Asafo are
flags of the
Fante people of
West Africa. Originally carried into battle, they are now symbols of various civic organizations in
Ghana, and used at such occasions as the
funeral of a company member, or a
homecoming festival at which a new chief is named.
Asafo usually depict proverbs, of which Ghanaian culture has more than 3000. They contain messages such as "If our women are prepared for war, what will our men do?", or "We can carry water in a basket using a cactus as a head cushion", typically boasting about their group's strength and prowess on the battlefield.