traveller should die, it would be up to the people of the clan in the town to trace the traveller's people, inform and liaise with them as to what should happen to the body. If it should become impossible to trace the traveller's relatives, then they would take it upon themselves to take charge of burial and funeral. Marriage among the same clans was forbidden. It was acceptable to marry one's mother's brother's child; it was unacceptable to marry one's mother's sister's child although they are both cousins. It was totally unacceptable to marry any cousin whatsoever on one's father's side.