Keta

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Keta
Ketta, Quittah
Town & Municipality Capital
Keta beach.jpg
Fort Prinsensten on the beach of Keta in 1985
Ghana adm location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Keta
Location of Keta in Volta
Coordinates: 5°55′N0°59′E / 5.917°N 0.983°E / 5.917; 0.983
CountryFlag of Ghana.svg  Ghana
Region Flag of Volta Region.png Volta Region
District Keta Municipal District
Population
 (2013)
 • Total23,207 [1]
 • Density1,829/sq mi (706/km2)
 Ranked 61st in Ghana
Time zone GMT
 • Summer (DST) GMT
Area code +233 (3626)

Keta is a coastal town in the Volta Region of Ghana. It is the capital of the Keta Municipal District. [2]

Contents

Keta is the sixty-first most populous settlement in Ghana in terms of population, with a population of 23,207. [1] Parts of the town were devastated by sea erosion between the 1960s and 1980s. Keta is mentioned in Maya Angelou's All God's Children Need Traveling Shoes . [3]

History

Village on the Keta Lagoon, near Keta, 1890s The National Archives UK - CO 1069-34-127-2-001.jpg
Village on the Keta Lagoon, near Keta, 1890s

Keta was settled by the Anlo Ewe, a sub-group of the Ewe people who, in the 17th century, migrated to the area from Ketu, in Benin via Adja Tado and Notsie in Togo. [4]

Keta was an important trading post between the 14th and the late 20th centuries. The town attracted the interest of the Danish, because they felt they could establish a base here without interference from rival European nations. Their first initiative was to place a factory at Keta to sell alcohol. [5]

In 1792, a war was instigated by the Danes between Anloga and Keta. With the aid of cannon from the fort and ships anchored at sea nearby, Keta was razed to the ground. Majority of the original people then migrated across the lagoon to Klikor to establish the Somey State with Agbozume as its capital. Keta was then repopulated with people from other areas of the surrounding communities.

Faced with the threat of war between Peki and an alliance of the Ashanti and the Akwamu, the North German Missionary Society (also known as the Bremen Missionaries) moved the focus of their activities from Peki to Keta. Their missionaries, Dauble and Plessing, landed at nearby Dzelukofe on September 2, 1853. [6]

Historically Keta was also known as Quittah or Agudzeawo (Easterners in old Ewe) and was assigned B27 as a postal mark. [7]

From 1874 Hausa Constabulary were based at Keta, and soon there grew to be a community of Hausa traders in the town. [5]

The author, and then colonial Civil Servant, Dr. R. Austin Freeman served as a medical officer (Assistant Surgeon) here in 1887 during which an epidemic of black water fever killed forty per cent of the European population. [8]

Etymology: Ewe language- Ke:ta - Head of the sand

Ecology

In 1784, Fort Prinzenstein, like most slave trade forts, was built by the sea's edge. However the sea had retreated by about 600 ft by 1907. Since then Keta has been subject to sustained erosion. The Bremen Factory and Coconut plantation, which were close to the high water mark in 1907, had been swept away by the sea by 1924. The erosion has now advanced as far as Queen Street and started to wear away the Fort. [5]

Close to Keta is the famous town of Woe, known for the notable lighthouse called Cape St. Paul Lighthouse [9] on the beach that is believed to guide ships away from a mythical massive underwater mountain. This lighthouse is also thought to be the oldest in Ghana. [10]

Keta Lagoon

Keta Lagoon is the largest lagoon in Ghana with a water area of 300 km2. This is located in a larger wetlands protected area of 1200 km2. It is a stopping point for a large number of migratory birds and provides a breeding ground for sea turtles. [11] The Keta Lagoon is known for its immense quantity of salt. [12]

Festival

Keta Sometutuza Festival [13] hogbetsotso za

Etymology

Keta: (Ewe language ). Head/top of the sand. These words were uttered by Torgbui Wenya,the founder of Anlo State when he sighted the sand dunes at the sea shore. Wenya had separated from his kinsmen in nearby Wheta Atiteti to establish his own settlement at Anloga. Historically, the people of Keta were also known as Agudzeawo - meaning Easterners because they are east of Anloga.

Oil

Oil has been found at the Keta Basin. However, experts are against the exploitation because it will be on land which lead to the destruction of land and lives, as well as some sources of livelihood. [14]

Education

The city can boast of notably finest schools in the Volta Region.

Attractions

Keta community has a few tourist attractions which one can enjoy whiles in the town.

Notable People

See also

Related Research Articles

James Victor Gbeho is a Ghanaian lawyer and diplomat who was President of the ECOWAS Commission from 2010 to 2012, to which position he was unanimously elected at the 37th Summit of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the 15 Member States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ewe people</span> West African ethnic group

The Ewe people are a Gbe-speaking ethnic group. The largest population of Ewe people is in Ghana, and the second largest population is in Togo. They speak the Ewe language which belongs to the Gbe family of languages. They are related to other speakers of Gbe languages such as the Fon, Gen, Phla/Phera, Ogu/Gun, Maxi (Mahi), and the Aja people of Togo and Benin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Volta Region</span> Region of Ghana

Volta Region is one of Ghana's sixteen administrative regions, with Ho designated as its capital. It is located west of Republic of Togo and to the east of Lake Volta. Divided into 25 administrative districts, the region is multi-ethnic and multilingual, including groups such as the Ewe, the Guan, and the Akan peoples. The Guan peoples include the Lolobi, Likpe, Akpafu, Akyode, Buem, Nyagbo, Avatime, and Nkonya. This region was carved out of the Volta Region in December 2018 by the New Patriotic Party. The people of the Volta Region are popularly known as Voltarians (French: Voltaiens.This group includes the Ewes, Guans and other minor tribes living in the Volta Region. The people of the Volta Region are popular known for their rich cultural display and music some of which include Agbadza, Borborbor and Zigi.

Woe is a small rural town in Ghana's Volta region near the larger town of Keta. Woe's economy relies heavily on fishing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fort Prinzenstein</span> Danish fort in Keta, Ghana

Fort Prinzenstein is a fort located at Keta, Ghana, which was used in the slave trade. Many such forts were built in Africa, but Prinzenstein is one of the few that lie east of the Volta River. Keta served as an open port until the Tema Harbour commenced its operation to the west in 1962. The fort has been designated a World Heritage Site because of its historical importance and testimony to the Atlantic slave trade.

Ferdinand Kwasi Fiawoo was a Ghanaian religious minister, playwright and educator, founder of Zion College, the first secondary school in Ghana's Volta Region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keta Lagoon</span> Lagoon in Volta Region, Ghana

Keta Lagoon, also called Anlo-Keta lagoon, is the largest of the over 90 lagoons that cover the 550 km stretch of the coastline of Ghana. This lagoon is 126.13 km in length. It is located in the eastern coast of Ghana and separated from the Gulf of Guinea by a narrow strip of sandbar. This open salty water is surrounded by flood plains and mangrove swamps. Together they form the Keta Lagoon Ramsar site which covers 1200 km2

Abor is a town in the Keta Municipal District of the Volta Region in southeast Ghana. Abor lies east of the Volta River and just north of the Keta Lagoon. Abor is known for Abor Senior High School, often referred to as ABORSCO. The school is a second cycle institution.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anloga</span> Town in Volta Region, Ghana

Anloga is a town in Anloga District of the Volta Region in southeast Ghana. It lies east of the Volta River and just south of the Keta Lagoon. Anloga is the forty-seventh most populous town in Ghana, in terms of population, with a population of 35,933 people and. and also serves as the seat of the Awormefia of Anlo State and the traditional, ancestral and spiritual capital of the Anlo Anlo Ewe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Agbozume</span> Town in Volta Region, Ghana

Agbozume or Klikor-Agbozume is a town in Ketu Municipal District in the Volta Region of southeastern Ghana. The main language spoken is the Ewe language.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anyako</span> Town in Volta Region, Ghana

Anyako is a town in the Volta Region of Ghana. It is bordered at the south by the Keta Lagoon. The inhabitants of the town mainly belong to the Ewe tribe. Tracing its establishment to a settlement founded by the Anlos during the migration from Notsie in present-day Togo. The town is the birthplace of Ghanaian-American artist El Anatsui. The town has had little to no growth over the past thirty years due to sea erosion which affected commercial activities.

Anlo Afiadenyigba is a town in the Volta Region of Ghana. The town is located on the eastern part of the Keta Lagoon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peki</span> Town in Volta Region, Ghana

Peki is a town in the South Dayi District in the Volta Region of Ghana. It comprises eight subtowns, each with a subchief - Tsame, Avetile, Afeviwofe, Blengo, Dzake, Wudome, Dzobati and Adzokoe. All of these subchiefs swear allegiance to a paramount chief known as Deiga. The current paramount chief is Deiga Kwadzo Dei XII. The town is known for the Peki Secondary School, the E.P Seminary and the government training college GOVCO. The school is a second cycle institution.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hogbetsotso festival</span> Festival in Ghana by the Anlos

The Hogbetsotso festival(pronounced Hogbechocho) is celebrated by the chiefs and people of Anlo in the Volta Region of Ghana. Some major Anlo towns include Anloga (capital), Keta, Kedzi, Vodza, Whuti, Srogboe, Tegbi, Dzita, Abor, Anlo Afiadenyigba, Anyako, Konu, Alakple, Atsito, Atiavi, Deʋegodo, Atorkor, Tsiame and many other villages. The festival is celebrated annually on the first Saturday in the month of November at Anloga, the customary and ritual capital of the Anlo state. The name of the festival is derived from the Ewe language and translates as the festival of exodus. or "coming from Hogbe (Notsie)". The celebration of the festival was instituted about four decades ago.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Togbi Sri II</span>

Togbi Sri II (1862–1956) was the Awoamefia (ruler) of the Anlo people of South East Ghana from 1906 to 1956.

Alakple is a town in the Keta Municipality of the Volta Region of Ghana. This town is situated along the south western part of the Keta lagoon. The bust of the prominent African American boxer Muhammad Ali is planted at the junction along the Anloga and Dabala road. That road leads to Alakple. This town is prominent for the historical role it plays in the area. It is the home of the Nyigbla, 'god of war' who rode on horseback. The major clan in the town is Ameawo who are the custodians or clan responsible for nugbidodo 'settling disputes'. They are also believed to have control of all palm trees in Anloland. As custodians of Torgbi Nyigbla there are many taboos related to their dressing and food. for instance they are forbidden to wear shirts or blouse and sandals within the shrine.

Seva, Ghana is located in the Keta Lagoon in the Keta district now Municipal of Ghana. Seva is one of the islands forming the archipelago of the Keta Lagoon. It covers an area of approximately 2.7 square miles. This island is important as a bird-watching site because it is a stopover point for many migratory birds. The town has many attractions such as the sandy beaches, general cleanliness and local storytelling in Ewe. Historians are unable to determine a date for the founding of the town.

Nogokpo is a small village located in the Ketu South Municipal of the Volta Region of Ghana along the Trans–West African Coastal Highway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anloga District</span> Administrative district in Volta Region, Ghana

Anloga District is one of the eighteen districts in Volta Region, Ghana. Originally it was formerly part of the then-larger Keta District on 10 March 1989, which was created from the former Anlo District Council. However on 19 February 2019, the western part of the district was split off to create Anloga District as one of six districts inaugurated by the Akufo-Addo Government, thus the remaining part has been retained as Keta Municipal District. The district assembly is located in the southeast part of Volta Region and has Anloga as its capital town.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sagbadre War</span> 1784 Danish punitive expedition in Gold Coast

The Sagbadre War was a brief punitive expedition carried out by Denmark-Norway and its native allies against the Anlo Ewe.

References

  1. 1 2 "World Gazetteer online". World-gazetteer.com. Archived from the original on 2012-01-11.
  2. ↑ Touring Ghana - Volta Region Archived 2012-04-14 at the Wayback Machine . touringghana.com.
  3. ↑ DernhelmLaughed (2023-12-09). "[Discussion] Bonus Book - All God's Children Need Traveling Shoes by Maya Angelou | Chapters 31 to 42 (End)". r/bookclub. Retrieved 2024-11-09.
  4. ↑ Amenumey, D. E. K. (1968) "The Extension of British Rule to Anlo (South-East Ghana)" The Journal of African History 9(1): pp. 997–117; JSTOR copy
  5. 1 2 3 Akyeampong, Emmanuel Kwaku (2001). Between the Sea and the Lagoon. Oxford: James Currey. p. 46. ISBN   0-85255-776-0.
  6. ↑ Agbeti, J Kofi (1986). West African Church History: Christian Missions and Church Foundations 1482-1919. Leiden: Brill Archive.
  7. ↑ "British Commonwealth Postmarks". Philatelic Bibliopole. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  8. ↑ Freeman, Richard Austin (1898). "XVII A Chapter on Malaria". Travels and Life in Ashanti and Jaman. New York: F. A. Stokes. p. 502. hdl:2027/uva.x004101128 . Retrieved 2020-07-05– via The Hathi Trust (access may be limited outside the United States).
  9. ↑ "about this municipality". ghanadistricts.gov.gh. Retrieved 19 January 2014.
  10. ↑ Briggs, Philip (2010). Ghana . Bradt Travel Guides. p.  234. ISBN   9781841623252. woe keta.
  11. ↑ "Keta Lagoon Complex Ramsar Site" . Retrieved 5 April 2014.
  12. ↑ Webby. "Keta Lagoon". Ghana Nation. Ghana Nation. Retrieved 19 April 2018.[ permanent dead link ]
  13. ↑ "Ghanaexpeditions.com - Keta Sometutuza Festival". Ghana Expeditions. Archived from the original on 20 April 2018. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
  14. ↑ "Oil & Gas Expert Warns Against Exploration in Keta Basin" . Retrieved 19 April 2018.
  15. ↑ "'We need help' - Residents of Keta and Agavedzi displaced by tidal waves - MyJoyOnline.com". www.myjoyonline.com. 2022-04-04. Retrieved 2022-05-24.

(15) Felix Kuadugah- contributor. History of Agbozume and Keta.

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