Anlo Ewe
Encyclopedia
The Ewe people are an African ethnic group
of about 6 million people, inhabiting the southeastern part of Ghana
from the Eastern shore of the Volta River
to the border of Ghana
and Togo
known as the Volta Region; meanwhile, a majority of Ewe are also located in the entire southern half of Togo. They are a patrilineal society governed by a hierarchal, centralized authority. Their language (self-name Anlogbe) is a dialect of the Ewe language
, itself part of the Gbe
language cluster. The Ewe religion is centered around a supreme god Mawu
and several intermediate divinities.
. It is thought they migrated to their present home from Notsie
, Togo
sometime in the later part of the seventeenth century. The move is said to be more of an escape than migration from a regime change in the city. Upon first arrival in Notsie, the current king, Adela Atogble, received them well, but after his death the successor, Ago Akoli, ruled oppressively upon the Ewe. He ordered all elders killed . The city of Notsie was circumscribed by a large defensive wall which became a barrier to the Ewe devising escape. Upon consultation of the hidden elder, Tegli, the Ewe came up with an extravagant plan of escape. For days the women of the group would moisten the wall in one place during their daily clothes washing activities. When the wall was weak enough, the plan then culminated in the gathering of all the Ewe, Tegli drawing the “Sword of Liberation” summoning the gods, and piercing the wall proclaiming, “O Mawuga Kitkata, wuwo na mi ne miadogo, azo adzo” (Oh great God Kitikana, open the door for us so that we walk through).
Upon arrival in Ghana, most groups formed villages in coastal regions, the largest being Keta and Anloga
. Other settlements include Denu, Aflao, Dzelukofe, Kedzi, Dzita, and Tegbi many of which are associated with the slave trade that tormented Ewe populations. A northern migration was the result of frequent slave raids and spread the Ewe people throughout the Keta Lagoon, the largest lagoon in Ghana
. The shallow waters and many islands provided a safe-haven to all but the most aggressive slave traders.
Formerly for military purposes, the tribe was divided into administrative units by geographical location. The Lashibi defended the west, the Adotri the center, and the Woe occupied the east. All were under the rule of a loosely governing ‘central’ authority, the king called Awoamefia. He lives in Anloga
, the capital city made sacred with the presence of gods.
Historically, the power of the central authority is rarely invoked; only in times of war or in need of serious judicial counseling. The king is chosen from one of two royal clans either the Adzovia or Bate; selection does not follow the traditional monarchal rule of primogeniture. The clans rotate the designation of kings, keeping one single clan from maintaining power. The selection is made by the elders of the clan from several candidates presented by the various sections of the clan. The elected king holds a position of divinity living in seclusion, only dealing with the three senior chiefs in charge of the geographical regions.
These three chiefs as well as the sub-chiefs and head-men in their respective areas have jurisdiction in investigation of crimes and to settle local disputes. The involved parties do have the right to appeal to the king after a ruling has been made in a lower court. The Awoamefia is assisted by two councils in the appeals decisions and general matters. One is composed of the elders of each clan; the other consists of the three military chiefs. Historically the council of elders is more influential based on the Anlo belief that the power of the king is vested in the people. “Du menca fia me o. Fiaenca du me” (The people do not live with the King. It is the King who lives with the people). If the King ruled out of favor of the people they had the right to replace him.
The smallest unit within a lineage is a hut; this is either a wife and her unmarried children or the same with the husband as well. There is a practice of polygyny
although a small percentage of men actually have more than one wife. The man is the head of the household or afe and can act without interference except from his father. There is a large respect for elders and as long as a father is around the son is expected to comply with any of his demands.
. This god is believed to be all powerful and everywhere at once. There are no shrines or devotional ceremonies because of this omnipresent belief and instead the people practice religion through lower level divinities. These include: Yewe, Afa, Eda, Nana, Mamiwota, etc. The first two being the most popular, each having a membership initiation process to worship.
Yewe is the god of thunder and lightning. When members are initiated under Yewe, a Yewe name is at a graduation ceremony. The person’s old name now becomes taboo and if used, the speaker can be put in front of a council of priests to be sentenced to pay a large fine.
Afa is the astral god of divination, also the younger brother of Yewe. Members do not get new names and keep their birth names. Performances are at the forefront of devotional activities for Afa. Members and non-members celebrate Afa together however the non-member must wear white clothing and can not dance next to a member unless at a funeral. If these rituals are not followed properly, non-members are fined.
Funeral donations are a main focus in the proceedings of the ceremonies due to the high cost of an Anglo funeral. Costs include the coffin, burial clothes, public dances, food and alcohol, also guest accommodations.
In present day, in a more modernized and mobile society these funeral ceremonies usually take place over a single weekend several weeks after death to allow for distant relatives to prepare and accommodate work.
In Anlo-Ewe society, funerals are the most likely places to see the colorful performances of dance-drumming groups. A lively and spectacular performance usually follows the life of an honorable and involved member of the community. Sometimes distant family members may even commission performances months after death if they could not be present at the actual funeral.
Newborn Anlo Ewe boys are circumcised on the seventh day after their birth. They are also named on this day. Newborn Anlo Ewe girls have their ears pierced on the seventh day after their births. They are named on that day.
Ethnic group
An ethnic group is a group of people whose members identify with each other, through a common heritage, often consisting of a common language, a common culture and/or an ideology that stresses common ancestry or endogamy...
of about 6 million people, inhabiting the southeastern part of Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
from the Eastern shore of the Volta River
Volta River
The Volta is a river in western Africa that drains into the Gulf of Guinea. It has three main tributaries—the Black Volta, White Volta and Red Volta...
to the border of Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
and Togo
Togo
Togo, officially the Togolese Republic , is a country in West Africa bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, on which the capital Lomé is located. Togo covers an area of approximately with a population of approximately...
known as the Volta Region; meanwhile, a majority of Ewe are also located in the entire southern half of Togo. They are a patrilineal society governed by a hierarchal, centralized authority. Their language (self-name Anlogbe) is a dialect of the Ewe language
Ewe language
Ewe is a Niger–Congo language spoken in Ghana, Togo and Benin by approximately six million people. Ewe is part of a cluster of related languages commonly called Gbe, spoken in southeastern Ghana, Togo, and parts of Benin. Other Gbe languages include Fon, Gen, Phla Phera, and Aja...
, itself part of the Gbe
Gbe languages
The Gbe languages form a cluster of about twenty related languages stretching across the area between eastern Ghana and western Nigeria. The total number of speakers of Gbe languages is between four and eight million. The most widely spoken Gbe language is Ewe , followed by Fon...
language cluster. The Ewe religion is centered around a supreme god Mawu
Mawu
In Dahomey mythology, Mawu is a creator goddess, associated with the sun and moon. In some myths, she is the twin sister-wife of the male god Lisa; in others, both deities are aspects of the same androgynous or hermaphroditic deity, Mawu-Lisa...
and several intermediate divinities.
Etymology
The name nlo (of Anlo) is said to derive from the Ewe term 'nlo' which means rolling up or folding into oneself.History
The Ewe people are traced back to their original settlement in the Oyo region of western NigeriaNigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
. It is thought they migrated to their present home from Notsie
Notsé
Notsé is a town in the Plateaux Region of Togo. It is the capital of Haho Prefecture and is situated 95 km north of the capital Lomé. The town was formed around 1600 by the Ewe people, after they were displaced westward by the expansion of the Yoruba....
, Togo
Togo
Togo, officially the Togolese Republic , is a country in West Africa bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, on which the capital Lomé is located. Togo covers an area of approximately with a population of approximately...
sometime in the later part of the seventeenth century. The move is said to be more of an escape than migration from a regime change in the city. Upon first arrival in Notsie, the current king, Adela Atogble, received them well, but after his death the successor, Ago Akoli, ruled oppressively upon the Ewe. He ordered all elders killed . The city of Notsie was circumscribed by a large defensive wall which became a barrier to the Ewe devising escape. Upon consultation of the hidden elder, Tegli, the Ewe came up with an extravagant plan of escape. For days the women of the group would moisten the wall in one place during their daily clothes washing activities. When the wall was weak enough, the plan then culminated in the gathering of all the Ewe, Tegli drawing the “Sword of Liberation” summoning the gods, and piercing the wall proclaiming, “O Mawuga Kitkata, wuwo na mi ne miadogo, azo adzo” (Oh great God Kitikana, open the door for us so that we walk through).
Upon arrival in Ghana, most groups formed villages in coastal regions, the largest being Keta and Anloga
Anloga
Anloga is a town in Keta District of the Volta Region in southeast Ghana, West Africa. It lies east of the Volta River and just south of the Keta Lagoon.-History:...
. Other settlements include Denu, Aflao, Dzelukofe, Kedzi, Dzita, and Tegbi many of which are associated with the slave trade that tormented Ewe populations. A northern migration was the result of frequent slave raids and spread the Ewe people throughout the Keta Lagoon, the largest lagoon in Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
. The shallow waters and many islands provided a safe-haven to all but the most aggressive slave traders.
Political System
The current political system stems from the necessity of militant organization to deal with slave traders in the 17th and 18th centuries. Upon arrival in the Volta region the Ewe people split into smaller subtribes or chiefdoms. Each was autonomous but acknowledged that they are all a single people. The Anlo is one of these tribes traditionally consisting of thirty-six towns around the Keta Lagoon.Formerly for military purposes, the tribe was divided into administrative units by geographical location. The Lashibi defended the west, the Adotri the center, and the Woe occupied the east. All were under the rule of a loosely governing ‘central’ authority, the king called Awoamefia. He lives in Anloga
Anloga
Anloga is a town in Keta District of the Volta Region in southeast Ghana, West Africa. It lies east of the Volta River and just south of the Keta Lagoon.-History:...
, the capital city made sacred with the presence of gods.
Historically, the power of the central authority is rarely invoked; only in times of war or in need of serious judicial counseling. The king is chosen from one of two royal clans either the Adzovia or Bate; selection does not follow the traditional monarchal rule of primogeniture. The clans rotate the designation of kings, keeping one single clan from maintaining power. The selection is made by the elders of the clan from several candidates presented by the various sections of the clan. The elected king holds a position of divinity living in seclusion, only dealing with the three senior chiefs in charge of the geographical regions.
These three chiefs as well as the sub-chiefs and head-men in their respective areas have jurisdiction in investigation of crimes and to settle local disputes. The involved parties do have the right to appeal to the king after a ruling has been made in a lower court. The Awoamefia is assisted by two councils in the appeals decisions and general matters. One is composed of the elders of each clan; the other consists of the three military chiefs. Historically the council of elders is more influential based on the Anlo belief that the power of the king is vested in the people. “Du menca fia me o. Fiaenca du me” (The people do not live with the King. It is the King who lives with the people). If the King ruled out of favor of the people they had the right to replace him.
The Clan
The Anlo-Ewe is a patrilineal people. Members each belong to a clan in which they believe to have descended along the male line. In most of the larger settlements all of the clans are represented, sometimes by more than one lineage. Lineages are defined as a branch of the clan in which the male and female members can trace relationships back to a common male ancestor. The lineage, in contrast to the clan, is exogamous. Each lineage has its own symbols, ancestral shrine, common property and a lineage head. The head is usually the oldest surviving member of the lineage. He has the final say in most all decisions and disputes and regulates all dealings with lineage interests including land dispersal. On top of secular activities, the lineage head is also the chief priest. He leads many of the ceremonies and serves as the link between the living and dead as all religious offerings are presented to him.The smallest unit within a lineage is a hut; this is either a wife and her unmarried children or the same with the husband as well. There is a practice of polygyny
Polygyny
Polygyny is a form of marriage in which a man has two or more wives at the same time. In countries where the practice is illegal, the man is referred to as a bigamist or a polygamist...
although a small percentage of men actually have more than one wife. The man is the head of the household or afe and can act without interference except from his father. There is a large respect for elders and as long as a father is around the son is expected to comply with any of his demands.
Kinship Terminology
| Male ego: | |||||
| Child (both sexes) | Vinye | ||||
| Sibling (both sexes) | Novi | ||||
| Female sibling child | - | Male sibling child | - | Mother | Dada |
| Father | Fofo | ||||
| Mother’s Sister | Daga | ||||
| Father’ Sister | Ete | ||||
| Mother’s Brother | Nyrui | ||||
| Father’s Brother | Todia | ||||
| Grandfather | Togbi | ||||
| Grandmother | Mama |
Religion
Traditionally the Anlo-Ewe have one supreme God Mawuga Kitikana or just MawuMawu
In Dahomey mythology, Mawu is a creator goddess, associated with the sun and moon. In some myths, she is the twin sister-wife of the male god Lisa; in others, both deities are aspects of the same androgynous or hermaphroditic deity, Mawu-Lisa...
. This god is believed to be all powerful and everywhere at once. There are no shrines or devotional ceremonies because of this omnipresent belief and instead the people practice religion through lower level divinities. These include: Yewe, Afa, Eda, Nana, Mamiwota, etc. The first two being the most popular, each having a membership initiation process to worship.
Yewe is the god of thunder and lightning. When members are initiated under Yewe, a Yewe name is at a graduation ceremony. The person’s old name now becomes taboo and if used, the speaker can be put in front of a council of priests to be sentenced to pay a large fine.
Afa is the astral god of divination, also the younger brother of Yewe. Members do not get new names and keep their birth names. Performances are at the forefront of devotional activities for Afa. Members and non-members celebrate Afa together however the non-member must wear white clothing and can not dance next to a member unless at a funeral. If these rituals are not followed properly, non-members are fined.
Funerals
As elderly respect is in high regard in the Ewe society, funerals, traditionally, are extravagant events incorporating a multitude of events over a month’s span:- Amedigbe: The body, previously preserved with herbs, is buried on this day usually two to three days after death.
- Ndinamegbe: The day after the burial principal mourners are received.
- Nudogbe: Day for wake-keeping 4–6 days after burial.
- Yofogbe: The day after wake-keeping lineage rituals are performed and family members of the deceased receive gifts and donations for funeral expenses.
- Akontawogbe: Donations are counted three days later.
- Xomefewogbe: Several days later a final cost of the funeral is calculated and donations may be repaid or more money may be raised.
Funeral donations are a main focus in the proceedings of the ceremonies due to the high cost of an Anglo funeral. Costs include the coffin, burial clothes, public dances, food and alcohol, also guest accommodations.
In present day, in a more modernized and mobile society these funeral ceremonies usually take place over a single weekend several weeks after death to allow for distant relatives to prepare and accommodate work.
In Anlo-Ewe society, funerals are the most likely places to see the colorful performances of dance-drumming groups. A lively and spectacular performance usually follows the life of an honorable and involved member of the community. Sometimes distant family members may even commission performances months after death if they could not be present at the actual funeral.
Newborn Anlo Ewe boys are circumcised on the seventh day after their birth. They are also named on this day. Newborn Anlo Ewe girls have their ears pierced on the seventh day after their births. They are named on that day.
See also
- Gbe languagesGbe languagesThe Gbe languages form a cluster of about twenty related languages stretching across the area between eastern Ghana and western Nigeria. The total number of speakers of Gbe languages is between four and eight million. The most widely spoken Gbe language is Ewe , followed by Fon...
- Ewe languageEwe languageEwe is a Niger–Congo language spoken in Ghana, Togo and Benin by approximately six million people. Ewe is part of a cluster of related languages commonly called Gbe, spoken in southeastern Ghana, Togo, and parts of Benin. Other Gbe languages include Fon, Gen, Phla Phera, and Aja...
- Ewe musicEwe musicEwe music is the music of the Ewe people of West Africa. Instrumentation is primarily percussive and rhythmically the music features great metrical complexity. Its highest form is in dance music including a drum orchestra, but there are also work, play, and other songs. Despite his title Ewe music...
- Rulers of the Ewe state of AnloRulers of the Ewe state of Anlo-List of Rulers of the Ewe state of Anlo:-See also:*Ewe*Ghana*Gold Coast*Lists of Incumbents...
Further reading
- Clements, George N. (1977) 'Four tones from three: the extra-high tone in Anlo Ewe'. In Kotey and Der-Houssikian (eds.) Language and linguistic problems in Africa. South Carolina: Hornbeam Press Inc.
- Clements, George N. (1985) 'Downdrift in a tone language with four tone levels'. In York Papers in Linguistics 15, July, pp. 33–40
- Geurts, Kathryn (2003) Culture and the Senses: Bodily Ways of Knowing in an African Community. Santa Barbara: University of California Press.