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.
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:
The train is always ready to go may signify the readiness of the asafo
to act in emergency situations, but the reference to the train may serve
as a record of an historical event. It also serves to remind one of the asafo's
role in building and maintaining highways and bridges in the past.
The first railroad from Sekondi to Kumasi was completed in 1903.
The train is ready to go
Highway patrol