Asafo Flags

I have been looking at Asafo flags today, I really enjoy the simplicity of the flags as well as the colours and patterns. I did a bit of research into the flags and I think i sort of understand their background but I am sorry if im completely wrong about it all, it seems like quite the flags belong to quite a dense piece of west African culture and history.


The ASAFO is a militia belonging to states of western Africa known as Akan. Akan states date back to the 16th and 17th century and are divided ethnolinguistically, each of the states has its own company of the Asafo. Asafo companies are differentiated by the different colors of headgear and hairstyles worn by members, and exclusive drums, horns and other musical instruments they adopted. The Asafo adopted many European military practices one of which being the carrying and saluting of flags. Asafo Flags were made using a appliquè technique or were painted or drawn on cloth. Many of the flags contain a smaller British or Ghanan flag. Flags bearing the Union Jack indicate that the flag was made during the time that Britain ruled Ghana a flag bearing the Ghana flag indicates it was made after 1957 when Ghana gained her independence from Britain.