Eʋe People, the Exodus & African Diaspora Identity | Interview with Seyram Adzanku
What if one of West Africa’s most enduring cultures preserved living memories of the Biblical Exodus?
In this powerful interview, Mamlekhet Kohanim sits down with author and researcher Seyram Adzanku to discuss her groundbreaking book A Chosen People: The Eʋe from Kana. This conversation explores the history, traditions, and identity of the Eʋe people, and how their story connects to broader discussions about the ancient Israelites and the African diaspora.
The Eʋe people historically lived along what Europeans called the “Slave Coast” of West Africa, including regions associated with the Kingdom of Juda (Whydah)—an area deeply impacted by the transatlantic slave trade. This makes their history especially important when considering the origins of many African Americans whose ancestors were taken from this very region.
Drawing from her research, Seyram Adzanku presents a compelling exploration of how Eʋe oral traditions, language, and ritual life may preserve ancient memories that parallel the Biblical Exodus. Her work challenges long-standing assumptions in African history, Biblical studies, and colonial narratives by placing African voices and cultural memory at the center.
Based on A Chosen People: The Eʋe from Kana, this discussion explores:
• Eʋe oral traditions that parallel the Biblical Exodus
• Linguistic connections between Eʋegbe and Ancient Hebrew
• Cultural practices, naming systems, and sacred rituals
• The impact of European missionary and colonial interpretations
• How African knowledge systems were misunderstood or suppressed
• The connection between West Africa, the Slave Coast, and the African diaspora
Blending linguistics, oral history, scripture, ethnography, and historical documentation, this work invites viewers to rethink African history beyond slavery—and to consider Africa as a custodian of ancient spiritual and historical knowledge.
Most importantly, this conversation speaks directly to African Americans and the broader African diaspora. If many of our ancestors came from regions like the Slave Coast and the Kingdom of Juda, what does that mean for identity, heritage, and biblical history today?
This is more than history—it’s about memory, identity, and rediscovery.
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