Togo > The voodoo priest and the voodoo ceremony

I feel like I wake up early, but other travelers are already outside along the edge of Lake Togo. There is only one small cabin with a shower and toilet, so I join the fortunately short queue. Afterwards, I pack my belongings, take down my tent, and join everyone for breakfast. We start the day with a visit to a voodoo priest near Lake Togo. The priest is busy but happy to receive us. In the small voodoo temple, he explains the meanings of the various voodoo symbols. He shows us the red oil, the skeletons, and the offering site, blackened from congealed animal blood. Next, in the adjacent offering room, he shows a sculpture of a white crocodile. This crocodile, if necessary, can reach anyone through ditches, water pipes, or similar, by the command of the voodoo god. In Togo, and especially in Benin, many people believe in the power of voodoo. The priest consults the voodoo god through the temple.

Togo - The voodoo priest connects with the voodoo god in the temple

On the way back to Lomé, we make a brief stop at the luxury Hotel les Lac, beautifully located on Lake Togo. There are few guests, and as far as I can see, all the cabins are empty. The staff are happy to show us the two captive crocodiles or other curiosities—everything for a tip. Around the cabins, many lizards and geckos scurry away as we approach, their brightly colored heads flashing. Back in Lomé, we drive along the boulevard to the border post with Ghana. It is busy there, with everyone trying to sell goods from primitive stalls. The capital was not originally at the border. After World War I, the Germans lost Togo to the British and the French. British Togo became part of what is now Ghana, while the French part became present-day Togo. This is how Lomé ended up on the border. We drive along the outskirts to a small restaurant for lunch. Anani emphasizes that this is the place to eat authentic local food. I order Fufu, a kind of dough that can be dipped into soup, and also try a local dish with spinach and fish. It is tasty, though very filling. After lunch, we leave Lomé heading north toward Badou. Midway, the bus turns onto a dirt road. Because power cables hang loose across the road, Abbas checks that we can pass under them with the bus, occasionally lifting them so they slide over the roof. When we stop at a small village, the rhythm of drums is already audible. A voodoo ceremony is taking place. Plastic chairs are set out for us to witness it. The drums beat at a fast, intoxicating tempo, and people alternate in dance. Everyone is beautifully dressed. The girls decorate their bodies with white blocks like stamps. The music intensifies, and fire is ignited using magnesium powder.

Togo - During the Voodoo ceremony people go into trance through dance and rhythmic music

Participants rhythmically clap sticks together. A young man enters a trance and dances in the center, his eyes unfocused, spinning wildly to the rhythm, guided by an older woman to prevent injury. Soon, a woman also enters a trance. The sight is strange, reminiscent of drunkenness. From behind, two adorned women approach—one carrying a small garden on her head, the other smoking a pipe. They ask the voodoo god to favor them—one for her crops, the other less clear. Other costumed figures also dance to the music. It is impressive. After more than an hour, we say our goodbyes, thank those present, and leave the village. We continue to the Klouto Plateau, a mountainous area near the Ghana border. As we drive into the hills, dusk falls. We spend the night at a former German doctor’s post, now used as a simple, neat lodging for travelers. Unfortunately, there is no hot water, so I rinse off the dust under a cold shower. In the evening, we eat in the adjacent building, which serves a very good meal. Back in my room, I set up my mosquito net around the bed and fall asleep.