KNOWING COUNTRIES THROUGH THEIR CULTURE.

                KNOWING COUNTRIES THROUGH THEIR CULTURE.

This week on knowing countries through their culture, we will be taking a trip to Togo, a country in West Africa. Togo's culture reflects the influences of its 37 tribal ethnic groups, the largest and most influential of which are the Ewe, Mina, and Kabye. French is the official language of Togo, but many native African languages are spoken there as well. Despite the influence of Western religion, more than half of the people of Togo follow native animistic practices and beliefs.

Ewe statuary is characterized by its famous statuettes which illustrate the worship of the twins, the ibéji. Sculptures and hunting trophies were used rather than the more ubiquitous African masks. The wood-carvers of Kloto are famous for their "chains of marriage": two characters are connected by rings drawn from only one piece of wood.

The dyed fabric batiks of the artisanal center of Kloto represent stylized and colored scenes of ancient everyday life. The loincloths used in the ceremonies of the tisserands of Assahoun are famous. Works of the painter Sokey Edorh are inspired by the immense arid extents, swept by the harmattan, and where the laterite keeps the prints of the men and the animals. The plastics technician Paul Ahyi is internationally recognized today. He practises the "zota", a kind of pyroengraving, and his monumental achievements decorate Lomé. 

Togo is named after the town of Togoville, where Gustav Nachtigal signed a treaty with Mlapa III in 1884, establishing a German protectorate. Togo is an Ewe (pronounced Ev'hé) word meaning "lake" or "lagoon." Since 1884, Togoland and later Togo became synonymous for the entire region under colonial control. The term Togolese first appeared after World War I, and the population increasingly identified with this term, culminating in 1960 with the choice of the Republic of Togo as the official name.It is bordered by Ghana, Burkina Faso, and Benin.

Togo consists of six geographical regions. The coastal region is low-lying, sandy beach backed by the Tokoin plateau, a marsh, and the Lake Togo lagoon.The thirty Togolese ethnic groups are now found in all parts of the country, most notably in the capital Lomé, which is situated on the border with Ghana.The population of Togo is estimated by the United Nations to be 5 million in 2000, with growth at approximately 3.5 percent per annum (though the last government census dates from 1981). 

It's national symbols include Ablodé (an Ewe word meaning freedom and independence), immortalized in the national monument to independence; the African lion on the coat of arms (though long since extinct in Togo); and colorful Kente cloth,originating in the Awatime region shared with neighboring Ghana.Togo today was sandwiched between the two powerful slave trading kingdoms of Ashanti and Dahomey.

The cuisine of Togo is influenced by the French, German, and West African cuisines. The staple foods of the Togolese cuisine are millet, maize, plantain, beans, rice, cassava, yam, and more. Maize is widely consumed by the Togolese. Fish is the primary source of protein in the Togolese diet. Bushmeat hunting is not uncommon. Different types of pâté, sauces, and chili peppers are also used in Togolese cuisine. People in the country generally prefer to eat at home. However, roadside food stalls selling omelets, corn-on-the-cob, groundnuts, brochettes, etc., are also popular. Some of the common Togolese dishes are Koklo meme (grilled chicken flavored with chili sauce), fufu (peeled and boiled yams served with sauces), and kokonte (a cassava pâté). Red wine, white wine, and American-style beer are popular alcoholic beverages consumed in Togo.

Togo has a rich heritage of oral literature that consists of folktales and legends, heroic epics, historical accounts, war poems, fairy tales, ritualistic chants, and more. Written literature in the country was nearly non-existent prior to the arrival of the Europeans. The first literary texts from Togo date from the early 1950s. David Ananou’s Le Fils du fétiche is often regarded as one of the first novels of Togo.

A wide variety of handicrafts are also produced in Togo. Kpalimé is the nation’s hub for crafts like weaving, wood sculpture, batiks, painting, pottery, wickerwork, ceramics, decorated calabashes, etc. The town houses about 36 workshops and retail outlets selling Togolese art and craft work to the domestic and international buyers.

The Togolese are proud of their rich heritage of indigenous music and dance. Each ethnic group has its own style of music and dance which are often an integral part of the religious and social life of the people. The music scene of the country features a great variety of percussion-led dance music. Drums are used extensively throughout the nation to celebrate special occasions and festivals like the Yeke Yeke festival. Some of the Togolese dances are the hunters' dance adewu, tchebe (the stilt dance), war dances (atsina and kpehouhuon).

Marriage customs in Togo vary according to the ethnic group of the people. Marrying outside the ethnic group is usually not encouraged. However, changing societal norms are leading to an increase in inter-ethnic marriages. Polygamous households are decreasing in number but are not yet uncommon in rural areas. The payment of bridewealth is important throughout the nation. The French legal statutes determine inheritance in the case of legal marriages. Customary inheritance laws are applicable in the event of customary marriages. Such laws usually follow a patrilineal tradition.

Mothers and other female relatives usually take care of the infants. The growth of a child is marked by several initiation ceremonies. Education is provided to all but boys are more likely to complete primary education than girls. The gender-based differences in educational achievements increase with the stage of education.

Public display of affection is seldom witnessed since it is not encouraged by the Togolese society. Men and women are not expected to court in public. The elders of the village are highly respected. The Togolese usually consume food with the hands. Guests are warmly welcomed into the home and offered water and food. The traditional greeting involves asking about health and family well-being.

We have very interesting festivals in Togo ranging from the Gadoo to the Voodoo festival

Gadao

Celebrated in the central city of Sokode, this three-day festival is usually held in March. Each day, different ceremonies take place: the purpose of the first day is to thank ancestors for their harvests; the second day is known as the “Feast of Knives” and is a show of might dating back to the days of Semassi warriors; the final day is called ‘Kosso’ and is when women come to celebrate the role of warriors.

Evala

Held in July every year in Togo, this festival of initiation for young ladies is held in Kabye land. Locals dress in traditional costume and there are several dancing ceremonies.

Gbagba

Held every August in the Kpalime region, this multi-day festival has three purposes: firstly, to worship the animist deities; secondly, to signal the end of the farming cycle with the harvest; and thirdly, to celebrate the beginning of the rest period. There are many songs and dances performed, all with an undercurrent of traditional African drumming.

Voodoo Festival

This Togo event is held in the village of Glidji every September and celebrates the indigenous beliefs and the start of the new year. The highlight of the festival is a sacred stone, the color of which predicts fortunes of the coming year. Blue indicates abundant harvests, red means it will be a year of war, black means famine and floods, while white means the year will be blessed with luck. The festival is held 30 miles from Lome and is a time of year which many families use to reunite.

There are a lot of beautiful places you can visit any time you go to Togo

Lome, the capital city of Togo, is where you will first arrive when visiting the country. Here, you will find the best restaurants and nightlife, and plenty to do during the day as it is close to many excellent beaches. There are also two interesting museums in Lome: the National Museum of Togo and the International Museum of the Gulf of Guinea.

National Museum of Togo this museum houses an impressive collection of African art, from traditional to more recent styles. There are also artifacts tracing the roots of the modern nation of Togo as well as musical instruments and textiles.

Kpalime

One of the most tranquil and most serene areas of Togo is the Kpalime region, a couple of hours’ drive north of Lome. Here, as you ascend the hills onto the plateau, you will be met with swarms of colorful butterflies while walking through the lush, green tropical rainforest. The area is surrounded by cocoa plantations, and you can climb the highest peak in the country, Mount Agou, for views of Lake Volta in neighboring Ghana. There is a Roman Catholic church on top, which was built in 1913. 

Hope You had a wonderful ride to Togo and I know you at looking forward to another interesting trip.We can not wait to take you on another interesting trip too.

See You next week.

D)agbe (good bye in Togolese language)

                                                                Ruthie