An afena (Twi to mean sword) is an Akan sword, originally meant for warfare but also forming part of Akan heraldry. The foremost example of an afena is the Mponponsuo (meaning "responsibility"), which belonged to Opoku Ware II. It has survived to the present day because it is still occasionally used in ceremonies, such as the Akwasidae Festival.
The expert use of afena is also a martial art, utilising the blade in conjunction with knives, improvised weapons, street-fighting, hand-to-hand combat, joint locks, grappling and weapon disarming techniques, as well as using the martial art of afena unarmed. The afena martial art is the national sport of the Ashanti Region.
Design The sword has three parts: a blade, usually made of some metal such as iron; a hilt of carved wood or metal; and the sheath, usually made of animal hide like leopard, leather and electric eel skin.
The blade in ritual swords may not have a sharp cutting edge. It often has incised lines or Ashanti symbolic designs on it, which evoke specific messages. Some swords have double (afenata) or triple (mfenasa) blades.
The hilt may be wrapped with gold leaf with various Ashanti symbols worked onto it. The hilt itself may be carved to encode an Ashanti symbol.
The sheath may carry an embossment (abosodee) that comprises Ashanti symbols meant to evoke certain expressive messages. The mpomponsuo (responsibility) sword of the Asantehene, for example, has an embossment of a coiled snake with a bird in its mouth. This conveys the Ashanti message: the puff adder that cannot fly has caught the hornbill that flies. This is used to symbolize patience, prudence, and circumspection.
Types
Traditionally there are about five to six types of Ashanti swords with some better known than others:
Kɛtɛanomfena: Literally meaning swords on the edge of bed. They are placed at the edge of the king's bed when he goes to sleep. Additionally, they are placed on the edges of the apakan (palanquin) when the king rides in it as part of a procession. Kɛtɛanofena are further subdivided into two sets: akrafena (swords of the soul) and abosomfena (deity swords)
Akrafena: The short sword may be used as akrafena or nsuaefena.Collins and Burns (2007), p. 140. The akrafena is used in wars, and in conjunction with an Ashanti stool blackening ceremony; The akrafena may be carried by the king's emissaries on Ashanti diplomatic missions. In such situations, the meaning associated with the Ashanti Adinkra symbol embossed on the sheath conveys the message of the mission. Its name literally means 'Soul Sword' and is held in the right hand due to Akan religion associating the right hand with the soul, representing the person's soul or life-force (kra), unique to the person. It was used in the Asante military for close combat. It did not have a sharp tip, instead having one sharp blade and giving a good amount of weight behind each blow. There is a hierarchy when it comes to akrafena (not Bosomfena) in Asante court: Mpomponsuo: The Mpomponsuo sword symbolizes; Responsibility, Power, Loyalty, Bravery, and Authority. The Mpomponsuo sword is used by the Asantehene in taking the oath of office. The other Ashanti amanhene use the Mpomponsuo sword to swear the oath of allegiance to the Asantehene. The Mpomponsuo sword is one of the four principal state swords of Ashanti Region. The Asantehene sword was created by Akomfo Anokye for future Asantehene Nana Opoku Ware I (r. 1731–1742), and is the foremost example of akrafena. Ahwebaa: The Ahwebaa sword was made by Akomfo Anokye, which has a caricature of a man holding his belly with his left hand. The Nananom Amanhene including the Mampɔnhene and Dwabenhene swear the oath of allegiance with ahwebaa. Contrary to popular belief, most people wrongly assume that those who swear the great oath with it are more important and powerful than those who swear with ahwebaa. But that is not the case for a chief may use the mpɔnpɔnsɔn to swear but he may not come close, in terms of rank and power, to a chief who (due to history and customs) uses the ahwebaa to swear the great oath of Asanteman. Nkɔnsɔnhene, Hyiawuhene, and Anonomsahene (to name a few) are some of the chiefs who swear the oath of office with ahwebaa. Kra Kofi (Apemase Nhye Da): Asantehene Nana Agyemang Prempeh II (Kwame Kyeretwie) created kra kofi in remembrance of his great uncle, Asantehene Nana Agyeman Kofi, who is known in the annals of Asante history as, Adaduananhene (Forty-days king). He died of mpɛtɛ (Chicken pox) exactly on the fortieth day of his enstoolment. Nana Agyemang Kofi's reign preceded Nana Kwaku Dua II alias Nana Agyemang Prempeh in 1888. Otumfoɔ Agyeman Prempeh II wanted the name and memory of his great uncle enshrined in posterity so he created two swords, the above-named sword and nim saa aka akyi. The proverb for the latter is his expression and understanding that his great uncle did not have the opportunity to execute his vision for Asanteman due to the untimely intervention of death. For the abɔsodeɛ of the former, he chose the Akan saying; Apem ase nhye da as evidence of the continuing growth and bearing of fruit of the plantain tree. For the smallpox might have killed his great uncle, it could not eradicate the royal family and like the plantain tree will never be without smaller shoots. His lineage (the royal family) will endure despite life's manifold challenges that we, as humans, face Kraku Kraku Panin: Kraku panin was made for Asantehene Kwaku Dua (1834-1867), well known in the annals of Asante history as an exceptional man of peace. Kraku Kumaa: In 1977, Asantehene Otumfoɔ Opoku Ware II created two swords, kraku kumaa and funtunfunefu dɛnkyɛm funefu. For the former, the abɔsodeɛ is akoma (the heart) and the latter the Siamese crocodile, a well-known adinkra symbol, as abɔsodeɛ. During his reign, the political climate in Ghana was quite challenging for Opoku Ware II and Asanteman as the nation witnessed unprecedented military takeovers from the early 1970s to 1981. In his response to various sections of Asanteman for their king to take action or to step in and stop military takeovers, he responded by saying, mede makoma ato nsuom (I have placed my heart in water). Literally, he is cooling his heart and will not allow his temper to rise. Otumfoɔ Opoku Ware's choice of the Siamese crocodile was in reference to his own uncle who, despite losing his bid to ascend the Gold Stool, was until his [uncle's] death not happy with the selection of Opoku Ware II as Asantehene. So the king said, yɛ nyinaa ya furu baako nanso tɛkrɛma so dɛ nti, na me Wɔfa ɔne me prere akonwa, yɛ de ama me nti no, ɔse ɔnte ne ho ase." Literally, he and his uncle belonged to the same family (abusua) and any benefit will pass through the same stomach but due to 'sweetness of the tongue,' his uncle never forgave the kingmakers for selecting him. Metaphorically, the single stomach of the Siamese crocodile represents the single destiny of the royal family. Abubummabaa: Since ascending Sikadwa Kofi in 2009, Otumfoɔ Osei Tutu II has added four kɛtɛanomfena to the regalia. They are abubummabaa, sakatempobi, esie, and ɛsrɛm sei gyata. Sakatempobi and ɛsrɛm mu sei gyata have corresponding guns that Otumfoɔ created for the same purpose. The mystery of how the abubummabaa created its dwelling has never been resolved and as a frame of reference, Osei Tutu II stated that he is the one who established a union of states that resulted in the formation of Asanteman. This is what he said: "I am Osei Tutu. It was I who founded Asanteman. I have returned and that is why I am like the abubummabaa. Ɛkwan ko a me faa so yɛyɛ, sɛ me kɔ mu, sɛ mankɔ mu, sɛ me wene yɛ, me ara na masan aba. Ɛna me bɛbu ma Asanteman. He has returned to continue his work and like the abubummabaa, we have no idea how he entered his enclave/house. Whether he weaved his abode first before he entered or whether he weaved his house around him, he has come back." Based on his actions since his enstoolment, the Asante generally agree and refer to him as Osei Tutu Ababio (that is, Osei Tutu has come again or returned) Sakatempobi: Sakatempobi are nkranee (big ants in the forest) that in times of bush fires, while the undergrowth is burning, they continue to feed on grasshoppers as they leave the scene of the fire. The proverb in Twi stipulates, egya ɛhye sakatempobi no, na ɔsɔ mmɛbɛ (grasshoppers). In creating this sword, Otumfoɔ Osei Tutu II said, "ɔno wasan aba no, nea ɔbɛka sɛ ɔbɛyɛ biara no, ɔbɛ yɛ. Ɛnyɛ nea obi bɛka na ɛbɛ ma no agyae neɛ ɔpɛsɛ ɔyɛ." He will come back to continue his work and no matter what people might do or say, he will accomplish whatever tasks he has set up for his return Kɔtɔkɔ: This is a special sword made by the Asante Kɔtɔkɔ Society in Kumase to honor Nana Opoku Ware II on his enstoolment as the 15th occupant of the Gold Stool. In honoring the King, the Society remarked that Opoku Ware II was the first Asante king with the highest academic credentials. Opoku Ware II (known in private life as Kwaku Adusei Poku), studied law in the United Kingdom and was called to the Bar at Middle Temple in 1962. In 1970 he was appointed Ghana's Ambassador designate to Italy but he could not fulfill his duty since he was enstooled the same year when his uncle, Otumfoɔ Osei Agyemang Prempeh II, died. Since the days of warfare are over and in order to encourage Opoku Ware II to use the power of the "pen" to accomplish a great deal for Asanteman and Ghana, the Society used the gun and pen as abɔsodeɛ Krakwame (Bɛmuu): Asantehene Agyemang Prempeh II created this sword with the abɔsodeɛ made of a bunch of palm kernels with a heart resting on them. There are two interpretations. The first describes what happens when the bunch of palm kernels is harvested and it falls on the ground, it collects all fallen leaves. The second is that, palm kernels grow on a common stock and in that sense, those of a common stock share the same origin so the king was going to put his heart into uniting the kingdom Bosomfena: It was also used in wars by those who were left-handed and had the same usage as the akrafena. However, its name may mean 'God-sword', a call back to the word abosom, and it represents the wielder's spirit, ego and/or personality. This is said to be inherited by the father. Here is the hierarchy of the Bosomfena below: