KWABLA has entered into partnerships with artisans of the Ewé culture from Ghana. To browse KWABLA's catalogue of goods or listing of artisans from the Ewé culture, click on the icons at the bottom of the page. The people of the Ewé tribe are predominantly found in the southeastern part of Ghana, in the Volta Region, as well as in the southern parts of neighboring Togo and Benin. The Volta Region of Ghana has derived its name from Lake Volta, the largest man-made lake in the world. The Ewés are believed to have migrated to Ghana from Togo in the fifteenth century. Unlike the Ashanti tribe, the founder of a particular Ewé community automatically becomes the chief and is usually succeeded by his paternal relatives. The chief is essentially a ceremonial figure assisted by a council of elders. Chiefdoms can range from a few hundred people in one or two villages to several thousand people in numerous villages. The Ewé have over 600 deities to turn to in times of need. Many village celebrations and ceremonies take place in honour of one or more deities. The image above is the cap of a ceremonial umbrella that usually accompanies an Ewé tribal chief. Usually wrapped in gold leaf, the umbrella serves two purposes for the Ewé tribal chief. First, these umbrellas shade the chief from the hot African sun and secondly to let everyone know where the chief is located in a large crowd. Ewés are primarily subsistence farmers and keepers of small amounts of livestock. Fishing is an important aspect of the livelihood of the Ewé people because of their close proximity to Lake Volta. The Ewés also do some craft specialization, specifically the Ewés, like the Ashanti, weave kente cloth. The geometrical patterns created by the Ewés in their kente cloth contain symbolic designs handed down through the ages. Historically, local variations in economic activities between Ewé villages has permitted a great deal of trade between one community and another, which is mainly carried out by women. To browse KWABLA's catalogue of goods or listing of artisans from the Ewé tribe of Ghana, click on the icons below. Catalogue of Goods from the Ewé Tribal Culture Listing of Artisans from the Ewé Tribal Culture