An image of the Ewe people of Ghana
The Origin and Migration of the Ewe
The Ewe settled to the east of the Ga-Dangme and on
the right bank of the Volta. In fact, the Ewe extend across the eastern border
of Ghana into the southern half of the Republic of Togo. Tradition says that
they have not always lived in their present home, but emigrated from Ketu, a
town in the modern Republic of Benin. The Ewe migrants first stayed at Tado,
east of Mono River for some time and later crossed the Mono River and moved
westwards. The next important stop that the ancestors of the Ewe made was at
Notsie (Nuatja). This town was walled round, and the entire community lived
within the walls, each group living in its special quarter under its own chief
or head and in turn, all the people were ruled by one supreme king. One of the
kings, Agokoli, proved to be a particularly harsh ruler. To free themselves
from his tyranny, the people decided to flee from the town. The women were,
therefore, asked to empty all bath waters and any waste water against the wall
to soften and desecrate it. This they did in secrecy at the dead of night, and
dispersed to populate the territory between the southern portion of the river
Mono in the east and the river Volta in the west. It is quite probable that
overpopulation and land hunger also played a part in the exodus.
A group under Aga went south-west and settled east of
the River Volta (the Agave). Another group settled in the coastal plain (Anlo).
A third section moved north-west and settled in the upland and valley region
east of the Volta (they included the Asogli, Adaklu, Yorve, Ve, Akpini, Have,
Gbi, Anfoe etc.)
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