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Aja people
*** Shopping-Tip: Aja people
The '''Aja''' are a group of people living in
Benin (former
Dahomey).
According to tradition [http://www.encyclopedia.com], the Aja migrated to southern Benin in the 12th or 13th centuries from
Tado on the
Mono River and in the early 17th century, three brothers, Kokpon, Do-Aklin, and Te-Agdanlin, fought for the kingdom, dividing it amongst themselves. Kokpon took the thriving capital city of Great Ardra,
Alada. Do-Aklin founded
Abomey and Te-Agdanlin founded Little Ardra, also known as Ajatche and
Porto Novo by Portuguese traders.
Those Aja living in Abomey mingled with the local tribe, thus creating a new people known as the
Fon people Fon, or "Dahomey" ethnic group. This group is now the largest in Benin. Another source [http://www.xfer.com] claims the Aja were the rulers of Dahomey (Benin) until
1893, when the French conquered them. Currently, there are approximately 500,000 Ajas in an area straddling the border between Benin and
Togo, thirty miles long and twenty miles wide.
The Aja speak a language known as
Aja language Aja-Gbe, or simply 'Aja'; only 1-5% are literate in their native tongue. According to one source, ''voodoo'' originated with the Aja. There are three dialects: Tàgóbé (in Togo only), Dògóbè (in Benin only), and Hwègbè (in both countries). They are bilingual in
Ewe language Éwé and
French language French.
{{Africa-ethno-group-stub}}
Category:Ethnic groups in Benin
br:ajaed
