Worgbato, Klikor land in the Ketu South of the Volta Region of Ghana was founded in the year 1650 AD by my warrior ancestor King Akaga Akorli, son of King Amega Wenya after migration from Notsie, Togo. His direct descendant was the last Priest-King Xenodzi Akaga of Klikor who is now succeeded by HRM King Xenodzi Dogbey II, Gazetted King of Worgbato.
Spirituality
Our Supreme GOD is Aravat Yahweh, the Hebrew GOD whose name was transliterated as Jehovah in the Christian Bible.
We believe Jehovah manifested as Yehoshua who is Jesus Christ of Nazareth.
Language and Culture
Language:
Though our ancestral lineage is Jewish, however upon entering into Africa in the 2nd century AD, the well-known Jewish dispersion, we mixed and became part of Africans and are Africans today. We are a direct descendant of Historical Athronges (Etrongevi) a direct descendant of Jewish King Josiah father of Jehoahaz. Athronges who was made king of the Jews between 4 BC and 6AD after the death of Herod the Great in Judea disappeared after the birth of our ancestor Xenodzi Korsu Asa Gu in 6AD after his three brothers were killed by the Romans. We have a full history and complete Genealogy.
The language we speak is Ewe, a branch of ancient Paleo Hebrew. Its a language with many variances and multiple fusions, spoken by more than 6,000,000 people around the world. The Ewes live in several “duko” or communities in the south, unequally spread. We are located at the southern east of Ghana sharing a border with Togo.
We are Anlos from the ancient Jewish Clan of Ater but about 350 years ago this Ater clan was divided into fifteen(15) sub-clans of which we are of the Loafa clan. This was done by my direct ancestor King Torgbi Wenya who led a greater part of the Ewes into Present Ghana land after Migration from Notsie, Togo under King Agorkorli. Anlo dialect is not the same but what is noteworthy is that despite these different ways of expressing ourselves, the communities understand each other and can talk to each other. The Ewe language has 37 alphabets.
Culture:
We the Ewes share the same customs and beliefs. We have the same cultural heritage. Each community organizes its annual traditional festival, which tells its story, which is mainly related to our great exodus. Also, we have big annual traditional festivals that brings together all the communities together. Klikor has the Zendo Glimetsoza and Worgbato has the Worgbato za or festival in celebration of the migration and Founding of the land.
Clothing style
We produce our own fabric called Kenté. Traditionally we dress in a large loincloth in Kenté wrapped around the body, including a pan on one shoulder. We wear at the bottom of the loincloth either pants or shorts arriving at the knee. As accessories, on the head, we wear hats sewn in Kente or in another fabric.
We wear sandals for men or traditional leather mules. We put traditional pearls dotted with gold beads on the neck and wrist.
When it comes to a woman chief or queen she dresses like men with more accessories like jewellery especially in gold. Otherwise, in general, women also wear Kenté loincloth tied around the hips or around the chest. Sometimes they wear white shirts and pearls around their necks and around their wrists. The girls, on the other hand, just cover the breast and wear a skirt maintained by an invisible cord.
Today with fashion, Kente is revisited in several types of fashion. Pearls are a symbol of beauty, they also wear around the hips, ankle and arm.
Way of life
We live mainly from agriculture, livestock, hunting and trade. We live in houses with a large common yard. In the villages, the women work in the fields or do a small business, they take care of the children as well. The men also work in the fields or do other crafts such as the forge, the carpentry, etc…
In the city, women work in offices, most are businesswomen or artisans in hairdressing and sewing. Some become restaurant owners. Men also work in the offices where they are most numerous. Others engage in commerce and in the craft industry.
On the marital plane, there are most polygamous, especially in the villages but in recent times more monogamous. The wedding is done in a traditional way. We also opt for civil marriage if we wish. Corn and cassava paste mixed commonly called Akple and Banku is our main food. It is accompanied with sauce, including the famous sauce Adémè which is oily sauce with green leaves. The dough also comes with Fétri (okra sauce), Gboma (spinach sauce), palm nut juice sauce and many more.
On the table, water is usually found in a glass and a jug of water, a plate containing the dough, and another containing the sauce. Below the table, the water for washing hands is placed in another large plate in the form of a salad bowl.
It is forbidden to eat with the left hand (considered impure). It is also forbidden to converse during the meal.
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The prohibitions around food are diverse. In the Ewe, dads eat alone at the table. The children and the wives were eating together in another corner each with his plate sitting on a long bench or seat. Today some sit at the Western table. The meal is composed only of the main course, which is still current among the people of West Africa.
Written by:
HRM King Torgbi Xenodzi Dogbey II
King of Worgbato Kingdom of Klikor.
