Fante Frankaa or Asafo Military Flag

The Akan had no standing army. They had the asafo, which was better organized.

This Fante frankaa, or asafo flag, was made in Ghana in the 20th century. The asafo, a people’s militia built on military principles, was a well established social and political organization. Each company is identified by a name, a number and a set of symbols displayed prominently on its flag.

Proverbs, a significant part of Akan culture, appear as colored cutout figures appliqued to the cotton ground. The flag runs a little under five feet long and just over three feet high.

Read it aloud. The proverbs will do the rest.