Début des Evala le 21 juillet
Faure Gnassingbe
06/07/2012
This is a celebration where young girls are initiated into society. However, different from a Bat Mitzvah, all of the women are initiated at once. And it's not exclusively for girls. Young men seem to prepare more, for at the celebration, they will be fighting each other. The author explains that the boys must go through a rigorous physical and psychological training, such as combat training and eating dog meat. The festival is to celebrate reaching adulthood in the harsh environment of Togo.
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This was one of the hardest countries to do, because every article I could find was in French. French is a very frequently spoken language in Togo, and I was not surprised at this problem, rather frustrated that I could not find totally clear accounts of the celebration. I did however watch some youtube videos of the celebrations, in which the boys fought and the girls and adults preform dancing ceremonies. Everyone wears traditional clothing, and I think it is important to see how unique this culture is.
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Despite being a French colony, and still very much under the influence of colonialism and famine, Togo keeps its rich cultural heritage. Togo has a number of really interesting and completely unique festivals and religious holiday, such as the voodoo festival in September. Togo isn't a place that leaps to mind when thinking of rich cultural landscapes, but the region truly has a wealth of complex traditions. This enrichment of the country through preserving their traditions for centuries amazes.
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