Five headed bird

Asafo flags can be traced to 18th century Ghanaian Fante communities like Elmina and Cape Coast. The flags belonged to Asafo Companies who were key facilitators of security, entertainment, cultural rites like funeral rites, sanitation and developmental projects in the communities. The Asafo is a military styled organisation. ‘Asafo’ is an Akan word derived from ‘Sa’ and ‘Fo’ meaning war and people respectively.

The flags, known in the local Mfante language as ‘Frankaa’, are a figurative language. Their motifs illustrate Akan proverbs, riddles, and other sayings.

These Asafo flags were first exhibited as part of the Nubuke collection in an exhibition in 2006.

A five headed bird has its feet on a gun. Its tail, unusual for a bird, is piercing the chest of a man.