Why “Hey Auntie”?

It never seems to get less awkward. The embarrassed silence that follows every time one of my aunties or uncles asks me a question in Ewe or in Ga. I scan their faces intently, desperately searching for a hint, any indication in their expression of what it is that they could be asking me. I glance meaningfully in my mum’s direction, silently pleading with my eyes… “Help me!”. She smiles, sighs and shakes her head in quiet resignation.

Then the follow-up question from my relative, laced in disappointment and disbelief . “Oh, don’t you understand?”.

SIGH!

As awful as the experience always is, I know that I am not alone.

A cousin of mine recently visited Ghana for the first time and came back from her visit desperate to learn Ewe. She asked my mum if there were any apps that she could learn from. My mum asked me to look into in and I was unsurprised to find that there weren’t many to choose from. That got me thinking… “What if I created something to help my cousin, myself and others like us to learn the basics? To get more comfortable with conversational dialogue? To practice our pronunciation?”.

That set me on a journey to create “Hey Auntie”. Launched in 2026, Hey Auntie is a WhatsApp-based language learning service that helps you to build conversational confidence in Ga, Ewe, Twi and Yoruba - one phrase at a time. Designed to be easily accessible, Hey Auntie offers practical 1-minute lessons through WhatsApp. No new app to download. Just the opportunity to practice real conversational phrases on your phone or laptop, every day, with an audio guide to help you get comfortable with listening and pronunciation.

Built for diaspora, travellers and curious beginners, the name “Hey Auntie” was inspired by an improvised line in the Marvel film “Black Panther”. I remember clearly, the first time I heard that line in the film. It struck a note that acknowledged heritage, customs and tradition while at the same time being extremely cheeky. I gasped and laughed at the same time. To me, this line perfectly encapsulated the dynamic that can sometimes exist between those who have been separated over time by geography, history, circumstances and culture.

It’s never too late to close that gap.

Hey Auntie aims to build bridges and deepen connections - while honouring shared heritage, age-old customs and traditions.

I hope you enjoy using Hey Auntie and I hope that on your next visit to your auntie or uncle, that you are able to feel empowered enough to draw your shoulders back, wink, smile and confidently respond in Ga, Ewe, Twi or Yoruba.