ASAFO
FLAGS
AKAN CULTURAL SYMBOLS PROJECT
© G. F. Kojo Arthur and Robert Rowe -
1998-2001
AKAN
CLOTH
ADINKRA
KENTE KENTE
CLOTH & MOTIFS WAX
& NONWAX PRINTS
ASAFO
FLAGS AKUNINTAM
The asafo is a political-military institution of the Akan.
Even though its social and political functions have been well documented,
the expressive and aesthetic culture of the Asafo institution has received
limited scholarly attention (de Graft Johnson,
1932; Fortes and Evans-Pritchard, 1940; Datta
and Porter, 1971; and Sutherland-Addy,
1998). Sutherland-Addy (1998, p. 90), for
example, suggests that "the rhetoric, libations, historical songs and
chants, praise-poetry, legends and drama texts may now be examined with a
view to demonstrating how they provide the texture, context, impact and
value of historical fact" that mark the asafo
institution.
Even though the Akan societies,
had no standing army, the asafo - i.e., a people's militia - was
a well established social and political organization based on martial principles. Every
able-bodied person belonged to an asafo group; every child automatically belonged to his
or her father's company.
Internal sub-divisions within an individual company included the main fighting body, the
scouts, reserves, and the minstrel unit whose main job it was to sing patriotic and war
songs to boost the morale of the military.
ASAFO MEMBERS
The asafo companies forming the national army were organized
into main fighting divisions thus: adonten (vanguard -
main body under the adontenhene), twafo
(advance guard), kyidom (rearguard - under the kyidomhene),
nifa (right wing under the nifahene), benkum
(left wing under the benkumhene), akwansra
(scouting division), ankobea (home guard under the ankobeahene),
and gyaase (the king's bodyguard under the gyaasehene).
ASAFO MEMBERS IN THEIR COLORFUL COMPANY OUTFIT
 Asafo
companies were also differentiated by the different colors of headgear and hairstyles worn
by members, exclusive drums, horns and other musical instruments, appellations, and
emblems. Other units within the main divisions included afonasoafoo
(the carriers of spears and shields), sumankwaafoo (the
herbalists and medicine men), and the asokwafo (heralds).
Asafo
companies existed in all the Akan states.
In Asante, the national asafo
was commanded by the Asantehene, but two generals, the kurontire
and akwamu, were the military leaders. The Fantse went a step
further by incorporating some European customs in their Asafo companies.
The typical Asafo company in a Fantse township,
according to Aggrey (1978), was headed by the Tufohene, the
military advisor to the chief of the township. Next in line is the Asafobaatan.
Supi was the commanding officer, while the divisional captain
within a company was called the Safohene (for the male) or Asafoakyere
(for the female). Other ranks in the Asafo were the Asafokomfo
(the priest), okyerema - head of the akyeremafo
(the drummers), frankaakitani (flag bearer), sekanboni
(sword maker), okyeame (spokesperson or linguist), and abrafoo
(police officers) and adumfoo (executioners).
Abrafoo - Executioners
Datta
(1972) distinguishes between formal and informal offices, the former being characterized
by a specific ritual with which the assumption of the office was marked. Among these
offices are the tufohene, asafobaatan, supi, safohene, frankaakitani, sekanboni,
and okyeame. These office-holders take the
appropriate oath on the assumption of office at formally organized ceremonies.
The Akan Asafo scouting system is what Baden Powell is believed to have used as the model
for the Scout Movement (Tufuo and Donkor, 1989).
Military titles of honor that were conferred on individuals for their heroism and bravery
included osabarima, baafoo, osahene, katakyie, oberempon,
osagyefo, and ogyeatuo. The akyem
(shield) symbol depicts heroic deeds and bravery. Such heroic deeds were treasured long
after the death of the hero as implied in the following maxim: ekyem
tete a, eka ne meramu (When a shield wears out, the framework still
remains).
Akyem - Shield
The prestigious title of oberempon was
conferred on individuals who not only rendered public service, but also on those who
excelled in military service. In Asante, chiefs who earned the oberempon
title were allowed to carry sika mena (gilded elephant tails).
The highly prestigious title of oberempon
was seldom conferred for other than valor, but later it became one with which
distinguished service to the state might be rewarded. Hence the expression: obarima
woye no dom ano, na wonye no fie, meaning
a man is made facing the enemy on the battlefield, not in the home - not lording it over
women.
POSUBAN - MILITARY POST
This posuban (military post) is to be found in
Mankessim, Central Region, Ghana. Other Fantse towns have the posuban.
This posuban (military post) is to be found in
Ajumako Tekyiman, Central Region, Ghana.
Other Fantse towns such as Anomaboo, Elmina, Kormantse, Ajumako Owane have the posuban.
Agona Bobikuma asafo group in
front of their posuban
Picture taken by Arthur 2004
Even though the asafo, in
the past had as its primary role the defense of the state, it did perform other social
services. In the present times, the social services performed by the asafo
include serving as a search party when one is lost or when one drowns in a river, public
sanitation, maintain public trails, foot paths and bridges. The asafo
companies also engage in competitions during festivals.
ASAFO COMPANY WITH THEIR CATCH AT
THE WINNEBA DEER HUNTING FESTIVAL
Asafo Flag with the Union Jack
Every able-bodied person was expected to serve a
military duty when called to action. Each township will have at least one asafo
company. One's membership in an asafo company was determined by
one's father's lineage (ntoro - among the Asante or egyabosom
- among the Fantse).
While among the Asante, women did not usually go to
the war front, the Fantse had women who were war captains. The rare case of Yaa Asantewa
of Edweso who led the Asante army against the British in the Yaa Asantewaa War of 1900, is
well chronicled.
Asafo Flag the Ghana Flag
Asafo
flags are popular among the Fantse of the coastal area. The flag is a cloth of solid color
that is about three feet by five feet in dimensions. The symbols on the flag are appliqued
and occasionally embroidered. The Asafo flag has on it the British
flag (Union Jack) or the Ghana flag. The asafo flag bearing
the Union Jack indicates the flag was made during the time that Britain
ruled Ghana (Gold Coast), and the asafo flag bearing the
Ghana flag indicates it was made after 1957 when Ghana gained her
independence from Britain.
The asafo flag with its symbols and colors often represents
"important historical occasions in the life of the company or,
unpleasant past events such as wars, deaths and defeats" (Labi,
1998, p. 101). As Sarbah (1906, pp.
26-27) put it, "the honour of his company flag was his first
consideration and his service to his company was his indispensable
service."
The asafo flag symbols are pregnant "with meaning by allusions
to historical accounts, myths, rituals, sacred places, and prominent
persons etc., and as such they were essential in the construction of a
company's cohesion, persistence and feeling of exclusiveness; thus, to
defend the cherished symbols was to defend the integrity and pride of the
company" (Labi, 1998, p. 102).
HIGHWAY PATROL
 The symbols on the flags depict various events and beliefs.
They may serve to record history as indicated by the
three flags shown below:
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