When travelling in West Africa, particularly in Benin, Togo and to a lesser extent the surrounding countries of Nigeria, Ghana and Mali you will come into contact with people who follow the voudon religion. Vodun, is the traditional animist beliefs practiced in West Africa with a pantheon of gods, traditional medicine, costumes, dances and many superstitions coming into play. If you’re wanting to read more about West African voodoo, then check out our blog: What is West African Voodoo .
You can see evidence of the Vodun religion all over in Benin and Togo. Some of the shrines are very small and you could walk right past them, and others are big mounds of twisted metal covered in offerings and skulls and can be quite imposing. You will also see artwork relating to various gods all around wearing traditional ceremonial outfits and sometimes with weapons or penises or animals alongside them. One of the best places to see and experience west African Vodun is in Lomé, Togo at the voodoo market.
Where is the voodoo market?
The voodoo market in Lomé is located in Akodessewa and is often referred to as the Akodessewa market. If you’re staying in Central Lomé not far from the Ghana border it is about 10 minutes by taxi. Most taxi drivers will know the market as it is one of tourist highlights in the city. Always make sure you have an agreed price before getting in a taxi or use one of the local rideshare apps such as Yango.
Do you have to pay to enter?
Yes, there is a fee to enter and to take photographs. The entrance fee is 3000 CFA per person and an additional 2000 CFA per person. Obviously, you will want to take photos so we recommend just paying the fee. This applies to both smartphones and cameras. When taking photos inside people may also ask for extra money to see or do something special. For example, sometimes there is a lady that has a live chameleon. You can hold and take photos with the chameleon for an extra 1000 CFA.
Do you need a guide?
The entrance fee you pay will also include a local guide who will explain and show you around the market. Most of the time they only speak French, with some limited English. The guide will explain some things about how the animals are used and also some information about the gods themselves. There is a very interesting shrine to the god of iron in the complex which is definitely worth checking out.
Do people actually buy these animal products?
Yes. While the market is a bit touristy, these markets are first and foremost for the local people who use these items in traditional medicine a vodun rituals. There are different uses b
Can you buy souvenirs here?
While we wouldn’t suggest buying any of the dried animals, there are other souvenirs to buy such as masks, flags, magnets etc. You will also probably be sat down with a shaman of sorts who will explain items to you and also bless one in your name which you can take home. The price they will ask for the blessed item will be absolutely outrageous at around 55,000 CFA. It is ok to say no to this as there is no way locals are paying that much and they are definitely praying on the fact that this type of stuff can make people uncomfortable and that the person might curse you. The reality is they won’t curse you and the majority of these products are used for protection or offerings and not to curse. However, there are some items that are for that purpose and in other fetish/voodoo markets in Africa many people believe that the people who buy things from these markets are using them for dark magic. Oh! and we almost forgot, there are a lot of traditional medicine products which are meant to be good for powerful erections and sexual stamina, some even come in bottles with some very interesting images on them.
How do they get the animals?
You may see many animals here some of which are endangered and you will ask did they hunt them. The official answer is that for these animals to be used in medicine they have to have died of natural causes. In reality, we can’t say for sure if this is the case especially for the smaller animals. However, it is illegal for people to hunt endangered animals in Togo and if caught they will go to prison.
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