Asafo Flag Frankaa with Appliqué Ghana 67x37.0 Inch Sidley Collection

These creative flags, known as "frankaa," symbolize divisions within the Fante people's Asafo Companies along the coast of Ghana. Asafo Companies, dating back to the 15th century, once had genuine military roles, serving various purposes until the end of British occupation in 1957. Coastal Fante towns typically hosted at least one company, with larger towns possibly having up to ten, leading to rivalries and conflicts depicted on the flags. Politically engaged in chief selection and religiously aligned with specific military shrines, each company had a unique name, number, and set of symbols on their flags. Asafo flags not only identify the carrying company but also portray proverbs, events, or relationships through imaginative cutout figures on cotton rectangles. The rough dating system involves the presence of the British ensign on pre-independence flags, with those featuring the Ghanaian ensign indicating post-1957 origins.