Info For Y'all Avatime People: Akan (Ahanta) People Living Inwards Volta Percentage In Addition To Their Amu (Rice) Festival
Avatime people also known every bit Afatime, Sideme, or Sia are Akan people that talk Siya or Siyase Kwa linguistic communication which belongs to the larger Voltaic (Niger)-Congo ethnolinguistic grouping inward the Volta part of Republic of Ghana where they are surrounded past times the larger Ewe people. The Avatime linguistic communication is also knows every bit Siya or Siyase past times its speakers, who refer to themselves every bit Kedanima (m.sing. Kedone, f.sing. Kededze). "Avatime" is the Ewe appellation.
Avatime people
The Avatime people alive primarily inward the vii towns as well as villages of Amedzofe, Vane, Gbadzeme, Dzokpe, Biakpe, Dzogbefeme, as well as Fume. Avatime population is pose at roughly 24,000 people.
The 2d highest mount inward Ghana, GEMI, is found inward the expanse located inward Avatime, so the highest human settlement holler for inward Republic of Ghana tin live found inward Avatime Traditional Area.
There seems to live caves, canyons, real refreshing waterfalls as well as attractive woods conducive for the tillage of tea, potatoes as well as rice. (AMU is the local refer for dark-brown rice, hence the celebration of the Annual Amu Festival). On concern human relationship of the serene atmosphere, the German linguistic communication missionaries settled at Avatime where their graves are located every bit a tourist attraction.
Gemi Mountain, Avatime,Volta Region,Ghana
Geography
The Avatime expanse is quite tropical, but because of the hills it has a relatively cool climate. This climate offers the people chance to engage inward farming. Three of the Avatime villages (Old Dzokpe, New Dzokpe as well as Fume) are located at the human foot of the mount arrive at as well as the other 5 (Gbadzeme, Biakpa, Dzogbefeme, Vane as well as Amedzofe) are at altitudes varying from 400 to 800 meters higher upward bounding main level.
View of Avatime-Biakpa as well as the Biakpa-Fume road.
Avatime is bordered to the W past times Nyangbo as well as Tafi, ii languages closely related to it. North of Avatime is Logba, a to a greater extent than distantly related GTM linguistic communication as well as to the S as well as eastward are Ewe speaking groups.
Avatime Hills, Ghana
Language
Avatime, also known every bit Afatime, Sideme, or Sia, is a Kwa linguistic communication of larger Niger-Congo phylum. Sia (Siya) linguistic communication of the Avatime (Kedone) people of Volta part of Republic of Ghana "belongs to a grouping of languages called Ghana-Togo Mountain (GTM) languages. Whether this grouping is a genetic unity or non is silent disputed, but the languages convey some typological characteristics inward mutual which laid them apart from most other Kwa languages, the most notably their noun-class systems." The Avatime alive primarily inward the vii towns as well as villages of Amedzofe, Vane, Gbadzeme, Dzokpe, Biakpe, Dzogbefeme, as well as Fume. the linguistic communication is spoken past times over 31,000 people inward Ghana.
Avatime Elders
Avatime is a tonal linguistic communication with iii tones, has vowel harmony, as well as has been claimed to convey doubly articulated fricatives. Avatime has nine vowels, /i ɪ e ɛ a ɔ o ʊ u/, though the vowels /ɪ ʊ/ convey been overlooked inward most descriptions of the language. It is non clear if the divergence betwixt /i e o u/ as well as /ɪ ɛ ɔ ʊ/ is i of advanced as well as retracted natural language root (laryngeal contraction), every bit inward so many languages of Ghana, or of vowel height: dissimilar phonetic parameters back upward dissimilar analyses.
Avatime dancers
Avatime has vowel harmony. H5N1 root many non mix vowels of the relaxed /i e o u/ as well as contracted /ɪ ɛ a ɔ ʊ/ sets, as well as prefixes alter vowels to harmonize with the vowels of the root. For example, the human singular sex prefix is /ɔ o/, as well as the human plural is /a e/: /o-ze/ "thief", /ɔ-ka/ "father"; /be-ze/ "thieves", /ba-ka/ "fathers"; also /o-bu/ "bee" but /ɔ-bʊ/ "god."
Ewe is the linguistic communication of the wider expanse as well as it is used inward the Avatime expanse every bit the linguistic communication of instruction inward the commencement years of primary schoolhouse as well as inward church building services. Therefore, most Avatimes talk Ewe every bit their 2d language. Many people also talk some English, which is the national linguistic communication of Republic of Ghana as well as medium of instruction inward the later years of primary schoolhouse as well as inward secondary school.
Avatime people at their Waterfall
History/Origin
The Avatime are an Akan people who alive inward Volta part of Ghana. History has it that they are Ahanta people who migrated to the Volta part simply every bit the Fante people (mostly fishermen from Elmina) migrated to Togo as well as finally Dahomey (Benin) to Mina tribe there.
The mystery pot found inward a cave at Biakpa inward Avatime.It dates dorsum to many years proving that the indigenous Vaya (Guan) people has been inward Republic of Ghana since the Stone Age
However, Kwame Ampene, the folkloric historian as well as the Founder of the Guan Historical Society relying on an oral history he claimed was divulged to him past times one Mr Asem, an indigene of Avatime hold that the Avatime people migrated from Igboland, sojourned amidst the Ahanta people for a fourth dimension as well as proceeded to their concluding goal inward the Volta region. He asserted that "The master copy homeland of the nuclear Avatime, is a hard historical employment which has so far defied whatever satisfactory solution.
The hamlet foursquare of Amedzofe, with the main (before the tree sitting inward a white robe) as well as his advisers. The course of instruction is both assembly as well as playground. Circa 1894
However, it appears on the reason of oral tradition, that the founding fathers of Avatime (in key share of the Volta Region); the Agotime (near Ho) as well as the Gafe (in Togo) were migrant-neighbours from Iboland inward southern Nigeria where they broke off from the main stock. How they later divided themselves into iii distinct groups is a query which perhaps, nosotros shall non been able to answer.
After hiving off from the mutual ancestral society, they appear to convey migrated along a coast-wise axis from eastward west, as well as settled amidst the Ahanta after a long as well as tedious journey.
There is no traditional evidence to exhibit that whatever large scale miscegenation or prolonged intimated contact occurred betwixt the ii groups-Avatime as well as the Ahanta. What seems to convey happened is that the Avatime were searching for uninhabited lands, but every bit a outcome of state-forming upheavals inward the region, they retreated eastwards to the estuary of the Volta close Ada.
Leopard Cave at Biakpa
The Ada sojourn seems to convey real brief. They crossed the Volta as well as after settled inward the Ho expanse where the split occurred. Each took a dissimilar as well as adopted a novel name: thus AGOTIME (where the money) as well as AVATIME (battlefield)
Initially, the Avatime decided to settle at Matse close Ho, but the inhabitants of the hamlet opposed them vigorously, resulting inward a state of war during which the Avatime executed a grandiose serial of campaigns such every bit blocking their source of H2O render with the husk of palm-nuts before they moved on to the mount close the Gemi Hill which provided first-class defense strength against large scale invasion from outside, as well as founded iii separate settlements.
Venipe: comprising Amedzofe as well as Gbedze.
Vayne: comparising Biakpe, Fume, Dzogbefeme
Vane: Dzougbefume
Others are Gbadzeme as well as Bunya Tave.
This epoch making lawsuit inward the early on history of the Avatime almost sure enough began inward the pre-AD 1720 inward the Volta Region."
Avatime traditional drummers
From the long oral history every bit narrated past times Mr Ampene, it is quite hard to believe that the Avatime people came from the Igboland because it is a misnomer inward historical migration. In that Igboland is inward the East as well as in that place is no way that Avatime people would convey move that far from the East to the West of Southwestern Republic of Ghana without passing through Volta region,in the East. If such story is believed as well as then it agency Avatime engaged inward forth as well as dorsum migration. Therefore, Igboland migration theory cannot live sustained.
However,its clear from Ampene`s rendition that Avatime people truly settled amidst the Ahanta, Akan people inward the Western region. It is no wonder that the people of Avatime comport Akan names despite living inward Eweland. According to Lynne Brydon inward her operate "Women Chiefs as well as Power inward the Volta Region," published inward 1996 "Avatime's claimed traditional history, however, is markedly dissimilar from that of the
Ewe. While the Ewe claim to convey moved into the expanse inward stages from the east, Avatime claim to convey originated inward the west, inward Ahanta. They pull a ho-hum movement eastward along the coast of Republic of Ghana as well as and then northwards, eastward of the River Volta. Long term settlements inward Ningo as well as Matse appear inward nearly all accounts." (jlp.bham.ac.uk)
Avatime tribe human being with tribal facial mark
It must also live established that the fact that Avatime people comport Akan names has nil to make with Asante armed forces expansion to the Eweland. As historian W.E. Ward recorded an interesting story nigh what happened at Amedzofe during Adu Bofour’s invasion of the region. That is, inward 1869, the Asanté regular army were fighting with the aid of the Akwamu against the Anum, Boso as well as the neighbouring Ewe who retired to the top of the Gemi Hill close Amedzofe. The Asante attacked them,but the loma was steep as well as they rolled huge stones downwards on the climbing Asantes. After trying many times to arrive at the top of the Gemi hill, Adu Bofour speedily called his men away as well as retired (Vida; W.E. Ward Short History of Republic of Ghana 1935 p. 144).
View of the hamlet Amedzofe with the mission (left, higher upward the village) as well as the chapel consecrated inward 1892
Economy
Despite living on hilly as well as rocky geographical expanse as well as its attendant difficulty inward farming, the Avatime people convey used their ingenuity to brand farming their major line of piece of work for many years. The crops farmed inward the expanse include cassava, yam, cocoyam, plantain, cocoa, maize as well as rice. The Avatime people are also well-known inward Republic of Ghana for rice cultivation, as well as in that place are several festivities as well as traditions attached to this crop.
Avatime rice farm
Though the Avatime people gave upward rice tillage for other crops which are slowly to grow every bit a termination of non-incentive or credit facilities from the Central regime nor Banks which truly led to rice exclusively farmed past times the Vane villagers, however, the province of affairs has changed as well as Avatime people are immediately seriously involved inward their rice tillage business.
Avatime adult woman within her rice farm
Avatime people also convey wonderful sites that has been identified past times Ghana`s Ministry of Tourism inward collaboration with Avatime-Gemi Otoga Eco-Tourism Society (AGOETOUSO) at Amedzofe, every bit Eco-tourism sites. They convey dissimilar species of plants as well as animals every bit good every bit waterfalls. According to the Paramount Chief of Avatime Traditional Area, Osei Adzatekpor XII, "efforts were beingness made to brand the expanse a major tourism goal inward the Ho Municipality, because the traditional expanse abounds inward natural vegetation, which is beautified past times mountains similar Gemi, beast species, caves as well as waterfalls inward almost all the Avatime communities."(http://thechronicle.com.gh/avatime)
Demonstration of local processing of amu (brown rice)
Socio-political construction as well as lineage system
Avatime is nominally patrilineal as well as rights inward the world as well as immovable belongings are inherited through the manful somebody line. An Avatime hamlet population (BmanBme petee) consists of a issue of 'clans', inward Avatime akpBla (sing. lekpBle), a give-and-take which inward other contexts agency 'knot' or 'lump'. These are groups of people who claim putative descent from a mutual patrilineal ancestor, but cannot line all the steps inward that descent. Within each clan is a serial of ikune (sing. oku), or lineages, the members of which make claim to live able to line agnatic descent from a commonly acknowledged manful somebody ancestor.
Osie (chief) Adja Tekpor of Avatime
Village regime is organized around a traditional main system. The manful somebody chiefship hierarchy is extensive. The grouping every bit a whole is nether the paramountcy of Adja Tekpor VI as well as each of the villages as well as clans has its hamlet or clan chief. Associated with each chief, at whatever level, are other offices such every bit linguists (Ewe: tsiamewo, Akan: akyeame) as well as chiefs of the immature men (Ewe: sohefiawo). Other titles borrowed from the Akan as well as Ga languages are also used, for instance odikro (sub-chief: Akan) as well as mankrado (town 'owner': Ga). Large proportions of Avatime clan as well as hamlet share holding terminologies seem, therefore, to live borrowed. But it does seem probable that some shape of indigenous chiefship existed inward Avatime (as is claimed throughout Avatime), every bit both hamlet chiefs as well as the paramount himself convey titles which are uniquely Avatime. The paramount's title, 'Osie', is a kinship term implying a distant manful somebody relative inward an before generation, linked either patri- or matri-laterally. The term for hamlet main is okusie, which is a combination of oku osie. Over fourth dimension these ii systems convey merged as well as adapted to each other, as well as been subjected to the external influences of colonial dominion as well as the (Presbyterian) Church, to make the chiefship organisation apparent today inward Avatime. Avatime chiefly titles, piece aping the Akan organisation inward similar ways to Ewe chiefly titles, convey at their nub item Avatime price as well as significances which seem to convey no parallel inward Ewe areas.
Avatime Odze okusie (Women chiefs) with their staffs
Today, therefore, inward Avatime in that place is a 'woman chief' inward each hamlet every bit good every bit each clan. I hesitate to use
the term 'Queen Mother' as, although this is the term sometimes used past times local people when they talk inward English, the Avatime term translates literally every bit 'woman chief' (odze okusie). While women hamlet as well as clan chiefs may convey had good defined roles as well as made frequent appearances every bit such inward the past, today women hamlet as well as clan chiefs convey few, if any, roles as well as responsibilities as well as I convey never seen them human activeness as
such. Women's most regularly prominent roles today inward Avatime are every bit the torso of Keda'midzeba, adult Avatime women. In monastic tell to empathise the roles as well as responsibilities of Avatime women, both every bit chiefs as well as every bit women, nosotros commencement convey to know something nigh the statuses of as well as opportunities for women inward Avatime culture.
Staff bearers of Avatime
An Avatime woman, i time she has passed the menarche cannot live buried every bit an Avatime adult woman unless she has a serial of ceremonies performed for her confirming her condition every bit such. If a adult woman who has non yet had the ceremonies performed for her dies unexpectedly as well as then a version of the ceremonies is performed (by women) on her corpse before she tin live buried every bit an Avatime woman. In the past, until say, the 1940s, these ceremonies or nubility rites, known inward the Avatime linguistic communication every bit kpe ablabe, included marriage
ceremonies as well as training for life every bit an adult (married) adult woman as well as lasted for nigh ii months.
Okusie Takyi X (left) with Okusie Agya Bansah Dzapraka IX seated side past times side to him.
Having had these ceremonies performed for her an Avatime women achieves the condition 'keda'midze', 'adult Avatime woman.' 'Keda'midzeba' (plural) shape a community inward each Avatime hamlet as well as also throughout Avatime every bit a whole. Becoming keda'midze fifty-fifty today, gives an Avatime adult woman a item condition inward the community: she may ain a hearth as well as create on a regular reason for a man, she may talk inward world meetings (and live listened to), as well as may also play a pregnant share inward organising theatre unit of measurement as well as community affairs. In curt she is recognised every bit an adult woman. Women every bit senior members of their patrilineages, irrespective of any
Avatime cultural dancing troupe
Religious belief
Traditional religion, with spirit possession, is widely practiced with Christianity, as well as believers frequently mix the religious practices together. Avatime people believe inward a supreme God known every bit "Aya." However, every bit a termination of acculturation with the Ewe neighbors they immediately telephone telephone Him "Mawu Aya." He is the god of the gods. He is inward the Sky, inward the water, woods as well as fifty-fifty be inward death. Apart from Mawu Aya, the Avatime also convey other deities they worship every bit good every bit their ancestral gods.
Avatime traditional priest pouring libation to Mawu Aya at Amu festival
Avatime people had early on missionary interactions with the German linguistic communication missionaries from the Basel mission who occupied their mountainous part because of it temperate nature. People of this part were introduced to Christianity nigh 100 years ago, as well as most churches are either Presbyterian or Roman Catholic. Less than 10 percentage of the population attends church building regularly, although an additional issue are nominal Christians.
Before the Mission Station Amedzofe. Standing on the way: the married adult woman of the missionary Ernst Bürgi. Right: ii schoolhouse boys who are employed nether the supervision of the instructor Paulo Tomitse with the tillage of java plants which were planted at the station site around. Circa 1894
Source: Rebecca Defina(http://www.mpi.nl/departments/language-and-cognition/fieldsites/avatime)
http://www.ghanaculture.gov.gh/index1.php?linkid=65&archiveid=2108&page=1&adate=16/07/2011
http://www.linguistics.ucla.edu/people/schuh/Papers/A60_1995_Avatime_phon.pdf
Avatime people as well as their Amu Festival
As the refer implies, the festival is centred on the harvest of rice so it is a harvest festival. It is celebrated at Vane, the traditional working capital alphabetic character of the Avatime people. It is celebrated inward the in conclusion calendar week of Nov to December.
It does attract a issue of tourists. The people to Avatime, who migrated from the Ahanta areas of the Western Region, fought the master copy people of the expanse they immediately occupy, as well as this is reflected inward their drumming, dancing as well as singing.
Avatime Vane is the working capital alphabetic character of the Avatime Traditional Area. It is located on the Eastern subdivision of the Akuapem-Togo ranges, an ancient volcanic mount formation that rises from the lower Volta basin as well as runs inward a North-Easterly administration into Togo Republic. Vane is located on the main Ho-Fume route as well as is the commencement settlement located on highlands North East of Dzolokpuita (about 5km South) Vane is where the Osie or overlord of Avatime resides.
Altitude: Avatime Vane Lies 1,049ft ( 319meters) on the contour higher upward bounding main level. The town rests on a major as well as other small-scale hills, all which sit down inward a major valley shielded to the East past times the groovy Gayi Escarpment-an ancient granite stone formation with real steep slopes as well as heights reaching upward to 1,200ft higher upward bounding main level.
Rainfall:Avatime Vane's rainfall designing largely falls within that of the woods belt of Ghana's. The rainy flavor starts inward May/June as well as ends inward Oct/November whilst the Dry Season begins inward Nov as well as ends inward April.
Educational infrastructure inward Avatime Vane is good. The town boasts of Primary, Junior, as well as Senior High Schools. The antecedents to the nowadays twenty-four sixty minutes menstruum schoolhouse organisation inward Avatime Vane dates dorsum to the advent of the German linguistic communication Missionaries inward the belatedly 19th as well as early on 20th Centuries who established Mission schools to prepare the people inward line with the overall objectives of colonial education. Today, the overall schoolhouse organisation inward Avatime Vane boasts of over 1,000 pupils from degree 1 to SHS 3.
Okusie Akyemfoli V, Okusie of Avatime Amedzofe delivering a spoken language at the Amu festival
Like her other sis settlements with which she forms the Avatime Traditional expanse Avatime (Amedzofe, Avatime Biakpa, Avatime Dzogbefeme, Avatime Gbadzeme, Avatime Fume, as well as Avatime Dzokpe) Avatime Vane enjoys a serene as well as invigorating microclimate. The conditions here, typically similar the entire Avatime Traditional Area is exceptionally good, with mild breezes as well as beautiful cloud covers interspersed with sunny skies all twenty-four sixty minutes menstruum long. The rains usually start from the Eastern subdivision of town (Nyanui) as well as are carried Westward past times the winds.
In the mid 1980s, the Rako Tree planting projection was commenced giving ascent to the planting of many tree seedlings. Today, Avatime Vane tin best live described every bit a "Garden Town" due to the greenish belt of trees which point its natural topography. It so goes without beingness said that air character inward this town is of particular adept quality.
The chiefs as well as people of Vane together with their kinsmen from the Avatime Traditional Area celebrate the AMU or Rice Festival through the calendar week leading to, as well as on the commencement weekend inward the calendar month of Nov every year. This festival is celebrated inward lieu of the agricultural activities forming the major economical activity of the people as well as rice cultivated every bit a staple. The tillage of rice inward a mountainous surround with a close temperate climate is a misery to many. Many people make non know that, the rice cultivated inward Avatime Vane as well as its environs is a genetically dissimilar from the most prevalent rice varieties cultivated inward Ghana. It is the peculiarity of this rice to Avatime that, gave ascent to the Amu (Rice) Festival.
Avatime Vane, beingness a town nestled betwixt a serial of mountainous peaks which culminated into the 2d highest peak inward Ghana, is strategically positioned to live developed into a tourist hot bed. The evolution of a cable automobile network to link the diverse peaks volition opened upward up the magic of lush vegetative expanses never to live accessed from the reason to millions of tourists. This expanses are also interspersed with settlements as well as roads built along the contours of the mount arrive at forming a beauty of natural as well as human interdependence. H5N1 varied species of birds as well as butterflies non seen anywhere inward the torrid zone tin live viewed as well as photographed from the air.
Hiking
Hiking is some other tourist activity that is unique to Avatime Vane. Although the terrain volition non allow for biking, the traditional hunting as well as farming trails Pb to magnificent caves as well as stone formation sites, creeks as well as waterfalls. This trails enables all to written report the vegetative strata from the reason although inward most instances, y'all tin exclusively reckon upward to the canopy formed past times the commencement layer of trees although the forests are iii layered. Bird watching is also possible from the reason although improve from the air.
Okusie Okoforobour Agyemang VII, Okusie of Avatime Gbadzeme
Ras tonto at Amedzofe inward Avatime
Stones at Gbadzema
scene at Amedzofe
Photo credit:AvatimeState
Avatime people
The Avatime people alive primarily inward the vii towns as well as villages of Amedzofe, Vane, Gbadzeme, Dzokpe, Biakpe, Dzogbefeme, as well as Fume. Avatime population is pose at roughly 24,000 people.
The 2d highest mount inward Ghana, GEMI, is found inward the expanse located inward Avatime, so the highest human settlement holler for inward Republic of Ghana tin live found inward Avatime Traditional Area.
Avatime drummer playing traditional drum at Amu (rice) festival
There seems to live caves, canyons, real refreshing waterfalls as well as attractive woods conducive for the tillage of tea, potatoes as well as rice. (AMU is the local refer for dark-brown rice, hence the celebration of the Annual Amu Festival). On concern human relationship of the serene atmosphere, the German linguistic communication missionaries settled at Avatime where their graves are located every bit a tourist attraction.
Gemi Mountain, Avatime,Volta Region,Ghana
Geography
The Avatime expanse is quite tropical, but because of the hills it has a relatively cool climate. This climate offers the people chance to engage inward farming. Three of the Avatime villages (Old Dzokpe, New Dzokpe as well as Fume) are located at the human foot of the mount arrive at as well as the other 5 (Gbadzeme, Biakpa, Dzogbefeme, Vane as well as Amedzofe) are at altitudes varying from 400 to 800 meters higher upward bounding main level.
View of Avatime-Biakpa as well as the Biakpa-Fume road.
Avatime is bordered to the W past times Nyangbo as well as Tafi, ii languages closely related to it. North of Avatime is Logba, a to a greater extent than distantly related GTM linguistic communication as well as to the S as well as eastward are Ewe speaking groups.
Avatime Hills, Ghana
Language
Avatime, also known every bit Afatime, Sideme, or Sia, is a Kwa linguistic communication of larger Niger-Congo phylum. Sia (Siya) linguistic communication of the Avatime (Kedone) people of Volta part of Republic of Ghana "belongs to a grouping of languages called Ghana-Togo Mountain (GTM) languages. Whether this grouping is a genetic unity or non is silent disputed, but the languages convey some typological characteristics inward mutual which laid them apart from most other Kwa languages, the most notably their noun-class systems." The Avatime alive primarily inward the vii towns as well as villages of Amedzofe, Vane, Gbadzeme, Dzokpe, Biakpe, Dzogbefeme, as well as Fume. the linguistic communication is spoken past times over 31,000 people inward Ghana.
Avatime Elders
Avatime is a tonal linguistic communication with iii tones, has vowel harmony, as well as has been claimed to convey doubly articulated fricatives. Avatime has nine vowels, /i ɪ e ɛ a ɔ o ʊ u/, though the vowels /ɪ ʊ/ convey been overlooked inward most descriptions of the language. It is non clear if the divergence betwixt /i e o u/ as well as /ɪ ɛ ɔ ʊ/ is i of advanced as well as retracted natural language root (laryngeal contraction), every bit inward so many languages of Ghana, or of vowel height: dissimilar phonetic parameters back upward dissimilar analyses.
Avatime dancers
Avatime has vowel harmony. H5N1 root many non mix vowels of the relaxed /i e o u/ as well as contracted /ɪ ɛ a ɔ ʊ/ sets, as well as prefixes alter vowels to harmonize with the vowels of the root. For example, the human singular sex prefix is /ɔ o/, as well as the human plural is /a e/: /o-ze/ "thief", /ɔ-ka/ "father"; /be-ze/ "thieves", /ba-ka/ "fathers"; also /o-bu/ "bee" but /ɔ-bʊ/ "god."
Ewe is the linguistic communication of the wider expanse as well as it is used inward the Avatime expanse every bit the linguistic communication of instruction inward the commencement years of primary schoolhouse as well as inward church building services. Therefore, most Avatimes talk Ewe every bit their 2d language. Many people also talk some English, which is the national linguistic communication of Republic of Ghana as well as medium of instruction inward the later years of primary schoolhouse as well as inward secondary school.
Avatime people at their Waterfall
History/Origin
The Avatime are an Akan people who alive inward Volta part of Ghana. History has it that they are Ahanta people who migrated to the Volta part simply every bit the Fante people (mostly fishermen from Elmina) migrated to Togo as well as finally Dahomey (Benin) to Mina tribe there.
The mystery pot found inward a cave at Biakpa inward Avatime.It dates dorsum to many years proving that the indigenous Vaya (Guan) people has been inward Republic of Ghana since the Stone Age
However, Kwame Ampene, the folkloric historian as well as the Founder of the Guan Historical Society relying on an oral history he claimed was divulged to him past times one Mr Asem, an indigene of Avatime hold that the Avatime people migrated from Igboland, sojourned amidst the Ahanta people for a fourth dimension as well as proceeded to their concluding goal inward the Volta region. He asserted that "The master copy homeland of the nuclear Avatime, is a hard historical employment which has so far defied whatever satisfactory solution.
The hamlet foursquare of Amedzofe, with the main (before the tree sitting inward a white robe) as well as his advisers. The course of instruction is both assembly as well as playground. Circa 1894
However, it appears on the reason of oral tradition, that the founding fathers of Avatime (in key share of the Volta Region); the Agotime (near Ho) as well as the Gafe (in Togo) were migrant-neighbours from Iboland inward southern Nigeria where they broke off from the main stock. How they later divided themselves into iii distinct groups is a query which perhaps, nosotros shall non been able to answer.
After hiving off from the mutual ancestral society, they appear to convey migrated along a coast-wise axis from eastward west, as well as settled amidst the Ahanta after a long as well as tedious journey.
There is no traditional evidence to exhibit that whatever large scale miscegenation or prolonged intimated contact occurred betwixt the ii groups-Avatime as well as the Ahanta. What seems to convey happened is that the Avatime were searching for uninhabited lands, but every bit a outcome of state-forming upheavals inward the region, they retreated eastwards to the estuary of the Volta close Ada.
Leopard Cave at Biakpa
The Ada sojourn seems to convey real brief. They crossed the Volta as well as after settled inward the Ho expanse where the split occurred. Each took a dissimilar as well as adopted a novel name: thus AGOTIME (where the money) as well as AVATIME (battlefield)
Initially, the Avatime decided to settle at Matse close Ho, but the inhabitants of the hamlet opposed them vigorously, resulting inward a state of war during which the Avatime executed a grandiose serial of campaigns such every bit blocking their source of H2O render with the husk of palm-nuts before they moved on to the mount close the Gemi Hill which provided first-class defense strength against large scale invasion from outside, as well as founded iii separate settlements.
Venipe: comprising Amedzofe as well as Gbedze.
Vayne: comparising Biakpe, Fume, Dzogbefeme
Vane: Dzougbefume
Others are Gbadzeme as well as Bunya Tave.
This epoch making lawsuit inward the early on history of the Avatime almost sure enough began inward the pre-AD 1720 inward the Volta Region."
Avatime traditional drummers
From the long oral history every bit narrated past times Mr Ampene, it is quite hard to believe that the Avatime people came from the Igboland because it is a misnomer inward historical migration. In that Igboland is inward the East as well as in that place is no way that Avatime people would convey move that far from the East to the West of Southwestern Republic of Ghana without passing through Volta region,in the East. If such story is believed as well as then it agency Avatime engaged inward forth as well as dorsum migration. Therefore, Igboland migration theory cannot live sustained.
However,its clear from Ampene`s rendition that Avatime people truly settled amidst the Ahanta, Akan people inward the Western region. It is no wonder that the people of Avatime comport Akan names despite living inward Eweland. According to Lynne Brydon inward her operate "Women Chiefs as well as Power inward the Volta Region," published inward 1996 "Avatime's claimed traditional history, however, is markedly dissimilar from that of the
Ewe. While the Ewe claim to convey moved into the expanse inward stages from the east, Avatime claim to convey originated inward the west, inward Ahanta. They pull a ho-hum movement eastward along the coast of Republic of Ghana as well as and then northwards, eastward of the River Volta. Long term settlements inward Ningo as well as Matse appear inward nearly all accounts." (jlp.bham.ac.uk)
Avatime tribe human being with tribal facial mark
It must also live established that the fact that Avatime people comport Akan names has nil to make with Asante armed forces expansion to the Eweland. As historian W.E. Ward recorded an interesting story nigh what happened at Amedzofe during Adu Bofour’s invasion of the region. That is, inward 1869, the Asanté regular army were fighting with the aid of the Akwamu against the Anum, Boso as well as the neighbouring Ewe who retired to the top of the Gemi Hill close Amedzofe. The Asante attacked them,but the loma was steep as well as they rolled huge stones downwards on the climbing Asantes. After trying many times to arrive at the top of the Gemi hill, Adu Bofour speedily called his men away as well as retired (Vida; W.E. Ward Short History of Republic of Ghana 1935 p. 144).
View of the hamlet Amedzofe with the mission (left, higher upward the village) as well as the chapel consecrated inward 1892
Economy
Despite living on hilly as well as rocky geographical expanse as well as its attendant difficulty inward farming, the Avatime people convey used their ingenuity to brand farming their major line of piece of work for many years. The crops farmed inward the expanse include cassava, yam, cocoyam, plantain, cocoa, maize as well as rice. The Avatime people are also well-known inward Republic of Ghana for rice cultivation, as well as in that place are several festivities as well as traditions attached to this crop.
Avatime rice farm
Though the Avatime people gave upward rice tillage for other crops which are slowly to grow every bit a termination of non-incentive or credit facilities from the Central regime nor Banks which truly led to rice exclusively farmed past times the Vane villagers, however, the province of affairs has changed as well as Avatime people are immediately seriously involved inward their rice tillage business.
Avatime adult woman within her rice farm
Avatime people also convey wonderful sites that has been identified past times Ghana`s Ministry of Tourism inward collaboration with Avatime-Gemi Otoga Eco-Tourism Society (AGOETOUSO) at Amedzofe, every bit Eco-tourism sites. They convey dissimilar species of plants as well as animals every bit good every bit waterfalls. According to the Paramount Chief of Avatime Traditional Area, Osei Adzatekpor XII, "efforts were beingness made to brand the expanse a major tourism goal inward the Ho Municipality, because the traditional expanse abounds inward natural vegetation, which is beautified past times mountains similar Gemi, beast species, caves as well as waterfalls inward almost all the Avatime communities."(http://thechronicle.com.gh/avatime)
Demonstration of local processing of amu (brown rice)
Socio-political construction as well as lineage system
Avatime is nominally patrilineal as well as rights inward the world as well as immovable belongings are inherited through the manful somebody line. An Avatime hamlet population (BmanBme petee) consists of a issue of 'clans', inward Avatime akpBla (sing. lekpBle), a give-and-take which inward other contexts agency 'knot' or 'lump'. These are groups of people who claim putative descent from a mutual patrilineal ancestor, but cannot line all the steps inward that descent. Within each clan is a serial of ikune (sing. oku), or lineages, the members of which make claim to live able to line agnatic descent from a commonly acknowledged manful somebody ancestor.
Osie (chief) Adja Tekpor of Avatime
Village regime is organized around a traditional main system. The manful somebody chiefship hierarchy is extensive. The grouping every bit a whole is nether the paramountcy of Adja Tekpor VI as well as each of the villages as well as clans has its hamlet or clan chief. Associated with each chief, at whatever level, are other offices such every bit linguists (Ewe: tsiamewo, Akan: akyeame) as well as chiefs of the immature men (Ewe: sohefiawo). Other titles borrowed from the Akan as well as Ga languages are also used, for instance odikro (sub-chief: Akan) as well as mankrado (town 'owner': Ga). Large proportions of Avatime clan as well as hamlet share holding terminologies seem, therefore, to live borrowed. But it does seem probable that some shape of indigenous chiefship existed inward Avatime (as is claimed throughout Avatime), every bit both hamlet chiefs as well as the paramount himself convey titles which are uniquely Avatime. The paramount's title, 'Osie', is a kinship term implying a distant manful somebody relative inward an before generation, linked either patri- or matri-laterally. The term for hamlet main is okusie, which is a combination of oku osie. Over fourth dimension these ii systems convey merged as well as adapted to each other, as well as been subjected to the external influences of colonial dominion as well as the (Presbyterian) Church, to make the chiefship organisation apparent today inward Avatime. Avatime chiefly titles, piece aping the Akan organisation inward similar ways to Ewe chiefly titles, convey at their nub item Avatime price as well as significances which seem to convey no parallel inward Ewe areas.
Avatime Odze okusie (Women chiefs) with their staffs
Today, therefore, inward Avatime in that place is a 'woman chief' inward each hamlet every bit good every bit each clan. I hesitate to use
the term 'Queen Mother' as, although this is the term sometimes used past times local people when they talk inward English, the Avatime term translates literally every bit 'woman chief' (odze okusie). While women hamlet as well as clan chiefs may convey had good defined roles as well as made frequent appearances every bit such inward the past, today women hamlet as well as clan chiefs convey few, if any, roles as well as responsibilities as well as I convey never seen them human activeness as
such. Women's most regularly prominent roles today inward Avatime are every bit the torso of Keda'midzeba, adult Avatime women. In monastic tell to empathise the roles as well as responsibilities of Avatime women, both every bit chiefs as well as every bit women, nosotros commencement convey to know something nigh the statuses of as well as opportunities for women inward Avatime culture.
Staff bearers of Avatime
An Avatime woman, i time she has passed the menarche cannot live buried every bit an Avatime adult woman unless she has a serial of ceremonies performed for her confirming her condition every bit such. If a adult woman who has non yet had the ceremonies performed for her dies unexpectedly as well as then a version of the ceremonies is performed (by women) on her corpse before she tin live buried every bit an Avatime woman. In the past, until say, the 1940s, these ceremonies or nubility rites, known inward the Avatime linguistic communication every bit kpe ablabe, included marriage
ceremonies as well as training for life every bit an adult (married) adult woman as well as lasted for nigh ii months.
Okusie Takyi X (left) with Okusie Agya Bansah Dzapraka IX seated side past times side to him.
Having had these ceremonies performed for her an Avatime women achieves the condition 'keda'midze', 'adult Avatime woman.' 'Keda'midzeba' (plural) shape a community inward each Avatime hamlet as well as also throughout Avatime every bit a whole. Becoming keda'midze fifty-fifty today, gives an Avatime adult woman a item condition inward the community: she may ain a hearth as well as create on a regular reason for a man, she may talk inward world meetings (and live listened to), as well as may also play a pregnant share inward organising theatre unit of measurement as well as community affairs. In curt she is recognised every bit an adult woman. Women every bit senior members of their patrilineages, irrespective of any
links with woman somebody chiefs, as well as acting every bit senior father's sisters, convey specific roles to play inward lineage affairs, both economical as well as social (including life crisis rituals). The torso of Avatime women, every bit Keda'midzeba are the constituency of the Avatime women hamlet chiefs (as good every bit of the manful somebody chiefs) rather than women owing
allegiance to a woman somebody main on a clan or kinship basis.Avatime cultural dancing troupe
Religious belief
Traditional religion, with spirit possession, is widely practiced with Christianity, as well as believers frequently mix the religious practices together. Avatime people believe inward a supreme God known every bit "Aya." However, every bit a termination of acculturation with the Ewe neighbors they immediately telephone telephone Him "Mawu Aya." He is the god of the gods. He is inward the Sky, inward the water, woods as well as fifty-fifty be inward death. Apart from Mawu Aya, the Avatime also convey other deities they worship every bit good every bit their ancestral gods.
Avatime traditional priest pouring libation to Mawu Aya at Amu festival
Avatime people had early on missionary interactions with the German linguistic communication missionaries from the Basel mission who occupied their mountainous part because of it temperate nature. People of this part were introduced to Christianity nigh 100 years ago, as well as most churches are either Presbyterian or Roman Catholic. Less than 10 percentage of the population attends church building regularly, although an additional issue are nominal Christians.
Before the Mission Station Amedzofe. Standing on the way: the married adult woman of the missionary Ernst Bürgi. Right: ii schoolhouse boys who are employed nether the supervision of the instructor Paulo Tomitse with the tillage of java plants which were planted at the station site around. Circa 1894
Source: Rebecca Defina(http://www.mpi.nl/departments/language-and-cognition/fieldsites/avatime)
http://www.ghanaculture.gov.gh/index1.php?linkid=65&archiveid=2108&page=1&adate=16/07/2011
http://www.linguistics.ucla.edu/people/schuh/Papers/A60_1995_Avatime_phon.pdf
Avatime people as well as their Amu Festival
As the refer implies, the festival is centred on the harvest of rice so it is a harvest festival. It is celebrated at Vane, the traditional working capital alphabetic character of the Avatime people. It is celebrated inward the in conclusion calendar week of Nov to December.
It does attract a issue of tourists. The people to Avatime, who migrated from the Ahanta areas of the Western Region, fought the master copy people of the expanse they immediately occupy, as well as this is reflected inward their drumming, dancing as well as singing.
Avatime Vane is the working capital alphabetic character of the Avatime Traditional Area. It is located on the Eastern subdivision of the Akuapem-Togo ranges, an ancient volcanic mount formation that rises from the lower Volta basin as well as runs inward a North-Easterly administration into Togo Republic. Vane is located on the main Ho-Fume route as well as is the commencement settlement located on highlands North East of Dzolokpuita (about 5km South) Vane is where the Osie or overlord of Avatime resides.
Avatime native,Peace Baku showing her people`s packaging of their dark-brown rice
Altitude: Avatime Vane Lies 1,049ft ( 319meters) on the contour higher upward bounding main level. The town rests on a major as well as other small-scale hills, all which sit down inward a major valley shielded to the East past times the groovy Gayi Escarpment-an ancient granite stone formation with real steep slopes as well as heights reaching upward to 1,200ft higher upward bounding main level.
Rainfall:Avatime Vane's rainfall designing largely falls within that of the woods belt of Ghana's. The rainy flavor starts inward May/June as well as ends inward Oct/November whilst the Dry Season begins inward Nov as well as ends inward April.
Educational infrastructure inward Avatime Vane is good. The town boasts of Primary, Junior, as well as Senior High Schools. The antecedents to the nowadays twenty-four sixty minutes menstruum schoolhouse organisation inward Avatime Vane dates dorsum to the advent of the German linguistic communication Missionaries inward the belatedly 19th as well as early on 20th Centuries who established Mission schools to prepare the people inward line with the overall objectives of colonial education. Today, the overall schoolhouse organisation inward Avatime Vane boasts of over 1,000 pupils from degree 1 to SHS 3.
Okusie Akyemfoli V, Okusie of Avatime Amedzofe delivering a spoken language at the Amu festival
Like her other sis settlements with which she forms the Avatime Traditional expanse Avatime (Amedzofe, Avatime Biakpa, Avatime Dzogbefeme, Avatime Gbadzeme, Avatime Fume, as well as Avatime Dzokpe) Avatime Vane enjoys a serene as well as invigorating microclimate. The conditions here, typically similar the entire Avatime Traditional Area is exceptionally good, with mild breezes as well as beautiful cloud covers interspersed with sunny skies all twenty-four sixty minutes menstruum long. The rains usually start from the Eastern subdivision of town (Nyanui) as well as are carried Westward past times the winds.
In the mid 1980s, the Rako Tree planting projection was commenced giving ascent to the planting of many tree seedlings. Today, Avatime Vane tin best live described every bit a "Garden Town" due to the greenish belt of trees which point its natural topography. It so goes without beingness said that air character inward this town is of particular adept quality.
The chiefs as well as people of Vane together with their kinsmen from the Avatime Traditional Area celebrate the AMU or Rice Festival through the calendar week leading to, as well as on the commencement weekend inward the calendar month of Nov every year. This festival is celebrated inward lieu of the agricultural activities forming the major economical activity of the people as well as rice cultivated every bit a staple. The tillage of rice inward a mountainous surround with a close temperate climate is a misery to many. Many people make non know that, the rice cultivated inward Avatime Vane as well as its environs is a genetically dissimilar from the most prevalent rice varieties cultivated inward Ghana. It is the peculiarity of this rice to Avatime that, gave ascent to the Amu (Rice) Festival.
Avatime Vane, beingness a town nestled betwixt a serial of mountainous peaks which culminated into the 2d highest peak inward Ghana, is strategically positioned to live developed into a tourist hot bed. The evolution of a cable automobile network to link the diverse peaks volition opened upward up the magic of lush vegetative expanses never to live accessed from the reason to millions of tourists. This expanses are also interspersed with settlements as well as roads built along the contours of the mount arrive at forming a beauty of natural as well as human interdependence. H5N1 varied species of birds as well as butterflies non seen anywhere inward the torrid zone tin live viewed as well as photographed from the air.
Hiking
Hiking is some other tourist activity that is unique to Avatime Vane. Although the terrain volition non allow for biking, the traditional hunting as well as farming trails Pb to magnificent caves as well as stone formation sites, creeks as well as waterfalls. This trails enables all to written report the vegetative strata from the reason although inward most instances, y'all tin exclusively reckon upward to the canopy formed past times the commencement layer of trees although the forests are iii layered. Bird watching is also possible from the reason although improve from the air.
Okusie Okoforobour Agyemang VII, Okusie of Avatime Gbadzeme
Ras tonto at Amedzofe inward Avatime
Stones at Gbadzema
scene at Amedzofe
Photo credit:AvatimeState
0 Response to "Info For Y'all Avatime People: Akan (Ahanta) People Living Inwards Volta Percentage In Addition To Their Amu (Rice) Festival"
Post a Comment