In the Volta Region of Ghana, a wedding is more than an agreement between two people. Among the Ewe, it is the joining of two families, sometimes two clans, and the elders take the process seriously. Before any church ceremony or reception, the families meet for customary rites. The groom’s people come with drinks and gifts, spokesmen speak in proverbs, prayers are offered and the bride’s family gives its consent. Ewe kente cloth, woven in bright colours and complex patterns, often makes the day even more striking.
The Ewe and the first visit
The Ewe live mainly in the Volta Region of Ghana and in southern Togo, with communities across Ghana and abroad. Ewe marriage traditionally begins with family consent. A man’s relatives approach the woman’s family to express interest. The groom’s family visits with drinks to announce their intention, similar to the knocking ceremony in other Ghanaian cultures.
Each family appoints elders who speak on its behalf. The conversation is formal, with proverbs and humour. The bride’s family may present a list of items requested from the groom, which can include drinks, cloth, jewellery and money.
Drinks, bride price and kente
Schnapps and other drinks play an important role in prayers and libation, as well as in hospitality. Elders pour libation and pray for the couple, asking ancestors and God for blessings. A bride price is paid as a sign of respect and commitment, not as a purchase. Ewe kente, woven in towns such as Agotime-Kpetoe, is known for its rich colours and symbolic patterns. Couples often wear matching kente.
Guests may be served akple with okro soup or other Volta dishes. Drumming and dances such as borborbor often follow the ceremony.
Church weddings and modern changes
Many couples also hold a church wedding and register their marriage under civil law. Some families simplify the list or combine ceremonies to save costs. Ask an older relative to explain your family’s customs before the day, because practices differ from town to town. Agree early on who will speak for each family, and confirm the list of items in good time so nobody is rushing to buy drinks on the morning of the ceremony.
Many Ewe couples say the hardest part of the customary rites is getting through the long speeches. The elders say the speeches are the point.
