EKUMFOHEN (CHIEF EXECUTIONER)

Ekumfohen in Akan literally means the chief executioner. This piece of work is a composition made from an irregular Mahogany board that has the upper and lower portions broader and the middle section smaller. The wood board is made of pale red colour. The source of the wood can be traced from a small scale furniture shop where it was selected for the tops of side tables. Ekumfohen is a female figure composed with a frontal view.

Ekumfohen also known as abrafohen is dressed in traditional warrior's apparel that consists of a flamboyant head guard, neck guard, chest guard and body suit. In addition there are knives for her task. She wears a pair of ear rings fashioned from Edinkra symbol that runs from the ear loop to the shoulder level, and also a simple, but broad neck band. The head guard is in the form of a head helmet and covers the top, side and lower portions of the head and face, leaving only the eye section for effective vision and focus. The top front of the helmet has been decorated with a pair of bull's horns facing each other. Edges of the head guard have been attached with peacock feathers to make it elaborate and imposing.

The eyes, nose and upper portion of the chin have been set in the symbol of heart, but the mouth has been encased as part of the head guard. The long ear rings flag the elongated neck fashioned in a simple neck guard. Below the neck is the chest guard that runs down through in-between the breasts. A pair of executioner's knives is positioned behind the chest guard and within the body suit. The bulging breast set at the lower portion of the composition accents the feminine nature of the executioner.

CONCEPT

Ekumfohen is literally the chief executioner of the paramount or town chief and has the responsibility to put persons and convicts to perpetual rest or death. Ekumfohen performs the duty for both punitive and ritual purposes. Ekumfohen has the qualities of firmness, bravery, sternness, precision and brevity. She is able to take the lives of persons and convicts on behalf of the state and the chief. Ekumfohen has the ability to sanitize and purge the state of immorality, of miscreants, misfits and truants who have the potentiality to create fear and panic. A calibre of elites are selected and provided with formal and non-formal education on the execution, precision, bravery, mastery, marshal skills and physical strength. In addition, body language, gestures and facial communications are offered these elites as part of their trade and curricula.

The firm physical body provides assurance, security and strength to attack and subdue all misfits and persons selected for ritual sacrifices. The stern facial look expressed in the art form displays bravery, strength, and the ability of the state to clean herself of all persons that are not to exist and see their evil intentions and wishful destinies come through. The covered mouth conceals the facial and vocal identity of the executioner. It also filters and prevents infection from blood and gases that might emanate from their victim's body. The chest plate has the responsibility to provide protection of the essential organs that exist within the chest cavity. These organs if not well protected could ruin the life and career of the Ekumfohen.

In the Akan domain, edinkra symbols are symbolic signages that are used to bid good bye to those persons part for the land of the dead or a mission. The inclusion of this signage as part of her adornment indicates her ability to see people off to the land of the dead.

The peacock feathered head guard displays the pride that comes with the practice of the professional-executioner. The executioner ensures the security of the paramount or town chief and the state. The knives popularly known as daga or sipow ensure the completion of the executioner's task of terminating the lives of their victims. As an assassin, her best job is carried out through the strength of the arms and the body. The firm, mature and athletic figure of Ekumfohen is an indication of the enormous energy that originates from her figure. It is therefore crucial that the role of Ekumfohen is seen as an important part of the chiefdom in the culture of the Akans.

ASOMAFOHEN (CHIEF MESSENGER)

Asomafohen in Akan literally means the chief messenger. This art piece is a composition made from an irregular Mahogany board that has the upper and lower portions smaller and the middle section larger. Asomafohen is a female figure composed in a frontal view. She is dressed in a traditional warrior's apparel that consists of a head guard, neck guard, breast guard and body suit. She wears a pair of ear rings fashioned from Akomfona-state sword that runs from the ear loop to the shoulder level. She also adorns her body with a simple, but broad neck band. These ear rings flag the elongated neck and the neck band.

Asomafohen wears a head guard in the form of a head helmet. This covers the top part of the head. The helmet has strings and talisman attached as decoration and as representation of spiritual strength. These strings and talisman run from the top to down and across the bottom section of the helmet. The eyes, nose and mouth are rendered in a simplified realism as natural as possible. The lips of the mouth are fashioned into the archaic smile impression. Asomafohen has been adorned with a pair of breast guard that hang from the shoulders. These disc-types of breast guards and the body suit put emphasis on the feminist nature of Asomafohen.

CONCEPT

Asomafohen is literally the chief messenger attached to the paramount or town chief. As a sub-chief she has the responsibility of conveying messages to and from the office of the superior chief. In the Akan culture, superior chiefs do not undertake the conveyance of messages to subjects, vassals, and other town and paramount chiefs by themselves. The task of conveyance of messages is done by accredited lower chiefs or elites of the chiefdom who have been educated culturally and formally to perform such august task.

In the culture of Akan chiefdom, messengers are persons with great eloquence, good posture and wisdom of thoughts. They have the qualities of accommodativeness, submissiveness, and receptiveness. They also possess additional qualities of good retentive memory, clarity of thought and have the ability to deliver messages eloquently, expressively and expertly. A calibre of such elites is selected and offered formal and non-formal education on eloquence, mannerism, memory retention and recall skills, as well as body language such as gestures, facial...