Before we begin, make sure you read our latest blog on “10 Interesting Facts About Kyrgyzstan” for some insightful information.
1. Traditional healing methods are widely used in Togo. Each center has a herbalist. Medical treatments usually involve frequent visits to the house of Vodou and the local Fetish priest.
2. The public show of affection is minimal in Togo. Only men and boys are allowed to walk holding hands. Coupling is discretely secret and it is not steered by parents. It is only in some ethnic groups like the Tchama that parents make arrangements for courting.
3. Togolese business people inflate prices so as to make handsome profits. So if you are in the country, always bargain for the price and see for yourself how low you can buy the item for.
4. Did you know that traditional Togolese houses are beautifully constructed by hand from mud with thatched roofs? They come in all shapes and sizes and can look like miniature castles!
5. Voodoo is the oldest traditional form of African religion in West Africa, to which Togo and Benin are its heartlands. So, don’t be surprised if you find yourself on a Voodoo market. There are many of them, and they are quite famous there and well visited as well. Also, Visiting Voodoo market and joining Voodoo traditional festivals is one of the best ways to experience Africa’s ancestral spirit in the West of Africa.
6. African tradition places a great emphasis on the respect for elders. If you’re in Togo and someone older than you is carrying heavy stuff, as a sign of respect, you should take it from them immediately. Don’t leave them carrying it.
7. Marriage practices vary throughout Togo according to the ethnic group, though organized religions and the State have altered the ceremonies of even the most secluded villages. Social disapproval of ethnic exogamy is lessening, though the government unofficially discourages it.
8. Togo is one of the countries in sub-Saharan Africa where the belief in witchcraft is still widespread. Children who are slightly different from the others are among the worst affected. Whether it’s due to a physical or mental handicap, hyperactivity or being intellectually gifted, they are often accused of witchcraft and even held responsible for deaths in their family.
9. Food is not served in ceremonial functions except when carrying out animist rituals when animals are sacrificed, cooked and served. However, beer and gin are essential. The French three or four meal course is served to the wealthy middle-class Togolese during functions.
