Ewe culture, arts, design

A ASIWÒME  - It means that in your hands. What is in whose hands? All things are in the hands of God. ANYO:  It shall be well. AGBEKO:  Only life AGBENYEGA:  Life is precious or life is great. AMENYO : Human is good or precious. AMEWUGA : Human is more precious than money. ABL ɔ DE : Freedom ASEYE  - Praise AKPE  - The name that means thanks.  AKPENE : Thanks to God. AWUSHIE  - When a female is born with a fleshy-like cloth, this is the name given to her aside from any other names she might be given. AGBENYA  - Means the word of life. A name like this given to mostly males is an indication of the authority and power of words and in this case the word that carries life. ATSU - Given to a male who is a twin with the twin pair being a girl. ATSU Ƒ I - Given to a girl twin with twin pair being a boy. AWOENAM:  God will do it for me. A Ƒ EKE : Root of the house. ASIWOME:  In God's hands. AKORFA / AK ɔ FA   - Consolation A Ƒ EAFA: ...

We are about to climb a hill upon which an interesting event unfolded and it happens to be full of humour but coupled with lessons to grasp and never let go. Gari is the food and the matter around which this whole event revolves. It is a food considered by the less financially privileged as the easy to afford and quick to eat food product. A good product you can find in many countries especially in Africa. Deep in villages where cassava farms are very common, commercial gari production is a business that sustains livelihoods from generation to generation.  The varieties of easy to prepare recipes it can make all account to why students always have it as part of their goodies for school.  Its ability to stay healthy for long without spoilage is a much added advantage . Very affordable as compared to other locally produced food substances. A young man of middle age liked eating gari in various forms like soakings, gari with stew, gari mixed with soup etc.  For him what peop...

I remember very well how enthused I was to learn Twi even before getting the chance to live among people who speak Twi daily. Learning a new language should be fun and interesting and more interesting is if there is a strong desire to learn. Like other languages, we start by trying our best to speak the basics of the language.   One benefit of learning a new language is how it improves memory performance. But getting the chance to live among Twi natives however didn't make it so easy for me to learn as I still continue to learn. One thing that makes this difficult is the fear of been laughed at because you will sound weird while trying to speak. Twi Language is noted to be cool and  so it isn't hard to learn either. To say 'Thank you' in Twi is 'Medaase'.  God in Twi is 'Onyankopon' or 'Nyame'. Now when expression for what God has done, mostly we say 'God has done it' How then do you say 'God has done it'?  This is "Nyame ay3...

Culturally and according to some beliefs, twins are regarded among many ethnic groups in Ghana as special human beings. The reasons can make a long list and when we take it from the perspective of Biology, it is a miracle and a wonder to marvel at. From the mere fact that twins are biologically special and when they happen to be alike it is a whole wonder. As you move along reading this article, you will get to learn a few things you may not have heard about twins and who they are perceived.  Earlier, it has been stated that parents probably will be regarded as the first to marvel at given birth to twins and they would even be at a better place to narrate the experience of having twins.  Twins are called '' EVEN ɔ VI ' in the Ewe Language. Twins, as born from the same mother have a lot of things in common and even most especially like twins. Male - male twins When the twins happen to be both males, they are called: Atsu and Ets3 . The elderly is 'Atsu' and 'Ets3...

Tradition and believe are one of the common foundations for Ewe names but even as society picks up change, new integrations are embraced for a refined culture. Past were those times where there was a narrowed belief of the people in that the paramount belief one could come across is the traditional belief.  However, society has tremendously evolved and this has given everyone the chance to hold fast to that which he deems good and fit. And in a country where diversity is welcomed without infringement on the 'Right to Worship' of anyone, the belief has a role to play in how newborn babies are named. WORLA in Ewe language means 'creator' or in another instance, 'doer'. This word therefore, is a noun and can refer to any person at all in any instance depending on a specific circumstance or happening.  However, naming a child as 'Worla' moves further from the literal meaning of the word and the subject many will think of. This then takes me to the focus n...

A few Ewe words are provided below with their meanings in English. The world xexea earth anyigba sun ɣ e moon dzi Ƞ star ɣ letivi water tsi soil eke clay anyi forest ave wood atsikpakp3 beach Ƒ uta well vudo sea atsa Ƒ u

Gbɔgbɔ kɔkɔe kplɔ la nyuie Gbɔgbɔ kɔkɔe kplɔ la nyuie Le Kristo tɔ wo xa ɖa Le mia lɔ nu ye kplɔ mi Gbe dzi mɔzɔla siawo LuƲɔ gbɔdzɔ kpɔ dzidzɔ Labe gbe vivi la ɖi Dze yo nye me mɔzɔla Va makplɔ wò yi aƑe English Version Holy Spirit Faithful Guide Holy Spirit faithful guide Ever near the Christian side Gently lead us by the hand Pilgrims in a desert land Weary souls fore'er rejoice While they hear Thy sweetest voice Whispering softly wonder come, follow me I'll guide thee home Ever present, truest Friend, ever near Thine aid to lend, Leave us not to doubt and fear, groping on in darkness drear. When the storms are raging sore, hearts grow faint and hopes give o'er. Whispering softly, "Wanderer, come, follow Me, I'll guide thee home." When our days of toil cease, waiting still for sweet release, Nothing left but heaven and prayer, wondering if our names are there; Wading deep the dismal flood, pleading naught but Jesus' blood, Whispering ...

You would think vehicles are very common nowadays so it is an automatic obligation to onboard a car anytime you want to travel even a short distance. It has not been any regret that I stayed with some really old guys from whom I heard many real life stories of how our forefathers kept themselves fit and lived to a good old age.  One day whilst in class, an art teacher who taught Painting narrated how he used to walk barefoot a long distance to school and back for a long time before eventually getting a foot wear. According to him, though it was an unforgettable experience for him, such an experience or lifestyle greatly helped people live long and stayed healthy. The secret is having a good lifestyle but this lifestyle has to be rightly defined and rightly practiced. Walking a long distance isn't a joke or a child's play but it becomes easy to do when the understanding of the benefits are known.  Walking everyday for about three months and covering a distance of 7 km or more e...

Explore different everyday expressions translated from English Language to Ewe Language in this writing. 1) How are you? Èf ɔ a? Aleke nè f ɔ e? Asking someone 'how are you'? is a very polite act. In Ewe, young people only use this expression among their peers but not to an elderly. In other words, it is the elderly that would ask a younger individual 'Èfoa?' and the young person responds, ' Me ɖ e kuku mef ɔ ' or ' Me ɖ e kuku 3'.  2) How's the family? Alekee nye Ƒ omea? It is used commonly among adults when trying to ask of the welfare of one another's family whether the extended or nuclear. The family is called  ' Ƒ ome' and it goes beyond parents and children.  3) Long time no see! Mīe do go edzidzi Having missed a friend for years or even days, our expressions is like ' Long time no see!' and what follows next is definitely a handshake for men and for females maybe a hug. Meet two Ewe natives conversating after years of not ...

I wrote about attributes of God in Ewe and provided their meanings in English Language and the inputs from my audience show how interested people are in this topic. Delve deep into attributes of God in Ewe Language and get some fascinating information. Attributes of God in Ewe are normally common in that they are taken as names for children or individuals as names are regarded highly as an influencer in the life of every human being especially in our culture. Mawulolo This attributes means that God is great. With a look at the tremendous creation man sees around him, the Ewes do recognize the hand of the Supreme God who brought all things into existence. Again, naming a child "MAWULOLO" is profound. Another similar attribute to 'Mawulolo' is 'Mawuenyega' and all speak about the greatness of God. In the olden days as history would narrate dangers and threats in all forms, couples who happen to sail safely through unforeseen hazards and are able to give birth ca...

Late night eating is a no no advice from health experts due to complications that can result after. But has people heeded to this advice? It will surprise you that amidst all the shouting and education about late night eating, we find it difficult keeping this discipline. When you want to find out why, then it will be disclosed that many reasons are the causative factors why it is hard keeping this discipline. Quite a few times I have tried completing meals early enough but it working into the night kind of makes it hard maintaining such a discipline. All because after a hard day's work and strive, something must be ingested to generate some energy. It seems funny but it is the truth shared by many who find it hard to prevent late night eating. Akple also called in some cases as banku is an energy-giving food that contains carbohydrate as the major food nutrient. As a farmer, when you eat this food whether in the morning before setting out to farm or in the afternoon, you are assur...