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ASAFO MILITIA COMPANY FLAG. Fante people, Ghana. This flag was displayed in ceremonial parades by the Company to which it belonged. The narrator of the story told in the flag images, a member of the Company, is pointing to a large shore bird swallowing a fish tail first, as in the proverb, “The tall bird swallows a fish from the tail first”. This is contrary to nature and serves as a reference to the extraordinary powers of the Company since a bird naturally swallows a fish head first to avoid getting the fish’s spines stuck in its gullet. The two other birds and leopard refer to rival Companies who are warned not to confront the Company that owns the flag. The canton is a replica of the Ghana national flag, indicating that the flag was created after 1957 when Ghana became an independent nation. Figures hand appliquéd with embroidered details with identical images on bath sides of the flag. H35in. W54in. Cotton textile. See “Emblems of Power. Asafo Flags from Ghana” by Mary S. and Paul P. Rosen 2014 pp. 96-97. This 103 extensively color illustrated book is exclusively available for purchase from the authors at ppr2001@med.cornell.edu . Post paid price in U.S. $25.00; post paid price outside U.S. $35.00
