While in Togo we took a ride up to Kpalime, which is in the next prefecture up from the prefecture that Lome is in.
This was a cool totem at one of the artisinal markets in Kpalime. Although the had some really nice items we found that things were a bit pricey when compared to similar items in Lome.
This area is very close to the border with Ghana, thus the people in this area are part of the same ethnic group, Ewe. The Ewe, span both Togo and Ghana. In the month of November, the inhabitants of this area has a festival called Kpalikpakpaza , the first festival was held in 1997. “The festival is meant to remind the Kpalime people of the valour of their ancestors during wars in the ancient days.”
I am going to do some more research about this festival, because I have long been searching for a festival (or celebration) to replace Kwanzaa, which I have never quite been a fan of or quite understood why African Americans with genetic and cultural lineage to West Africa would accept a festival whose lingua franca is Swahili (East African) and whose founder has such a problematic past. Anyway, that is a discussion for another time…
Stay tuned…