It's Hogbe Weekend and in this video, Prof DEK Amenumey takes us on a journey of understanding Ewe People: the culture, their history and one of their major festivals celebrated by the Anlo, Hogbetsotso
Thank you for this interview. I have his book “The Ewe in Pre-Colonial Times”. Much respect for him. The only point I would like us to critically examine is when he said that we had no names for the days of the week, and that the old chiefs didn’t have day names. The reason we don’t mention the day names of the chiefs or leaders in our oral traditions is because 1) when one becomes a chief, all are forbidden from referring to them by their original names. They take on new names. 2) Names in oral traditions are not birth names. They are given to the characters based on their attributes and circumstances, and they can equally change based on those factors. In his late 1800’s research on the Eʋe people, the German Jakob Spieth documents an Eʋe kings bearing the name King Kofi. In 1660 the Dutch began conducting their slave trade at Ouidah which they called “Fida ”. Fida is clearly Friday in Eʋegbe. Some accounts say when they arrived at the coast, they ask the inhabitants what the name of the place was, thinking the Dutch were asking about what day it was, said “Fida”. I can’t verify that account, however it is well documented that the Dutch called the then Eʋe town of Ouidah "Fida". This was at a time when the Akwamu were of no influence or significance to the Eʋe people. The days of the week and the associated names are known among all Eʋe people whether we are in Ghana 🇬🇭, Togo 🇹🇬, Benin 🇧🇯 or SW Nigeria 🇳🇬. This is not so for the Akans whom the professor is crediting as the originators. There are 8 million Akan Baoule people in La Côte d’Ivoire 🇨🇮 to whom our day names are foreign. Moreover those days have their meanings in Eʋegbe and I’d be happy to break them down to anyone who is interested in knowing. We must stop crediting others for things that are intrinsic to our culture.
@@elikemadjaho9181 The days of the week and their associated names are widely recognized among the Eʋe people across Ghana, Togo, Benin, and southwestern Nigeria. However, this is not the case for the Akan people, whom Prof. Amenumey and others credit as the originators of day names. In fact there are approximately 8 million Akan Baoule people in Côte d'Ivoire who do not recognize our day names. Only the Akans in Ghana use our day names. These are the Ivoirien Akan days of the week: Sunday- Mɔnnɛn Monday- Kisie Tuesday- Jɔlɛ Wednesday- Mlan Thursday- We Friday- Ya Saturday- Fue Interestingly, although these Baoule days are completely different from the day names in Ghana, some of the born-names are similar but used on different days. ie a male born on a Tuesday is called Kouajo and a female Ajua. Notwithstanding, shall we concede that the suffix “ɖa”is Akan? Perhaps only if there’s truly no meaning in Eʋegbe. But there is a meaning. Where the Eʋe say “Gbe” or “Ŋkeke" for “Day”, the Akan say “Ɖa”. Here’s the meaning in Eʋegbe: the suffix “ɖa” in Eʋegbe is a contracted form of the Eʋe word “ɖagbe”, meaning good fortune/serendipity, etc. Ɖagbe is often used during prayers. It is often said “Ɖagbe ne va", meaning let good fortune, serendipity, etc, come. When we say “Dzoɖagbe”, we are simply invoking good fortune into the day. While it is true that the Eʋe people have day names based on various professions, such as farming and fishing, we also use the widely recognized mainstream day names. For instance, farmers have their own set of day names related to farming activities, and similarly, fishermen have their own day names related to fishing. However, these profession-based day names do not have equivalent born-day names. As I mentioned earlier, the mainstream day names are universally used across all Eʋe communities. Interestingly, these day names also have roots in farming, which is a common practice among our communities, even if their primary occupation is something else, like weaving. Let's delve deeper into the meanings of these day names in the Eʋegbe language, focusing on the prefixes and root words, building on our previous discussion of the suffix "ɖa". Sunday Kɔsiɖa “Kɔ asi” =Take hands/lift hands: Begin working with hands Monday Dzoɖa “Dzo” = Go /depart : depart for the farm Tuesday Blaɖa “Bla” = Bind or tie: has to do with gathering the weeds and twigs on the farm. Bla also means to prepare or get ready. Wednesday Kuɖa “Nuku/Ku” = Seed/a thing that dies : a day to put seeds in the ground. Ku also means death. The seed has to die to germinate. In a Biblical context (the Eʋes are Biblical Israelites. If you didn’t know, then I suggest you watch this well researched presentation, then come back and finish reading this article ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-MNA0CLY97RE.htmlsi=61EdgEqMZd6sDxYs ), some believe that Wednesday was Yesu’s crucifixion or dying day (The seed died) Matthew 12:24 . Thursday Yaoɖa “Ayawo / yawo” = Winds: plants need good wind to grow / yawo also means to cut them/ a day to weed the farm Friday Fida “Afi” = Ashes: Farmer sets fire to the farm after weeds or after harvest. Saturday Memlɛɖa “Mamlɛ” = The Last day (This was a traditional day of rest among the Eʋes. According to Spieth, while even on the battlefield our people used to pause the fighting on this day and resumed afterwords). I hope this article has helped you understand that the day names widely used in Ghana actually originate from the Eʋe people, who utilize them consistently across various regions, including Ghana, Togo, Benin, and Nigeria. Notably, this is in contrast to the Akan people, who only use these day names in Ghana and not in Côte d'Ivoire, where they are also present in significant numbers. This highlights the significance of Eʋe culture and language in shaping the West African region.
Kafui Dey, it sounds like you’re aware of Papavi’s journey. During your quest if you could get access to papavi’s book could you hit me up, please. Thanks for the great work you’re doing.
Very true the VR was never a part of the Gold Coast. The three original territories were the Western territory, Southern and the Eastern territories. The Western being the border region to Cote d'ivore while the Eastern territory was the last eastern GC territory before the ''German Togoland''. This truth remains valid till now. VR is now the far most eastern part of Ghana but Ghana still has an Eastern region stuck somewhere in the middle of the country? Do you know why the ''Akyem mafias'' want it to remain so, or do we think they lose their sense of geography? They're not under any illusion that that territory is still the border region to another nation. It may become a reality today or in the nearest future. The delay is purely based on how long the people remained ''ignorant and fearful'' of their own history.
It sounds like professor lacks the know how of the historical facts of Evhe people. The interviewer should get in touch with someone who was close to late President of the Western Togoland, Papa Hogbedeto. The late President wrote a book on the ancestral roots of the Evhes. As a matter of fact am trying to lay hands on Papavi’s Book. Anyone who is reading this comment can direct me to get a copy of that book, would be greatly appreciated.
@@kafuideymc whatever the case U are doing the nation a great service keep up with the education our people need it.. be safe eat well and stick around
A new identity: Anlo-Ewe. This identity is mainly an identity that came about because Anlo was entering into alliances with the heathen. This is why the historian's account is mainly a reference to Anlo history whereby war alliances were made with heathen populations from among the Akwamu. I should also say that Dr. Amenumey's accounts are hardly historical in the true sense, since he makes no reference to the Bereshyt/Genesis account of the nations that began in history. Among other Evhe groups like the Tongu and people from among Kpalime in Togo, there are many who know the true history of the Levitic descendants of Evhenyigba. Kafui, try interviewing the spiritual men who know and understand Torah to tell our history with EVIDENCE.
On the Evhe Language and Evhe History To establish true historical context of a people, we need to know their history from their perspective. The Evhe see history in terms of birthing cycles called DZIDZIME. Also, in Evhe, our word for history is BLEMA. We therefore have: 1. Tsan Blema (one generation away history) 2. Tsan, Tsan Blema (two generations away history) NOTE: From my perspective, Dr. Amenumey does not give a real contextual "BLEMA ME DZIDZIME" analysis of Evhe history based on the accounts of the Togbewo and Mamawo from one generation removed and third generation accounts. Also, we don't see the perspectives of other subgroups of Evhenyigba such as the Tongu, Anexo, and Evhedome factor into the discussion. At best, he is simply articulating the Anlo-Ewe societal norms that have evolved since the onset of Catholicism in that part of Evhenyigba in the colonial period. Akpe na mi.
Not every professor of history actually knows their own history. The Prof had in fact created many holes in his story.of the Eʋe history. Osofo Kofi Ahadzi or Midao Kumodzi would have narrated it better. Another disappointment is this mindset that Eʋe people have no miniral resources and cocoa. But when cocoa - a South America crop which was introduced by Portuguese in Fanardopo - Equatorial Guinea came to the Gold Coast? Who lied to the Prof that there were no resources in the grounds of the Eʋe people? Prof is a city Prof doing the old time speculation we were told about that we do not have "cocoa" so we have to go to school and work "hard". Kafui Dey, your Prof really "butchered" our history.
The Prof narrated our history from Oyo just as African-Americans are forced to narrate their history from the time of slavery in the US thus erasing their collective past in kingdoms in Africa way before slavery. The Prof cannot go back beyond Oyo? The Prof reemphasize the unity of Eʋe people across borders but carefully chose his words, and had denied that there was no clause of reviewing the coming of the one half of Togoland into the Gold Coast to form a union. The Prof had agreed that there was an opposition to Gbadamoshi's choice to make the Eʋe language a medium of teaching but in the same breath, he believes all is well for Eʋe people's aspirations in today's Ghana only if we become "educated", some other people will employ us outside the so-called VR as if those other people do not have their own people with equally or better education than the Eʋe child? Today's Ghana is not the same Ghana in 1972? Another hole is there''re no minerals resources and cocoa in the VR. The reason why there's no mining going on in the VR has to do with the 1956 referendum which he's very careful about what words to use. Papavi could not be hallucinating about documents that had called the GC & the WTL to be a union? There's a former parliamentarian who is aware of things and is calling on Ghana to man up and openly talk about it rather than intimidating people with police brutality and jail terms. Journalists and people with platforms are even more fearful to even dig deeper due to financial lost. .
Very true the VR was never a part of the Gold Coast. The three original territories were the Western territory, Southern and the Eastern territories. The Western being the border region to Cote d'ivore while the Eastern territory was the last eastern GC territory before the ''German Togoland''. This truth remains valid till now. VR is now the far most eastern part of Ghana but Ghana still has an Eastern region stuck somewhere in the middle of the country? Do you know why the ''Akyem mafias'' want it to remain so, or do we think they lose their sense of geography? They're not under any illusion that that territory is still the border region to another nation. It may become a reality today or in the nearest future. The delay is purely based on how long the people remained ''ignorant and fearful'' of their own history.
Very true the VR was never a part of the Gold Coast. The three original territories were the Western territory, Southern and the Eastern territories. The Western being the border region to Cote d'ivore while the Eastern territory was the last eastern GC territory before the ''German Togoland''. This truth remains valid till now. VR is now the far most eastern part of Ghana but Ghana still has an Eastern region stuck somewhere in the middle of the country? Do you know why the ''Akyem mafias'' want it to remain so, or do we think they lose their sense of geography? They're not under any illusion that that territory is still the border region to another nation. It may become a reality today or in the nearest future. The delay is purely based on how long the people remained ''ignorant and fearful'' of their own history.
