Togo Togo (), officially the Togolese Republic (french: République togolaise), is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, where its c ...

'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 The languages of Africa are divided into several major language families: * Niger–Congo or perhaps Atlantic–Congo languages (includes Bantu and non-Bantu, and possibly Mande and others) are spoken in West, Central, Southeast and Souther ...

are spoken there as well. Despite the influence of Western religion, more than half of the people of Togo follow native

animistic Animism (from Latin: ' meaning ' breath, spirit, life') is the belief that objects, places, and creatures all possess a distinct spiritual essence. Potentially, animism perceives all things—animals, plants, rocks, rivers, weather systems, ...

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 Kloto is a prefecture located in the Plateaux Region of Togo. The prefecture seat is located in Kpalimé Kpalimé is a city in the Plateaux Region of Togo, 120 km north of Lomé and 15 km from the border with Ghana. It is the admin ...

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 Paul Ahyi (January 15, 1930 – January 4, 2010) was a Togolese artist, sculptor, architect, painter, interior designer and author. Ahyi is credited with designing of the flag of Togo. Ahyi was known for his massive outdoor artworks, reliefs ...

is internationally recognized today. He practises the "zota", a kind of pyroengraving, and his monumental achievements decorate

Lomé Lomé is the capital and largest city of Togo. It has an urban population of 837,437

References

CIA World Factbook: TogoU.N. Togolese Mission (French)
{{culture-stub

See also

References