The Ewe people are an ethnic group mainly found in Ghana, Togo, and Benin in West Africa, with a population of over 50 million people worldwide. They speak Ewe (Eʋe or Eʋegbe [ɛβɛɡ͡bɛ]), which is part of a cluster of related languages called the Gbe family of languages. Other examples of Gbe languages are Fon in Benin and Aja of Togo, Benin, and southeastern Nigeria. The Ewe people are mainly farmers, with maize, cassava, and yams being their staple foods. They are also known for economic activities such as spinning, weaving, pottery making, blacksmithing, and trading. The Ewe people’s unity is based on language and common traditions of origin, and their original homeland is traced to Oyo, in western Nigeria, which was a major Yoruba kingdom.

Apart from farming, the Ewe people have a diverse range of professions including academia, commerce, and industry. Their patrilineal system of organization has several patrilineages that vest land ownership and certain political offices. Lineage members share certain spirits and gods, and the lineage head, usually the oldest member, administers lineage property, settles disputes, represents the lineage in village affairs, and serves as a priest linking the living members to the ancestors. Among most Ewe, the patrilineage is the largest important kinship unit, while among the Anlo in coastal Ghana, the lineages are segments of larger, dispersed clans. Clan membership is characterized by mutual help and friendliness, shared names, food taboos, and clan rituals.

The Ewe religion is organized around a creator god, Mawu, and numerous lesser gods, and belief in the supernatural powers of ancestral spirits to aid or harm their descendants enforces patterns of social behavior and feelings of solidarity among lineage members. Christianity and Islam have also gained popularity among the Ewe people in modern times.