Asafo Flags of the Fante
Asafo Flags of the Fante.
Asafo flags, locally called - frankaa - Asafo flags, locally called "frankaa", are paraded on festive occasions by men's "military" companies among the Fante people of coastal Ghana. The imagery asserts the wealth and power of the company and challenges its rivals, often through an associated proverb. Due to the demand for these striking flags from European and American collectors in the 1990s old flags in acceptable condition are now becoming extremely scarce, even compared to two years back. |
The flags were made from thin flimsy imported cloth and the effect of being hung outside for days at a time in all weathers and repeated use in parades tends to mean that older pieces are usually quite battered with numerous marks, holes and patches. One can think of this damage as "battle scars" testifying to their authenticity. In fact flags with no damage at all are often copies made for sale to tourists.
The Fante people live along the coast of Ghana to the west of Accra in fishing villages such as Anomabu, Saltpond, Mankessim, and Elmina, and in the town of Cape Coast.
Elmina was the site of the first major European settlement in West Africa with the construction of St.George's Castle by the Portuguese in 1492. Over the centuries that followed the region was a centre for slave trading and the Fante became key intermediaries between the slavers and the peoples of the interior such as the Asante. |
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Asafo companies developed as militery organisations of young men in the Fante villages, adapting flags and other European-inspired regalia to local use. As well as defending the village against local enemies and incursions by the Asante, the two or three companies in each community developed intense local rivalries, which were acted out during festivals and other ceremonial occasions. The active fighting role of the Asafo companies ended with the British colonial takeover late in the nineteenth century, but they remain key associations in the ritual life of Fante villages.
Each company has a central shrine, called a Posuban, which is generally an elaborate concrete structure decorated brightly colored figures, and which serves as a store for regalia and a focus for sacrifices. Flags, called Frankaa, are a key item of Asafo regalia.
At annual festivals, funerals for company members and other occasions flags are hung around the shrine and paraded through the village. Although the exact origins of Asafo flags are unclear, there are reports of their use dating back at least to the early 18th C.
The imagery on the flags asserts the wealth and prowess of the company and explicitly challenges rival groups. Often the design alludes to proverbs, reflecting the importance of proverbs throughout Akan culture.
Flags made before Ghanaian independence in 1957 have a version the British Union Jack flag in the corner, after that date some incorporate the Ghana flag instead. Flags are still being made and used as an important part of communal life in Fante villages today. Since the 1990`s their direct and striking imagery has also made them highly collectible outside Ghana.
The imagery on the flags asserts the wealth and prowess of the company and explicitly challenges rival groups. Often the design alludes to proverbs, reflecting the importance of proverbs throughout Akan culture.
Flags made before Ghanaian independence in 1957 have a version the British Union Jack flag in the corner, after that date some incorporate the Ghana flag instead. Flags are still being made and used as an important part of communal life in Fante villages today. Since the 1990`s their direct and striking imagery has also made them highly collectible outside Ghana.
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