27:
136:
123:
106:
35:
85:, who inhabit the coastal region, developed an especially complex version of the concept in terms of its social and political organization based on martial principles, and with elaborate traditions of visual art, including flag banners with figurative scenes, and designs alluding to historical events or proverbs.
176:, they organized the wards into rank order, with each ward having a number and an established military formation. It was this occasion that gave rise to the domination of Asafo companies in the socio-political life of Elmina, and of the 10 Asafo companies existing today, seven are mentioned in 1724:
91:
shrines (the name derived from a corrupted form of the word "post" combined with the word "ban", signifying a fortification) are traditional structures usually made of concrete, intricately designed and painted with bright colours, serving as both military and religious posts for Asafo groups, as
165:(1703) leads academic Harvey Feinberg to the conclusion that these companies could not have been very important by that date. This changed in the first quarter of the 18th century, when the original three wards had been complemented by four new wards consisting of new immigrant groups to Elmina.
26:
1172:
977:
303:
is supposed to be the company of the founder of Elmina, Kwa
Amankwaa. This company still elects the King of Elmina, who must either be from the Nsona or Anona royal family. Asafo company No. 3
615:
Anderson, George Jnr (2016). "Akan Asafo
Company: A Practical Model for Achieving True African Liberation and Sustainable Development". In Mawere, Munyaradzi; Tapuwa R. Mubaya (eds.).
1203:
1239:
862:
645:
421:
who were considered equals to the
European officers, and who often worked in the lower ranks of the Dutch administration. This company elected the
1155:
812:
1173:"THE TUFOHEN STOOL OF OGUAA TRADITIONAL AREA (The General Commander of the State & Master of Arms of the Seven Asafo Companies in Oguaa)"
790:
515:(master of arms), who is regarded as the General Captain with responsibility for giving orders and directing affairs if war breaks out.
1269:
1200:
1120:
750:
695:
340:
297:, and each one of them had its own flag. The Asafo companies were ranked in reverse order of importance. Asafo company No. 7
321:). This was the case under Dutch influence. However, the commander of all the Asafo companies in Elmina is now known as the
1110:
30:
Asafo flag, No. 2 Company; created by Akwa Osei, Ghana, Fante people; c. 1900, Cotton and rayon, embroidery and appliqué
173:
1280:
152:
1306:
1301:
885:
155:
of Elmina that had existed since at least the 17th century. The omission of a description of Asafo companies in
1112:
Java Hill: An
African Journey: A nation's evolution through ten generations of a family linking four continents
400:
73:. The traditional role of the Asafo companies was defence of the state. As the result of contact with European
960:
792:
De goudkust na de slavenhandel: Plannen om de
Nederlandse Bezittingen ter kuste van Guinea rendabel te maken
742:
Africans and
Europeans in West Africa: Elminans and Dutchmen on the Gold Coast During the Eighteenth Century
20:
1188:
1296:
1004:
820:
531:
78:
924:
877:
777:
720:
712:
677:
669:
626:
344:
863:"A tale of two polities: socio-political transformation on the Gold Coast in the Atlantic World"
796:
1224:
1116:
746:
135:
630:
842:
769:
704:
661:
390:
386:
530:
Each asafo company has designated uniform colours that have been historically established.
1207:
122:
1259:
twi.bb Online dictionary for the Twi language of the Akan people of Ghana in West Africa.
105:
34:
1276:
1270:"Traditional Institution in Coastal Development: Asafo Companies in Cape Coast History"
410:
314:
143:, which is written (white-on-white, so difficult to see) on the white part of the flag.
50:
1290:
724:
681:
616:
310:
156:
881:
82:
1136:
740:
519:
422:
74:
46:
961:"Asafo flags embody cultural meanings and narratives from Ghana’s Fante people"
1263:
942:
928:
708:
434:
169:
350:
In the 19th century, three Asafo companies were added to the existing seven:
1141:
418:
522:
festival of Cape Coast, held annually on the first
Saturday of September.
339:
in the late 1750s over the number six position. It was only when
Governor
1201:"Oguaa to showcase potential of traditional warriors…in 2012 Fetu Afahye"
437:(Oguaa traditional area) there are traditionally seven asafo companies:
673:
781:
760:
Shaloff, Stanley (1974). "The Cape Coast Asafo
Company Riot of 1932".
716:
403:
and who were collectively dismissed in the early 19th century. No. 10
327:. The importance of rank is illustrated by the conflict between No. 5
813:"A West African Cosmopolis: Elmina (Ghana) in the Nineteenth Century"
690:
148:
115:
70:
665:
1258:
902:
773:
1277:"War People: A Cultural History of Violence among the Fante Asafo"
399:
consisted of the descendants of the slaves who had worked for the
134:
121:
104:
33:
1156:"Be neutral, professional — Political parties urge stakeholders"
168:
In 1724, when the Dutch needed the help of the
Elminese to oust
929:"Gus Casely-Hayford on Fante Asafo Flags – Artist & Empire"
151:, Asafo companies emerged in the early 18th century out of the
60:
1087:
1085:
139:
Flag of Asafo company No. 10 Akrampafo, also known as the
1029:
1027:
1025:
817:
Seascapes, Littoral Cultures, and Trans-Oceanic Exchanges
393:, who fled to Elmina during the Fante War of 1810. No. 9
1226:
Pageants and Processions: Images and Idiom as Spectacle
762:
The International Journal of African Historical Studies
1272:, DigitalCollections@SIT, African Diaspora Collection.
618:
Colonial Heritage, Memory and Sustainability in Africa
309:
elects the leader of all Asafo companies known as the
1264:
Fetu Afahye Festival 2010 2/2 Chiefs arrive, YouTube.
632:
A Genealogical History of Cape Coast Stool Families
347:into Elmina that the conflict was finally settled.
479:. Each company is headed by a superior captain ("
745:. Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society.
1240:"Women and Verbal Arts in the Oguaa-Edina Area"
795:. Utrecht: Universiteit Utrecht. Archived from
1229:, Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2009, p. 118.
638:. The School of Oriental and African Studies.
497:"). The leader of the asafo companies is the
8:
1070:
861:DeCorse, Christopher R.; Sam Spiers (2009).
691:"The Asafo System in Historical Perspective"
1074:
518:The asafo companies feature largely in the
160:
660:(4). Cambridge University Press: 305–315.
599:
590:
584:
575:
566:
557:
548:
539:
510:
504:
498:
492:
486:
480:
474:
468:
462:
456:
450:
444:
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404:
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380:
371:
363:
355:
334:
328:
322:
304:
298:
292:
283:
274:
268:
262:
253:
247:
238:
232:
226:
217:
211:
202:
196:
187:
181:
126:
109:
64:
54:
1137:"Ghana: Heroes Are Better Honoured Alive"
1104:
1102:
1100:
1091:
1033:
25:
853:
1058:
7:
1268:Brian L. Perkins (10 January 1994),
1049:, London: Thames & Hudson, 1992.
1045:Adler, Peter, and Nicholas Barnard,
943:"Asafo Flags: Stitches Through Time"
1115:. Xlibris Corporation. p. 97.
870:Australasian Historical Archaeology
1047:Asafo!: African Flags of the Fante
689:Datta, Ansu K.; R. Porter (1971).
45:are traditional warrior groups in
14:
1189:Cape Coast metropolitan Assembly.
1154:Asmah, Kobby, and Timothy Gobah,
1005:"Posuban: Fante Military Shrines"
114:of Asafo company No. 4 Wombir in
96:Asafo societies on the Gold Coast
627:Casely-Hayford, Augustus Lavinus
343:threatened to fire cannon from
291:All companies were headed by a
131:of Asafo company No. 1 Ankobea.
1246:, Vol. 14, No. 2 (1998), p. 7.
1171:Elicot Nana Kweku Okyere III,
1076:De Afrikanen "onder de forten"
696:The Journal of African History
534:identifies these in Oguaa as:
341:Jan Pieter Theodoor Huydecoper
16:Warrior groups in Akan culture
1:
739:Feinberg, Harvey M. (1989).
644:Datta, Ansu (October 1972).
409:consisted of free citizens (
1109:Ulzen, T. P. Manus (2013).
931:. Tate – via YouTube.
789:Van der Meer, Dirk (1990).
385:consisted of refugees from
1323:
1281:SOAS, University of London
1009:The Cultural Encyclopaedia
978:"Posuban Shrines of Ghana"
417:). This company comprised
18:
709:10.1017/S0021853700010689
405:
395:
381:
372:
364:
356:
335:
329:
305:
299:
284:
275:
269:
263:
254:
248:
239:
233:
227:
218:
212:
203:
197:
188:
182:
92:well as meeting grounds.
81:(present-day Ghana), the
38:Asafo flag, No. 1 Company
1135:Baah-Acheamfour, Kwaku,
811:Yarak, Larry W. (2003).
401:Dutch West India Company
174:Fort Groß Friedrichsburg
162:Nauwkeurige beschrijving
53:. The word derives from
1223:Du Toit, Herman (ed.),
1199:Paintsil, David Allan,
1238:Sutherland-Addy, Esi,
1206:6 October 2014 at the
1075:
600:
591:
585:
576:
567:
558:
549:
540:
511:
505:
499:
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487:
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451:
445:
439:
414:
323:
318:
293:
161:
144:
132:
127:
119:
110:
65:
55:
39:
31:
21:Asafo (disambiguation)
1214:(Ghana), 11 May 2012.
1177:Oguaa in perspectives
138:
125:
108:
37:
29:
1244:Research Review (NS)
1162:, 15 September 2016.
967:, 11 September 2018.
19:For other uses, see
1003:Eli-Zafoe, Désiré.
927:(4 February 2016).
925:Casely-Hayford, Gus
650:: a Re-examination"
532:Esi Sutherland-Addy
345:Fort Coenraadsburg
145:
133:
120:
49:culture, based on
40:
32:
1145:, 25 August 2008.
1071:Van der Meer 1990
903:"Asafo Companies"
604:– white and black
485:") and under the
1314:
1307:African warriors
1302:History of Ghana
1247:
1236:
1230:
1221:
1215:
1197:
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1186:
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1152:
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993:
991:
989:
974:
968:
957:
951:
950:
949:. 24 April 2018.
939:
933:
932:
921:
915:
914:
912:
910:
899:
893:
892:
890:
884:. Archived from
867:
858:
843:Akan chieftaincy
832:
830:
828:
823:on 29 March 2010
819:. Archived from
807:
805:
804:
785:
756:
735:
733:
731:
685:
639:
637:
622:
603:
594:
588:
580:– wine and black
579:
570:
561:
553:– blue and white
552:
543:
514:
508:
502:
496:
490:
484:
478:
472:
466:
460:
454:
448:
442:
408:
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398:
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68:
58:
1322:
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1317:
1316:
1315:
1313:
1312:
1311:
1287:
1286:
1275:Ella Jeffreys,
1255:
1250:
1237:
1233:
1222:
1218:
1208:Wayback Machine
1198:
1194:
1187:
1183:
1170:
1166:
1153:
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1134:
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1123:
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824:
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738:
729:
727:
688:
666:10.2307/1158498
643:
635:
625:
614:
611:
609:Further reading
528:
503:, also spelled
491:is a captain ("
431:
103:
98:
75:colonial powers
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1320:
1318:
1310:
1309:
1304:
1299:
1289:
1288:
1285:
1284:
1279:(PhD thesis).
1273:
1266:
1261:
1254:
1253:External links
1251:
1249:
1248:
1231:
1216:
1192:
1181:
1179:, 2 July 2021.
1164:
1160:Graphic Online
1147:
1128:
1121:
1096:
1094:, p. 106.
1081:
1063:
1051:
1038:
1036:, p. 105.
1021:
995:
984:. 2 March 2023
969:
965:It's Nice That
952:
934:
916:
894:
891:on 2020-02-15.
852:
850:
847:
846:
845:
838:
835:
834:
833:
808:
786:
774:10.2307/216597
768:(4): 591–607.
757:
751:
736:
686:
641:
623:
621:. Langaa RPCI.
610:
607:
606:
605:
596:
581:
572:
563:
554:
545:
527:
524:
430:
427:
377:
376:
368:
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319:Groot Vaandrig
289:
288:
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102:
99:
97:
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51:lineal descent
15:
13:
10:
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2:
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1213:
1212:The Chronicle
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1165:
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1144:
1143:
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1132:
1129:
1124:
1122:9781479791217
1118:
1114:
1113:
1105:
1103:
1101:
1097:
1093:
1092:Feinberg 1989
1088:
1086:
1082:
1077:
1073:, Chapter 2:
1072:
1067:
1064:
1060:
1055:
1052:
1048:
1042:
1039:
1035:
1034:Feinberg 1989
1030:
1028:
1026:
1022:
1010:
1006:
999:
996:
983:
979:
973:
970:
966:
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875:
871:
864:
857:
854:
848:
844:
841:
840:
836:
822:
818:
814:
809:
799:on 2016-03-04
798:
794:
793:
787:
783:
779:
775:
771:
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763:
758:
754:
752:9780871697974
748:
744:
743:
737:
726:
722:
718:
714:
710:
706:
703:(2): 279–97.
702:
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281:
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171:
166:
163:
158:
157:Willem Bosman
154:
150:
142:
137:
129:
124:
117:
112:
107:
100:
95:
93:
90:
86:
84:
80:
76:
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62:
57:
52:
48:
44:
36:
28:
22:
1297:Akan culture
1243:
1234:
1225:
1219:
1211:
1195:
1184:
1176:
1167:
1159:
1150:
1140:
1131:
1111:
1066:
1054:
1046:
1041:
1012:. Retrieved
1008:
998:
986:. Retrieved
981:
972:
964:
955:
946:
937:
919:
907:. Retrieved
897:
886:the original
873:
869:
856:
825:. Retrieved
821:the original
816:
801:. Retrieved
797:the original
791:
765:
761:
741:
730:18 September
728:. Retrieved
700:
694:
657:
653:
647:
631:
617:
529:
517:
432:
378:
349:
311:Great Ensign
306:Akyem-Nkodwo
290:
231:(previously
213:Akyem-Nkodwo
167:
146:
140:
88:
87:
42:
41:
1014:25 December
988:25 December
982:Asafo Flags
959:Ong, Jyni,
646:"The Fante
640:PhD Thesis.
520:Fetu Afahye
425:of Elmina.
423:burgomaster
415:vrijburgers
240:Appendjafoe
141:Vrijburgers
1291:Categories
1059:Yarak 2003
947:Heni Talks
849:References
803:2012-04-25
592:Brofo Nkoa
435:Cape Coast
429:Cape Coast
336:Alatamanfo
333:and No. 6
264:Alatamanfo
170:John Canoe
79:Gold Coast
69:, meaning
59:, meaning
1142:AllAfrica
725:143911820
682:144209815
595:) – white
586:Abrofomba
512:Twaafohen
419:mulattoes
406:Akrampafo
373:Akrampafo
1204:Archived
909:23 April
905:. twi.bb
882:67755840
837:See also
827:23 April
629:(1992).
601:Ankrampa
571:– yellow
506:Twafohen
464:Brofomba
396:Maa wore
382:Brofomba
365:Maa wore
357:Brofomba
324:Tufuhene
234:Assamfoe
1283:, 2021.
674:1158498
598:No. 7.
583:No. 6.
577:Amanful
574:No. 5.
565:No. 4.
562:– green
556:No. 3.
547:No. 2.
541:Bentsir
538:No. 1.
526:Colours
500:Tufuhen
494:Safohen
476:Amanful
470:Akrampa
440:Bentsir
370:No. 10
294:tufohen
276:Adjadie
219:Encodjo
198:Akyemfo
189:Ankobia
183:Ankobea
128:Posuban
111:Posuban
89:Posuban
77:on the
1119:
880:
876:: 36.
782:216597
780:
749:
723:
717:180884
715:
680:
672:
654:Africa
446:Anaafo
391:Simbiw
387:Eguafo
379:No. 8
362:No. 9
354:No. 8
300:Eyampa
285:Eyampa
282:No. 7
270:Allade
267:(also
261:No. 6
252:(also
246:No. 5
228:Wombir
225:No. 4
216:(also
210:No. 3
201:(also
195:No. 2
186:(also
180:No. 1
149:Elmina
116:Elmina
101:Elmina
71:people
63:, and
889:(PDF)
878:S2CID
866:(PDF)
778:JSTOR
721:S2CID
713:JSTOR
678:S2CID
670:JSTOR
648:Asafo
636:(PDF)
559:Ntsin
550:Anafo
544:– red
411:Dutch
330:Abese
315:Dutch
255:Abesi
249:Abese
172:from
153:wards
83:Fante
43:Asafo
1117:ISBN
1016:2023
990:2023
911:2012
829:2012
747:ISBN
732:2020
568:Nkum
488:Supi
482:Supi
473:and
458:Nkum
452:Ntin
389:and
204:Akim
47:Akan
770:doi
705:doi
662:doi
509:or
433:In
159:'s
147:In
61:war
1293::
1242:,
1210:,
1175:,
1158:,
1139:,
1099:^
1084:^
1024:^
1007:.
980:.
963:,
945:.
874:27
872:.
868:.
815:.
776:.
764:.
719:.
711:.
701:12
699:.
693:.
676:.
668:.
658:42
656:.
652:.
467:,
461:,
455:,
449:,
443:,
413::
317::
273:,
237:,
66:fo
56:sa
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