The Ega are found in the Divo prefecture of Sassandra Region, south central Ivory Coast.
The Ega mainly occupy the Dies cantons of the sub-prefectures of Divo and Guitry. The Ega form a small Kwa enclave among the Krou and have the Dida as neighbors to the north, east, and west.
The Ega (or Dié, or Egwe) are members of the Ega ethnic group whose native language is Ega. There are between 2,500 and 3,100 (The Joshua Project) Egwe living in the village of Borondoukou, which is near Gly, in the canton of Diés in the Lôh-Djiboua region, in south-central Côte d'Ivoire.
According to oral tradition, the Ega originated from Togo, from where they migrated as a result of internal conflicts. After several years of migration, they came to settle in their present location. Farming is their main occupation.
Ega is spoken in the Lôh-Djiboua region, in the canton of Diés, in the village of Borondoukou, located near Gly.
According to the linguistic map of Côte d'Ivoire by l'ethnologue, the Ega territory is located in south-central Côte d'Ivoire and has the Lakota Dides as neighbors to the north; the Yocoboué Dides, to the east and south; and the Godiés, to the west.
Ega is the mother tongue of the Ega people. They also speak French, the official language of Côte d'Ivoire, and most are bilingual in Dida-Ega, having historically intermarried with members of this people.
Most of the Ega are bilingual; their second language is usually Dida. They have therefore often been counted among the Dida, with whom they maintain good neighborly relations. The Ega language remained unclassified for a long time. Lavergne de Tressan classifies it in the Krou group. Ethnologists associate the Ega with the lagoon Akan.
According to the Joshua Project, 70% of the Ega are Christians, 20% believe in traditional African religions, and 10% are Muslims. 70% of the Christian Ega are Protestants, and 30% belong to independent churches.
The Ega believe that that the spirits of the dead are very much with them and could visit them at anytime. This explains why they do not wash the dishes of their evening meal, as one of their dead could visit and if not finding food to eat, could at least lick the dishes. The Ega however claim to have been converted to Christianity. In time past, they would meet every 1st of January to worship the sacred forest at Hermankono, their main centre. This practice they claim is now outdated.
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