Akan swords originating from Ghana
An Akrafena ("Twi sword") is an Akan sword, originally meant for warfare but also forming part of Akan heraldry. The foremost example of an "akrafena" 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 akrafena 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 akrafena unarmed. The akrafena 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 as weapons.
History.
Bonoman Kingdom (10th century AD) and the Ashanti Empire States (13th century AD to 21st century).
Bonoman long swords were used primarily by Ashanti cavalry and commanders not infantry during the 10th to 15th centuries, which explains how Akrafena has and still is linked to nobility. In the 16th century and at the time of Denkyira, Akyem and Akwamu land warfare consisted mostly of spearmen and bowmen on foot and mounted swordsmen with Akan long swords (Afenatene). Ashanti Swords were not a primary weapon for all Ashanti combat but were mostly for Ashanti shock attacks, defensive strokes and close combat. Blades were heavy as they were made of bronze and later iron, and pommels were often knobbed and used as balances. Short swords may have been used in follow-up attacks, as short sword carriers were armoured completely and accompanied with a shield.
Ashanti Akrafena Swords with wooden or metal pommels decorated with beaten gold have featured in Ashanti court regalia since the 17th century AD. Ashanti Swords were used during Ashanti wars since the 17th century. The Ashantis were engaged in a series of military conflicts from the 18th century AD, between Ashanti City-State military forces and African states and European states up until the 20th century.
In the 21st century, the Ashanti Swords are primarily by Ashantis for self-defense, and the Ashanti Akrafena (Ashanti Sword of war) is primarily used for Ashanti warfare and land warfare.
During the Empire of Ashanti period, Ashanti swords also had ranks (hierarchy) depending on who wielded them and what their purpose was. The highest ranking of these swords was known as the "Mpomponsuo", literally meaning "responsibility sword." Only two such swords existed and were wielded by the King's two bodyguards, who always stood on either side of him and held the nobility title of Ankobia.
Ashanti swords of war (twenty-first century): changing needs and tactics.
The Ashanti Akrafena (Sword of my Soul) was generally held in the hand by Ashanti Asafos. There was no real reason to hold it on their sides. However, they did strap it to their back at times when they were traveling through the rain-forest regions of Ashanti City-State or using other weapons such as spears and bows. The Ashanti sword was first and foremost one-handed, though for more powerful strikes, two hands were used. The Ashanti techniques were generally "hand and a half".
Swordsmen Ranks.
Asafo who are swordsmen in Akanland and in the Asantehene's court progress through four tiers of rank, at times referred to as levels, of their swordsmanship. There are:
 • Afenasoafoo: "Afenasoafoo" is a child, an Akofo-in-training. They are sword-bearers in the Akan court
 • Adumfoo: "Adumfoo" is an apprentice. They are Executioners in the Akan court
 • Akofo Asafo: Akanland's Warriors / Professional Soldiers. They are master swordsmen in the Akan court and military. They could form groups of warriors, mercanaries and/or soldiers
 • Akofo Abrafoo: They are the Military Police of the Akan. "Abrafoo" is interchangeably referred to as "Akofo", also master swordsman, but are of a higher rank than the Akofo Asafo. One Abrafoo group, and possibly all abrafoo groups, have Abrani, Atano God of Executioners, as their patron deity. It is usually their job to protect the wives of the Asantehene.
 • Akofo Ankobia: The highest rank an Akan swordsman can achieve. They are the Akanland's special forces. The Ankobia is the oldest, most experienced and best trained of all Akofo. They served as special forces and bodyguards to the Asantehene. They served as a source of intelligence for suppressing rebellion. An Ankobia is chosen by the Akofo (Swordsmen) council
Executions.
For the Atoprɛfoɔ, execution was in the form of bodily mutilations and gradual bleeding of the convict until he passed out due to the loss of blood. When the convict was paraded in the streets, they would, for instance, ask him, “have you seen the skin on your back before?” Then they would cut the skin on his back and show it to him. “Have you seen your ear before?” They would cut his ear and show it to him. While they were parading the condemned person in the streets, one of the atɔpre chief's nephews would be dancing in front of the condemned man. He is the only one who is allowed to dance and individuals who were tempted to dance faced harsh penalties of fines or death. One of the most famous of his nephews was Anin Agyei and that gave rise to the saying: Anin Agyei a odi atɔfoɔ kan (Anin Agyei who leads the condemned). This would continue until they returned to the palace where the Asantehene would confirm and congratulate them for performing atoprɛ. Because the chief's hand would be covered with human blood, he would not shake Otumfoɔ's hand. This tradition continues to today even though they no longer perform atoprɛ nor perform executions. The condemned person was not allowed be killed nor should he pass away until he is presented in his mutilated and bleeding state to Otumfoɔ. The Atoprɛhene would face serious consequences should a condemned person die before they returned to the palace. Function: They are always available to protect Abenwa (the Gold Stool) and in the absence of Abenwa, they protect Otumfoɔ's akonwa (chair) during akwasidae ceremonies or dwabɔ.
Akrafena as an Ashanti national symbol.
The Akrafena also an Ashanti national symbol, adopted by Ashanti City-State's emperor-king Asantehene Opoku Ware I in 1723. In this context it is known as Akofena.
Heraldic description.
The Blazon: The akrafena is used in conjunction with the stool blackening ceremony. Nsuaefena is used in the political ceremony of taking the oath of office by the king and in the swearing oaths of allegiance by subjects of Ashanti City-State. The akrafena also may be carried as a heraldic device, by the Ashanti emperor's-king's emissaries on Ashanti City-State diplomatic missions. In such situations the meaning associated with the symbol embossed on the sheath conveys the message of the mission. "Blade of an afenatene sword showing the akoma (heart), denkyem (crocodile), akuma (axe) and the sankofa bird."
The Ashanti national symbol Akrafena description:
The Akrafena as an Ashanti national symbol has the escutcheon meaning; "Akrafena" ("Symbol of courage, valor, and heroism").
History.
The Ashanti Akrafena sword as an Ashanti City-State national symbol was used by the Asantehene in taking the oath of office as ruler of Ashanti City-State. The Omanhene used the Ashanti Akrafena sword to swear the oath of allegiance to the Asantehene and Ashanti City-State. The Ashanti Akrafena sword is one of the four principal state swords of the Ashanti City-State. The first Ashanti Akfrafena sword was created by Asantehene Nana Opoku Ware I (r. 1731 – 1742), and is the foremost example of Akrafena. The mpomponsuo sword symbolizes Responsibility, Power, Loyalty, Bravery, and Authority.
Akrafena as martial art.
There are Ashanti City-State schools that hold the techniques of these swords practitioners in the past. The schools hold the genuine Ashanti Swords techniques.
It is said that there were 20 fighting postures in training; The Ashanti people practitioners of the past generally used low kicking techniques to distract, dismantle and disable the opponent when holding the sword in one hand and sheath in the other. The sword-based fighting techniques is similar in part to that of Colombian grima and Tire machèt, while the combat hand-techniques and kicking techniques is similar in part to that of Capoeira.
References.
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