Togo > A Djembe as a souvenir

In the morning, there is water again. I quickly step into the, otherwise cold, shower. But it doesn’t last long—the water runs out again. Fortunately, a few droplets still come from the cold tap to wash with. I walk into Kara in search of souvenirs. I have set my mind on a djembe, an African drum made from a hollowed-out tree trunk and covered with goatskin. Travel companions have already bought two djembes yesterday. At the shop, the seller quickly realizes I know yesterday’s buyers. Negotiations proceed quickly and settle on the previously agreed price. The djembe is packed in a fabric carrying bag, making it easy to transport. To be safe, the handle is stitched on again. With the djembe under my arm, I return to the hotel.

Togo - Street trade in Kara the main city in northern Togo

How I will take it on the plane remains to be seen, but I’ll figure that out later. After lunch, we depart by bus again. The djembes are carefully stored among the luggage at the back of the bus. We drive north toward the Tamberma Valley in northern Togo. Near Baga, a small village along the route, we stop at a Loso village. Here too, we take a walk through the village, followed by local youth. I notice that there are remarkably few young children—almost all are over ten years old. I cannot determine the reason. All the Losos have an earthen pot on top of their thatched roofs. This is practical, preventing water from entering at the peak, and also gives them strength. Unlike the other villages, the hospitality here seems more reserved. The villagers clearly hang back, probably because the village chief is absent, and Anani could not ask for prior approval. A little further, near the village of Niamtougou, we visit a souvenir shop where all items are made for the benefit of people with disabilities, helping them earn an income.

Togo - A girl by the roadside asks to be photographed

At Kandé, we handle border formalities. Not that we are actually at the border, but in the Tamberma Valley there are no longer any customs posts. I receive a “leaving Togo” stamp in my passport, even though we will only enter Benin tomorrow. From Kandé, we turn right into the Tamberma homeland in the Atakora Mountains. The Tamberma and Somba tribes in Benin live in mud huts in the Atakora range. These huts are notable for their beautiful construction. A Tamberma house, called a “Tata,” was designed as a defense against slave traders in the past, which is why these houses are also referred to as castle-houses. The traditional architecture has been preserved, and the valley is part of the UNESCO World Heritage. The Tamberma live on the first floor of the Tata. Below is the offering place for the household fetish, the kitchen, and on the roof are the bedrooms and grain silos. Tomorrow we will visit one of these villages. Today, we stop in the village of Nyamdé. At the local school, on the edge of a sandy football field, we set up the tents. Children crowd around to help with the tents. In the evening, the sky turns orange. Grasslands around the village are being burned. Combined with a strong breeze, the flames sometimes rise meters high. Even downwind from our camp, a fire rages. While the orange glow and flames look beautiful in the night, I am uneasy. To be safe, I lock up my luggage and place my shoes ready to jump into if necessary. It reassures me that the local population does not worry about it at all. I conclude that the fires are under control. Feeling a little uneasy, I crawl into my sleeping bag.