In the Lomé market you will find saleswomen known as Mama Benz. Do you know why?

Lomé (if you want to know more, click here), the capital of Togo, has one of the largest markets in West Africa. The Grand Marché is characterized by being located right next to its cathedral, and a few meters from the beach and the old quay of the Germans. It is an immense market where you can find many different products. If you can, go up to one of the first floors to see the market in perspective. But one of the most interesting curiosities you can find in the Grand Marché are the ones known as Mama Benz. Do you know who they are?

The saleswomen at many of the fabric stalls that we find in the Grand Marché are known as Mama Benz, a name that was given to all those merchants who became rich by selling fabric and who today are considered the biggest entrepreneurs in the market. It is said that these women, thanks to the wealth achieved by their work, traveled in Mercedes Benz and, therefore, today in many stalls you can find Mama Benz or some of her daughters who follow the reins of the business. In the 90s, a film was even made with the name “Mama Benz: an African market woman” that reflects the figure of these women entrepreneurs.

Togo was one of the few German colonies in Africa, before it was divided between the British and the French

The main colonies that colonized the African continent were the French and the British. Then, to a lesser extent, we also find Portuguese, Spanish and German. Togoland was a German colony, along with other countries such as Burundi, Tanzania, Namibia, Cameroon and Rwanda.

The country of Togo was inhabited mainly by the Ewé tribe, a tribe that was forced to sign an agreement with the Germans in 1884 so that their territory became part of their protectorate under the name of Togoland. The Germans imported cocoa, coffee and cotton, and in return they allowed the construction of an infrastructure network that is still maintained in the country today. However, after the First World War (1914) and the defeat of the Germans, this region was split in two: the western part (Volta region) would be part of England, which already had the territory of present-day Ghana , and the eastern part (Lomé and Togoville) would form part of France. This eastern part is what we know today as Togo and Lomé is its capital.

The name Togo etymologically means “land of water”

Togo is a country facing the Atlantic Ocean, right in the middle of the Gulf of Guinea. In fact, its port is one of the most important in West Africa. But apart from the ocean, in Togo we also find other elements related to water such as, for example, Lake Togo located next to Agobrafo and Togoville; the different rainy seasons that the country has or the large amount of agricultural land that we find in Togo.

Etymologically, the name Togo comes from the Ewe language, one of the most important and popular tribes in the country (especially in the southern part). In Ewe, To means water and Go means earth. So, Togo represents the land of water, since many people also live from it (fishermen, farmers, herders…).

Evala is one of the most interesting festivals you can visit in Kara, in the center of the country

Kara (if you want to read our experience in this city, click here) is a region mainly inhabited by the Kabyé ethnic group who have a very interesting ritual known as Evala. The Evala is the first step that every man who wants to move towards adult life must take. If in the Otamari people, this ritual was celebrated with the dance of whips (to know more, you can click here) or in the kingdom of Abomey with the dance of veneration towards the god Zakpata (to know more, you can click here); in Kara every teenager participates in the Evala at some point.

Evalo means “fighter” in the Kaybé language. For this reason, this dance revolves around fighting. Teenagers who want to become men will have to fight each other with the aim of knocking down their opponent, as if it were a judo match. With their hands and their bodies, they will have to fight for 3 years against different adversaries to prove that they are all men. This ceremony usually takes place during the first weeks of July, with the most important day being the second Saturday of each July. That’s why, if you’re in the area, you can’t miss this traditional ritual practiced by the Kabyé population.

The flag of Togo: a flag with many meanings

On April 27, 1960, Togo became independent from France and created a new flag. Do you know what it means? The five green and yellow stripes of the flag correspond to the administrative regions of the country. The green color represents agriculture (Togo is a country that produces mainly coffee and cocoa), while the yellow represents the country’s own resources for its development. On one side, it has a white star that is associated with purity and that we find on several African flags that became independent at the same time as Togo. Finally, the red corner wants to symbolize the love and loyalty of those Togolese who fought for the country’s freedom. In fact, the color red, green and yellow is represented in many African flags that became independent in the second half of the 20th century. Lots of messages in one flag, right?