Info For You Lot Kabye (Kabre) People: The Mountainous Warrior Farmers Of Togo As Well As Their Unique Evala As Well As Akpema Initiation Festivals
"A husband's blood or sperm is "cooked" within his wife's womb." Kabye proverb
Kabye people of Kara,Togo
Kabye or Kabre are farming together with warrior voltaic Gur-speaking ethnic grouping living inward the northern plains of Togo, West Africa. The Kabye constitute nearly 23% of present Togo`s population together with comes minute after their bitterest political opponents, the Ewe people of the south. There nearly 730, 000 Kabye people living inward Togo. Kabye also live inward northern Republic of Benin nether the shout out of Lokpa or Lukpa equally the Kabye of Binah's prefecture inward Togo are known.
Kabye girls at Akpema festival
According to mythology, the foremost Kabiye would live straight descended from sky inward the hamlet of Lama Dessi. Indicates the exact place, called EYU nahori , which translates to "the human foot of man." On the spot today in that location is a sacred grove, became the middle of pilgrimage for Kabiye. They revere the footprints of Awu, their foremost ancestor, which Eso, God did come upward downward from heaven.
The Kabye are primarily known for farming together with tillage of the stony Kara Valley surface area of Togo equally good equally good equally their traditional Evala initiation rite which is a shape of traditional wrestling.
Kabye tribe Evala initiate,Togo
The Kabye part has experienced important infrastructure improvements due to the country's old president, Gnassingbé Eyadema, who was of Kabye ethnicity.
As the dominant grouping inward politics, the Kabre are unlikely to go involved inward militant or non-militant protests against the government. Under Gnassingbe Eyadema’s 38-year dictatorship, the Kabre ethnic grouping consolidated powerfulness equally an advantaged minority. Their biggest threat to powerfulness has been the predominantly Ewe-led opposition, but recent events take away hold diminished the likelihood of Ewe rebellion.
The longest serving Togolese ex-president Gnassingbe Eyadema is a Kabye man
Eyadema died inward Feb 2005 together with although Eyadema’s boy won the disputed emergency elections held after his death, Faure Gnassingbe (Eyadema’s son) has demonstrated a willingness to reform the government, decreasing the threat of rebellion past times the opposition. If the the world successfully transitions to a power-sharing, democratic government, so most probable the Kabre’s electrical flow political, economical together with social freedoms volition non live affected, spell the Ewe volition regard their political fortunes rise.
Kabye human together with president of Togo, Faure Gnassingbe, boy of old president Eyadema
Kara is the catch of the North see Togo. The metropolis tin radiate to the many natural together with cultural sites inward the part whose landscape Koutammakou World Heritage of UNESCO. Kara has an of import hotel construction together with many restaurants. Kara is a growing city. It rapidly became a modern direction together with production middle within the objectives of the authorities to create infrastructure inward all regions.
Kabye men
Mythology (creation story)
Kabye profess that the foremost human existence was an androgynous existence who descended from the sky, which is said to live male, to the Earth, which is female. Kumberito landed betwixt 2 little mount ranges where the Kabre community is currently located. For some years, Kumberito roamed the caves together with plains, eventually becoming frightened past times what he thought were the sounds of men coming to kill him, but were only sounds of owl-like aeroplane (mututukuγu) hooting inward the night.
He later on fled to the mountains of the northern massif, where he settled inward (in the introduce hateful solar daytime community of Farang). He built a solid higher upward ground, together with ultimately produced the children who founded the area's other communities. At death, Kumberito came dorsum to the Earth, along with his descendants for they were buried inward caves inward the ground.
The myth begins equally Kumberito is unable to residuum an opposition betwixt sky together with Earth. He decides to climb the mount located betwixt the 2 together with so is able to constitute the residuum needed so that he lived inward peace together with generated the livelihood that the Kabre sense today. To accolade Kumberito together with their ancestors, the Kabre bury their dead inward caves—hence the term for ancestor, ateto, or "underground person." More important, the Kabre go along to comprehend the tradition of residuum that Kumberito exhibited on the mount past times mostly living inward houses that are non located inward the highest points nigh their ancestors tombs. Instead they live on the hillsides together with valleys, agreement that living nigh the tombs mightiness upset some wandering spirits, possibly causing impairment to their families. The residuum inward living inward the "low" parts of the mountains occurs because "low" is woman somebody according to Kabre, whereas "above ground" is male. This represents the residuum betwixt sky together with Earth; living inward the depression component subdivision of a mountain, which is higher upward ground, is essentially living betwixt the sky together with the Earth, in 1 lawsuit to a greater extent than creating that balance, precisely equally Kumberito had long ago.
Kabye tribe man, President Faure Gnassingbe,son of Former President Gnassingbe Eyadema
History
Population buildup inward the mountainous surface area of northern Togo, where Kabre live today, occurred during the 17th together with 18th centuries inward answer to the slave raiding practices of the northern kingdoms of Mamprussi, Dagomba, Mossi, Gonja together with Bariba. In an exertion to escape these militaristic states, people fled southward into the mount region, which was to a greater extent than hard to attack. According to Piot "the Kabre people belike migrated into this part during the fourth dimension of the Atlantic Slave Trade, 1700-1850. During that time, villages were oft violently raided for slaves, so many communities retreated to the mountains where it was easier to defend."
This historical concern human relationship of invasion is inward tandem with Konkomba tribe oral history showing that they together with Kabye people originated from 1 source inward Ghana. The story of the invasion is briefly stated past times Konkomba together with recited at length inward the drum chants of Dagomba. I quote a Konkomba elder. "When nosotros grew upward together with reached our fathers they told us that they (our forefathers) stayed inward Yaa [Yendi]. The Kabre together with the Bekwom were here. The Dagomba were inward Tamale together with Kumbungu. The Dagomba rose together with mounted their horses. We saw their horses, that is why nosotros rose upward together with gave the the world to the Dagomba. We rose upward together with got hither with the Bekwom. The Bekwom rose upward together with went across the river. . ."
. . .the Dagomba invasion . . . according to 1 account, occurred inward the early on sixteenth century inward the reign of Na (Chief) Sitobu.(Tait, David (ed Jack Goody), The Konkombas of Northern Republic of Ghana OUP 1961 ).
Despite these efforts, Kabre peoples were soundless caught upward inward regional slave trade. Located, equally they are, so unopen to the Asante together with Dahomey kingdoms, both of which sold slaves straight to European merchants, the Kabre supplied slaves to these together with other powerful centralized states. Perhaps inward an exertion to maintain societal stability, Kabre sold their ain kin into slavery, rather than endure the consequences of slave raids.
Kabye people of Lama-Kara,Togo
After the slave raids ended, in that location was a menstruation of peace where the Kabre people developed their fantabulous agricultural skills. However, when the German linguistic communication colonized the area, the Kabre people were forced to piece of job on the infrastructure of the country, together with they built much of Togo’s roads together with railroads. When the Germans lost World War I, they ceded “Togoland” to French Republic together with Britain. The French had the part that is at nowadays known equally Togo (Piot, 35, 41).
Kabye people,Kara,Togo
Language
The Kabre language, also spelled Kabiye, Kabye, Kabure or Kabrais is a Gur (Voltaic) linguistic communication pertaining to the greater Niger-Congo linguistic communication family.
The let on of native Kabre speakers is estimated at 730,000, with or so 700,000 speakers living inward Togo, 30,000 inward Republic of Benin together with a little let on inward Ghana.
Kabye solid unit of measurement savor traditional potable at Evala festival
Economy
Essentially an agricultural people, the Kabre of Togo live inward the Kabre massifs located inward the northern component subdivision of the country. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 little per centum of the Kabre population lives inward the fundamental together with southern regions of the the world where they are employed equally agricultural workers. The sophisticated agricultural skills of the Kabre take away hold allowed them to cultivate for several centuries a terrain that is relatively infertile together with vulnerable to erosion due to the lack of a protective tree cover.
Kabye man child farmer watering farm
The Kabre agricultural cognition together with techniques take away hold earned them the next description past times Leo Frobenius:” 'No other people inward Africa piece of job their fields equally intensively equally Kabre, hither was a dark people of Africa … who take away hold attained the heights of science" (quoted inward Piot, 1999). Kabre farmers make millet, corn, peanuts, yams, sorghum together with manioc. While Kabre farmers are essentially crop producers, they also lift some livestock, specially little animals together with poultry. They are mostly used for trade, sale or sacrificial purposes together with rarely for household consumption. Sheep together with goats create upward most of the livestock, although wealthier families sometimes ain cattle.
Kabye people at their farm
Among the household animals in that location are cats together with most specially dogs. Research has shown that when these mountains were exclusively covered past times forest, the Kabre were primarily hunters together with secondarily farmers (Verdier 1975). This explains the of import presence of dogs today alongside the domestic animals.
Kabye family
Craft: Kara region
Mountainous soils hard to piece of job places, enhancement of the surroundings depends largely on the expertise of farmers together with artisans.
Iron piece of job thus reveals a tradition that plunges its roots inward the ancient times. The ruins of the nail furnaces together with Nangbani Bandjéli inward the prefecture of Bassar remain soundless live witnesses of this ancient tradition. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Tcharé, Pya together with Yadé inward the prefecture of Kozah you lot tin admire the piece of job of traditional blacksmiths usage equally an anvil together with hammer boulders mount to musical rhythm out the red-hot iron.
The women's crafts inward the part interested inward pottery, weaving, dyeing together with basketry. The marketplace seat Ketao, nosotros tin observe all the products of local crafts, pots upward for millet beer, the clay pipes together with baskets.
Kabye adult woman feeding her babe inward her hut
Commercial activities:
Traditional pottery (Pya Pittah) essentially feminine activity, traditional pottery is done with bare hands without special tools. Unique to the Kabye people is the tradition of using broken pieces of pottery equally ornamentation on the flooring of their courtyards. It is basically a unmarried color mosaic making patterns on the floor. It is really decorative, but the pictures don’t do it justice equally it was such brilliant sunlight.
Kabye settlement
The Kabye people create their houses (desi) inward a unique trend called sokala. It way that each solid unit of measurement chemical compound has the walls attached to the adjacent house, thus inward effect creating an entire debate about the compound. One go inward the chemical compound of the settlement through a vestibule, into the main courtyard. Each chemical compound consists of a solid for the married adult man together with 1 for each of his wives, diverse storage together with granary buildings together with perhaps a kitchen.
Kabye settlement
Division labour
In kabye gild men perform all the farming activities whilst the women engage inward nutrient processing- both for domestic consumption together with for sale inward markets. Marketing of farm make is largely carried out past times women.
Kabye women pounding grain
Also, inward reproduction, it is believed that the Kabre husband’s blood or sperm is "cooked" within the wife’s tomb together with children are produced. The wife’s womb symbolizes a pot of water; if a miscarriage occurs, it is said that the adult woman spilled her pot of H2O on the way dorsum from the saltation together with must refill it past times becoming pregnant again.
Interestingly, the consumption of sorghum beer (a woman somebody product) past times the virile somebody stimulates the powerfulness to make children, whereas the consumption of porridge (a virile somebody product) enhances that same powerfulness inward women. Thus, the thought of residuum reflected inward the myth is manifest again.
Kabye women
Land tenure together with inheritance
Historically, Kabre the world was uncentralized, together with on occasion tribute was demanded past times their centralized neighbors. Families do ain land, but oft this the world is lent out to others inward monastic tell to constitute gift giving ties, together with products which grow naturally on fallow the world are non considered the holding of the owner.
Kabye people dancing at Evala initiation festival
Socio-political structure
Kabre gild is a hierarchical together with acephalous 1 based on a organization of masculine together with feminine historic menstruation groups, equally good equally initiation rites, its educational corollary. Initiation rites are at in 1 lawsuit a physical care for of gender
differentiation based on the Kabre metaphysics of the original androgyny of humans (Piot 1999), together with a physical care for of structuring moral awareness together with religious sentiments through an internalization of 3 basic experiences : community life, mystical life together with the evocation of the ancestors (Keyewa 1997).
The brief description of some aspects of the Kabre community precisely presented higher upward determines, to some extent, the symbolism inherent inward the Kabre onomastic organization which is the object of the next section.
Kabye boy
Religious Belief
Kabye believe inward supreme existence called Eso. Eso is a creating God to whom the whole basis together with everything that is inward it belongs to, together with who is the Father of mankind. He gave monastic tell to the world past times his word,Esotom, the foremost human Esotisa, "the God`s messenger," was made the trustee of the God`s plan, Esodutu, together with of all the rules meant to regulate the human relationship s of individuals alongside themselves together with to principle the society.
The trustees of these rules, Sonsi, is the priest Coco, who is the descendant of the foremost human together with illustration of God on earth. The transgressions of these rules impairs social equilibrium together with transmission of life (fertility-fecundity), for which he is accountable together with responsible.
If God, owing to his immensity together with infinity, is impenetrable to those who take away hold non have him the gift of prophesy together with divination, he soundless does non cease to deed together with live introduce alongside men. Eso laki: God acts, he acts straight or indirectly. The God who assist together with forgive (Eso sinam, eso kpem)is also the 1 who chastises (Eso nasa i) past times brandishing lightening, past times striking (Eso kpata i) past times sending epidemic, droughts, sterility When truth is impenetrable to men, they rely on God ( Eso kana, " that God sees them) or solicit his judicial powers inward trials past times ordeal.
Eso we: God is; he is introduce inward holy places, diweri ("places of presence"), sanctuaries of cracking ancestors who revealed God`s mightiness together with who today are mediators betwixt human together with Creator.
These spirits, Akoloma, who bears witness to Eso`s words together with sacred ordinances (Kade), are at the same fourth dimension man`s mediator with God, they are at the junction of 2 worlds, human together with divine, together with they ensure communications from 1 to the other.
Kabye Akpema initiates performing candle rituals
Respect to Ancestral Customs
Atetena are the ancestors,-literally, those who are inward the grave. they sentry over men together with they are e'er introduce alongside them. Death, inward fact, only affects the body, the 2 spiritual places of Kaliza together with Wayiyu that be inward somebody is immortal, so that decease does non hateful cessation of life, but passage from 1 trend existence to another; after the surgical physical care for of funeral ritual together with setting of his altar into the solid unit of measurement home, the deceased takes his identify henceforth inward the lineage of his ancestors, together with past times perpetuating it, insures the transmission of life to the futurity generations. Read farther here:kabre+name+for+god&source.
Kabre recognize the role the ancestors played inward the formation of society. They are remembered equally previous owners of the the world together with are thanked annually for the contribution they made to the evolution of agriculture inward the area. Ancestors are remembered for the piece of job they position into making the fields. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 part of each year's crops is laid aside for the ancestors together with offered to them equally an appear of gratitude.
Kabre believe inward witchcraft together with farther believe that a witch receives coin inward commutation for eating an individual. Given the relative disdain for cash exchanges outlined above, it is possible to imagine why witches, symbolically charged with representing what is unacceptable to the society, would live paid inward currency.
Initiation rites
Kabre people do non believe that the kid is a component subdivision of their solid unit of measurement until they found whom of the ancestors he represents. Only after this the kid is identified with 1 of dead ancestors he is treated similar solid unit of measurement member. The concept of gender is also different inward Kabre community.
Kabye woman somebody initiate at Evala ceremony,kara
They define the gender of the kid only after initiation, which becomes a symbolic deed which makes the kid to loose his androgynous nature.
Young kids performing Evala wrestling competition for their initiation
The Kabre communities are organized into 2 groups: virile somebody together with female. Each grouping has a ritualistic role inward the community, together with they both are responsible for ceremonies based on both historic menstruation even out together with calendar, which occur during their season (the woman somebody flavor is during "wet season" together with the virile somebody flavor is during "dry season").
Kabye kids
In 1 particular situation, during the kojunduku (the age-grade initiation that takes identify during the "wet" woman somebody season), the virile somebody grouping gives a performance of dogonto, which "dries out" the moisture flavor temporarily.
Kabye kids existence initiated into adulthood during Evala ceremony
The woman somebody grouping also perform a fertility ceremony that balances the virile somebody dry out season. More important, both groups consist Of males together with females, together with males sometimes fulfill "female" roles precisely equally females may select on "male" roles. The individual’s surgical physical care for inward a particular role is the determining factor equally to which role that private may play.
Kabye men marching to the acre for their Evala contest
1. They are mainly famous because of their virile somebody initiation ritual called Evala which takes identify every twelvemonth inward the surface area of Kara: It is a form of traditional acquire by aiming at bringing the opponent down.
2. In each tournament, 5 immature men from xviii to twenty acquire by against 5 others. Rules are non actually clear but when fourth dimension is up, each acquire by ends either with 1 challenger wining or with a draw. There is no concluding ranking; the only thing that remains is the brave conduct of the wrestlers.
3. Evala is the really foremost initiation to manhood for a Kabye teenager. Before next these rituals, the immature men are trained both psychologically together with physically for a fair amount of time. In the Kabye area, a beau who shrinks from his initiation volition live punished past times the wise men, his parents together with the entire society. In a way, such a beau would live excluded from his community.
4. The main purpose of this ritual is to create the beau tough, brave together with stoic. The cultural component subdivision of the lawsuit is emphasized past times the many sacrifices the teenager has to concord to: fasting, sexual abstinence together with scarification are the external signs of a warrior.
5. The traditional aspect of the ceremony is stressed past times the presence of the community wise men. They are the ones who create sure as shooting the rules are respected past times supervising together with arbitrating the tournaments. The dates of the ceremonies are decided after a consultation with the oracle together with the potency given past times the cracking fetish priest called "Tchodjo". After the fights, the traditional priests see all the sacred places to give thanks the ancestors for allowing the ceremony.
6. The woman somebody faux called Akpema glorifies the maturity of the immature women’s’ bodies from so on publicly recognized equally laid upward for maternity together with marriage.
Girl initiates
7. The virile somebody initiation is completed past times the Kondona rites gathering together every 5 years all the immature men who went through the Evala.
The ceremony is characterized past times 2 high lights:
Listening to the elders on top of the hills,
Enjoying festivities inward the villages.
The immature men are from so on definitely considered equally members of the adult community.
Evala (traditional wrestling ceremony) Evala is a shape of traditional wrestling that the Kabye people inward the community practice. Competitors run into yearly inward a festival. Evala is the culmination of a calendar week of initiation which marks the transition of immature males into adulthood (Kabiye efalu , pregnant "new men.") In the community, immature men are allowed to start wrestling at the historic menstruation of 20.
They acquire to wrestle during a menstruation of 3 years. Then they select a ease for a year. They resume wrestling after the menstruation of ease together with go through the Evala ceremony. The initiation lasts a calendar week together with involves isolating the immature adults from their families together with keeping them inward special huts where they are fed together with position through their mental paces. At the terminate of the week, the participants go on a pilgrimage which involves climbing 3 mountains. Anyone who does non consummate this pilgrimage cannot live initiated into adulthood. The penultimate chemical ingredient of this initiation rite is Evala, a wresting hateful solar daytime where wrestlers are pitched against opponents from other villages. All wrestlers volition live initiated regardless of whether they win or not. However, losing is considered shameful to the solid unit of measurement name. The concluding physical care for of this initiation ceremony consists of circumcisions. During the wrestling, the women mock the wrestlers, singing 'come on, you lot think you lot are a lion? you lot are non a lion!' Evala usually takes identify inward July.
Kabye people
Source:http://www.njas.helsinki.fi/pdf-files/vol18num3/batoma.pdf
photograph source:Edward Perry
Evala festival nether Eyedema
Before the competition each competing solid unit of measurement performs rites of ancestral worship. Spirits of the ancestors dwell inward these clay loaves, each of which represents a forefather. The elderberry of the solid unit of measurement talks to the clay equally if he is talking to a solid unit of measurement member.
Then the headman comes forth, invokes the ancestors habitation inward the clay, together with pours a libation.
Sacrifice is also performed equally component subdivision of the ceremony together with the feathers inward the clay are the resultant of these repeated acts of worship. For large events such equally this these clay loaves are moved carefully together with respecfully out of their niches together with so worshiped. The white cock flutters its wings, an occurrance which the local people believe is a sign of the ancestors welcoming their guests. They chant thanks together with applaud.
The women are preparing a local food, a favorite of the indigenous people, made from boiled yam mixed with cassava. This nutrient is to live served to the wrestlers after the contest.
When the chicken is ready, it is presented to the ancestors first, together with a bowl of corn wine.
The ancestors are supposed to consume foremost so they volition so assist together with protect the family. The chicken is served together with the yam-cassava nutrient together with seasonings. Each 1 of the ancestors is treated with solemnity.
After the worship the clay loaves are sent dorsum to the niches. The board debate at the entrance keeps out the cats together with dogs.
Now the wrestling competition begins. The correspond is, inward fact, betwixt 2 tribes. The principal is the judge.
With their tribesmen cheering, the wrestlers pay homage to the chief.
Now they withdraw for the warm-up together with the cheering becomes louder from both tribes, equally they urge their men together with exertion to dishearten the opponents.
The wrestlers acquire inward sprayed with white powder, a symbol of valour.
First 3 pairs of immature boys do the wrestling, equally is the laid physical care for of the event. Kabre boys acquire to wrestle when they are really little so wrestling is an of import dependent area inward their upbringing. When they attain their 18th birthday, they volition finally live allowed to select component subdivision inward the contest.
Now come upward the adult wrestlers. Every twelvemonth inward July Kabre immature men get together inward the northern metropolis Kara to compete inward a weeklong wrestle competition together with a virile somebody must compete for 3 consecutive years from the historic menstruation of xviii earlier he tin live considered a man.
In the foremost twelvemonth immature men who take away hold only precisely reached the historic menstruation of xviii compete with 1 another. In the minute together with 3rd years contests are held within villages until the overall entitle is decided. This organization of wrestling competitions patently began with the practise of settling inter-tribal conflicts through wrestling rather than war.
The competition goes on through the afternoon to dusk with the competitors giving their best exertion to the fights. The argue why this impromptu lawsuit has been called for doesn’t seem to matter.
Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 wrestler’s exertion is given appreciation, whether he wins or non together with the tribe recognizes him equally a man. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 human who has never wrestled is non considered an adult, specially non alongside his peers.
Wrestlers who take away hold successful been through the virile somebody initiation telephone telephone at the chief’s home.
The winner of the competition becomes the dependent of populace admiration. He tin compete for 5 or 10 to a greater extent than years, together with people volition say, “Look, this is a existent master copy wrestler!” The president of Togo, Eyadema, was precisely such a wrestling master copy xl years agone earlier he enlisted equally a soldier.
Sunset paints the sky golden together with songs of triumph are soundless existence heard over the Kabre village. It goes, “We are brave fighters. We e'er win.”
Togo’s Kabre president Gnassingbe Eyadema was born inward Pya, precisely 5 kilometers from Kara. The president’s older blood brother died precisely in conclusion April. Kabre people celebrate the foremost anniversary of a person’s decease if they were over eighty years of historic menstruation when they died. This ceremony is called the ghost worship ceremony.
The ceremony can, inward fact, live costly. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 good to do solid unit of measurement tin afford a procession of no to a greater extent than than a hundred people or so together with this way that families who are rather to a greater extent than hard upward merely take away hold to forgo it. We had the gamble to witness such a ceremony. Over 160 women grip ox heads overhead, their clothe bearing portraits of the president’s brother, who died at 86 years of age. The local people sacrifice ox heads to the dead. Air-dried ox heads are kept for later usage spell some of the fresh ones are taken past times the women equally a reward.
President Eyadema attends ceremony. He’s been inward powerfulness for 36 years together with he is, inward fact, Africa’s longest-serving caput of state.
The villagers trip the lite fantastic toe vigorously with reed stems, which the women volition dismiss for cooking. The to a greater extent than a adult woman participates inward ceremonial activities, the to a greater extent than she is venerated. The reed dancers parade about the courtyard 3 times inward worship of the gods, commencement for pelting together with showing their allegiance to the president.
Now the wrestling competition begins. The correspond is, inward fact, betwixt 2 tribes. The principal is the judge.
With their tribesmen cheering, the wrestlers pay homage to the chief.
Now they withdraw for the warm-up together with the cheering becomes louder from both tribes, equally they urge their men together with exertion to dishearten the opponents.
The wrestlers acquire inward sprayed with white powder, a symbol of valour.
First 3 pairs of immature boys do the wrestling, equally is the laid physical care for of the event. Kabre boys acquire to wrestle when they are really little so wrestling is an of import dependent area inward their upbringing. When they attain their 18th birthday, they volition finally live allowed to select component subdivision inward the contest.
Now come upward the adult wrestlers. Every twelvemonth inward July Kabre immature men get together inward the northern metropolis Kara to compete inward a weeklong wrestle competition together with a virile somebody must compete for 3 consecutive years from the historic menstruation of xviii earlier he tin live considered a man.
In the foremost twelvemonth immature men who take away hold only precisely reached the historic menstruation of xviii compete with 1 another. In the minute together with 3rd years contests are held within villages until the overall entitle is decided. This organization of wrestling competitions patently began with the practise of settling inter-tribal conflicts through wrestling rather than war.
The competition goes on through the afternoon to dusk with the competitors giving their best exertion to the fights. The argue why this impromptu lawsuit has been called for doesn’t seem to matter.
Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 wrestler’s exertion is given appreciation, whether he wins or non together with the tribe recognizes him equally a man. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 human who has never wrestled is non considered an adult, specially non alongside his peers.
Wrestlers who take away hold successful been through the virile somebody initiation telephone telephone at the chief’s home.
The winner of the competition becomes the dependent of populace admiration. He tin compete for 5 or 10 to a greater extent than years, together with people volition say, “Look, this is a existent master copy wrestler!” The president of Togo, Eyadema, was precisely such a wrestling master copy xl years agone earlier he enlisted equally a soldier.
Sunset paints the sky golden together with songs of triumph are soundless existence heard over the Kabre village. It goes, “We are brave fighters. We e'er win.”
Togo’s Kabre president Gnassingbe Eyadema was born inward Pya, precisely 5 kilometers from Kara. The president’s older blood brother died precisely in conclusion April. Kabre people celebrate the foremost anniversary of a person’s decease if they were over eighty years of historic menstruation when they died. This ceremony is called the ghost worship ceremony.
The ceremony can, inward fact, live costly. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 good to do solid unit of measurement tin afford a procession of no to a greater extent than than a hundred people or so together with this way that families who are rather to a greater extent than hard upward merely take away hold to forgo it. We had the gamble to witness such a ceremony. Over 160 women grip ox heads overhead, their clothe bearing portraits of the president’s brother, who died at 86 years of age. The local people sacrifice ox heads to the dead. Air-dried ox heads are kept for later usage spell some of the fresh ones are taken past times the women equally a reward.
President Eyadema attends ceremony. He’s been inward powerfulness for 36 years together with he is, inward fact, Africa’s longest-serving caput of state.
The villagers trip the lite fantastic toe vigorously with reed stems, which the women volition dismiss for cooking. The to a greater extent than a adult woman participates inward ceremonial activities, the to a greater extent than she is venerated. The reed dancers parade about the courtyard 3 times inward worship of the gods, commencement for pelting together with showing their allegiance to the president.
The hunter’s trip the lite fantastic toe is to demonstrate the valour of the people.
Men are sprayed with white powder, equally are the wrestlers inward the initiation.
The men inward crimson caps are called warrior, the best of all fighters. The Red Cap Dance is regarded equally a symbol of adulthood together with courage inward the virile somebody initiation ceremony.
Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 mourning ceremony e'er ends upward equally a carnival for the children. After the ceremony those soundless live tin forget the dead together with acquire on with the concern of living their lives. This has been a farewell to the dead.
Kabye initiate dring traditional beer
KABYE AND DOGS
Dogs take away hold a special condition inward relation to the other animals. They are unopen plenty to human to deserve to live named (in fact they are the only animals to live so singled out) together with they are unopen plenty to other animals to never attain the condition of pets.
For mythological reasons they are maintained inward a province of one-half wildness equally it were, which confers on them an unavoidable graphic symbol of taboo (Verdier 1975, 1982). Through their function/role equally hunters together with guardians, dogs plough out to live their masters’ indispensible companions. But at the same fourth dimension they are their worst enemies together with traitors because they are believed to live at the root crusade of man’s decease (Verdier, op.cit.). At in 1 lawsuit man’s companion together with traitor, the domestic dog takes the identify of human inward sure as shooting sacrificial rites; it is equally if he shows his introduce fidelity past times paying for his original treason with his life.
Some photos of Evala together with Akpema festivals
Kabye people of Kara,Togo
Kabye or Kabre are farming together with warrior voltaic Gur-speaking ethnic grouping living inward the northern plains of Togo, West Africa. The Kabye constitute nearly 23% of present Togo`s population together with comes minute after their bitterest political opponents, the Ewe people of the south. There nearly 730, 000 Kabye people living inward Togo. Kabye also live inward northern Republic of Benin nether the shout out of Lokpa or Lukpa equally the Kabye of Binah's prefecture inward Togo are known.
Kabye girls at Akpema festival
According to mythology, the foremost Kabiye would live straight descended from sky inward the hamlet of Lama Dessi. Indicates the exact place, called EYU nahori , which translates to "the human foot of man." On the spot today in that location is a sacred grove, became the middle of pilgrimage for Kabiye. They revere the footprints of Awu, their foremost ancestor, which Eso, God did come upward downward from heaven.
The Kabye are primarily known for farming together with tillage of the stony Kara Valley surface area of Togo equally good equally good equally their traditional Evala initiation rite which is a shape of traditional wrestling.
Kabye tribe Evala initiate,Togo
The Kabye part has experienced important infrastructure improvements due to the country's old president, Gnassingbé Eyadema, who was of Kabye ethnicity.
As the dominant grouping inward politics, the Kabre are unlikely to go involved inward militant or non-militant protests against the government. Under Gnassingbe Eyadema’s 38-year dictatorship, the Kabre ethnic grouping consolidated powerfulness equally an advantaged minority. Their biggest threat to powerfulness has been the predominantly Ewe-led opposition, but recent events take away hold diminished the likelihood of Ewe rebellion.
The longest serving Togolese ex-president Gnassingbe Eyadema is a Kabye man
Eyadema died inward Feb 2005 together with although Eyadema’s boy won the disputed emergency elections held after his death, Faure Gnassingbe (Eyadema’s son) has demonstrated a willingness to reform the government, decreasing the threat of rebellion past times the opposition. If the the world successfully transitions to a power-sharing, democratic government, so most probable the Kabre’s electrical flow political, economical together with social freedoms volition non live affected, spell the Ewe volition regard their political fortunes rise.
Kabye human together with president of Togo, Faure Gnassingbe, boy of old president Eyadema
Kara is the catch of the North see Togo. The metropolis tin radiate to the many natural together with cultural sites inward the part whose landscape Koutammakou World Heritage of UNESCO. Kara has an of import hotel construction together with many restaurants. Kara is a growing city. It rapidly became a modern direction together with production middle within the objectives of the authorities to create infrastructure inward all regions.
Kabye men
Mythology (creation story)
Kabye profess that the foremost human existence was an androgynous existence who descended from the sky, which is said to live male, to the Earth, which is female. Kumberito landed betwixt 2 little mount ranges where the Kabre community is currently located. For some years, Kumberito roamed the caves together with plains, eventually becoming frightened past times what he thought were the sounds of men coming to kill him, but were only sounds of owl-like aeroplane (mututukuγu) hooting inward the night.
Newly initiated kabye girls
He later on fled to the mountains of the northern massif, where he settled inward (in the introduce hateful solar daytime community of Farang). He built a solid higher upward ground, together with ultimately produced the children who founded the area's other communities. At death, Kumberito came dorsum to the Earth, along with his descendants for they were buried inward caves inward the ground.
The myth begins equally Kumberito is unable to residuum an opposition betwixt sky together with Earth. He decides to climb the mount located betwixt the 2 together with so is able to constitute the residuum needed so that he lived inward peace together with generated the livelihood that the Kabre sense today. To accolade Kumberito together with their ancestors, the Kabre bury their dead inward caves—hence the term for ancestor, ateto, or "underground person." More important, the Kabre go along to comprehend the tradition of residuum that Kumberito exhibited on the mount past times mostly living inward houses that are non located inward the highest points nigh their ancestors tombs. Instead they live on the hillsides together with valleys, agreement that living nigh the tombs mightiness upset some wandering spirits, possibly causing impairment to their families. The residuum inward living inward the "low" parts of the mountains occurs because "low" is woman somebody according to Kabre, whereas "above ground" is male. This represents the residuum betwixt sky together with Earth; living inward the depression component subdivision of a mountain, which is higher upward ground, is essentially living betwixt the sky together with the Earth, in 1 lawsuit to a greater extent than creating that balance, precisely equally Kumberito had long ago.
Kabye tribe man, President Faure Gnassingbe,son of Former President Gnassingbe Eyadema
History
Population buildup inward the mountainous surface area of northern Togo, where Kabre live today, occurred during the 17th together with 18th centuries inward answer to the slave raiding practices of the northern kingdoms of Mamprussi, Dagomba, Mossi, Gonja together with Bariba. In an exertion to escape these militaristic states, people fled southward into the mount region, which was to a greater extent than hard to attack. According to Piot "the Kabre people belike migrated into this part during the fourth dimension of the Atlantic Slave Trade, 1700-1850. During that time, villages were oft violently raided for slaves, so many communities retreated to the mountains where it was easier to defend."
old president Eyadema
This historical concern human relationship of invasion is inward tandem with Konkomba tribe oral history showing that they together with Kabye people originated from 1 source inward Ghana. The story of the invasion is briefly stated past times Konkomba together with recited at length inward the drum chants of Dagomba. I quote a Konkomba elder. "When nosotros grew upward together with reached our fathers they told us that they (our forefathers) stayed inward Yaa [Yendi]. The Kabre together with the Bekwom were here. The Dagomba were inward Tamale together with Kumbungu. The Dagomba rose together with mounted their horses. We saw their horses, that is why nosotros rose upward together with gave the the world to the Dagomba. We rose upward together with got hither with the Bekwom. The Bekwom rose upward together with went across the river. . ."
. . .the Dagomba invasion . . . according to 1 account, occurred inward the early on sixteenth century inward the reign of Na (Chief) Sitobu.(Tait, David (ed Jack Goody), The Konkombas of Northern Republic of Ghana OUP 1961 ).
Kabye Evala contest
Kabye people of Lama-Kara,Togo
After the slave raids ended, in that location was a menstruation of peace where the Kabre people developed their fantabulous agricultural skills. However, when the German linguistic communication colonized the area, the Kabre people were forced to piece of job on the infrastructure of the country, together with they built much of Togo’s roads together with railroads. When the Germans lost World War I, they ceded “Togoland” to French Republic together with Britain. The French had the part that is at nowadays known equally Togo (Piot, 35, 41).
Kabye people,Kara,Togo
Language
The Kabre language, also spelled Kabiye, Kabye, Kabure or Kabrais is a Gur (Voltaic) linguistic communication pertaining to the greater Niger-Congo linguistic communication family.
Kabye daughter dancing at Akpema festivities
The let on of native Kabre speakers is estimated at 730,000, with or so 700,000 speakers living inward Togo, 30,000 inward Republic of Benin together with a little let on inward Ghana.
Kabye solid unit of measurement savor traditional potable at Evala festival
Economy
Essentially an agricultural people, the Kabre of Togo live inward the Kabre massifs located inward the northern component subdivision of the country. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 little per centum of the Kabre population lives inward the fundamental together with southern regions of the the world where they are employed equally agricultural workers. The sophisticated agricultural skills of the Kabre take away hold allowed them to cultivate for several centuries a terrain that is relatively infertile together with vulnerable to erosion due to the lack of a protective tree cover.
Kabye man child farmer watering farm
The Kabre agricultural cognition together with techniques take away hold earned them the next description past times Leo Frobenius:” 'No other people inward Africa piece of job their fields equally intensively equally Kabre, hither was a dark people of Africa … who take away hold attained the heights of science" (quoted inward Piot, 1999). Kabre farmers make millet, corn, peanuts, yams, sorghum together with manioc. While Kabre farmers are essentially crop producers, they also lift some livestock, specially little animals together with poultry. They are mostly used for trade, sale or sacrificial purposes together with rarely for household consumption. Sheep together with goats create upward most of the livestock, although wealthier families sometimes ain cattle.
Kabye people at their farm
Among the household animals in that location are cats together with most specially dogs. Research has shown that when these mountains were exclusively covered past times forest, the Kabre were primarily hunters together with secondarily farmers (Verdier 1975). This explains the of import presence of dogs today alongside the domestic animals.
Kabye family
Craft: Kara region
Mountainous soils hard to piece of job places, enhancement of the surroundings depends largely on the expertise of farmers together with artisans.
Iron piece of job thus reveals a tradition that plunges its roots inward the ancient times. The ruins of the nail furnaces together with Nangbani Bandjéli inward the prefecture of Bassar remain soundless live witnesses of this ancient tradition. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Tcharé, Pya together with Yadé inward the prefecture of Kozah you lot tin admire the piece of job of traditional blacksmiths usage equally an anvil together with hammer boulders mount to musical rhythm out the red-hot iron.
The women's crafts inward the part interested inward pottery, weaving, dyeing together with basketry. The marketplace seat Ketao, nosotros tin observe all the products of local crafts, pots upward for millet beer, the clay pipes together with baskets.
Kabye adult woman feeding her babe inward her hut
Commercial activities:
Traditional pottery (Pya Pittah) essentially feminine activity, traditional pottery is done with bare hands without special tools. Unique to the Kabye people is the tradition of using broken pieces of pottery equally ornamentation on the flooring of their courtyards. It is basically a unmarried color mosaic making patterns on the floor. It is really decorative, but the pictures don’t do it justice equally it was such brilliant sunlight.
Kabye adult woman pottery maker
Kabye settlement
The Kabye people create their houses (desi) inward a unique trend called sokala. It way that each solid unit of measurement chemical compound has the walls attached to the adjacent house, thus inward effect creating an entire debate about the compound. One go inward the chemical compound of the settlement through a vestibule, into the main courtyard. Each chemical compound consists of a solid for the married adult man together with 1 for each of his wives, diverse storage together with granary buildings together with perhaps a kitchen.
Kabye settlement
Division labour
In kabye gild men perform all the farming activities whilst the women engage inward nutrient processing- both for domestic consumption together with for sale inward markets. Marketing of farm make is largely carried out past times women.
Kabye women pounding grain
Also, inward reproduction, it is believed that the Kabre husband’s blood or sperm is "cooked" within the wife’s tomb together with children are produced. The wife’s womb symbolizes a pot of water; if a miscarriage occurs, it is said that the adult woman spilled her pot of H2O on the way dorsum from the saltation together with must refill it past times becoming pregnant again.
Kabye (kabre) women grinding pepper on traditional grind-stone,Kara,Togo
Interestingly, the consumption of sorghum beer (a woman somebody product) past times the virile somebody stimulates the powerfulness to make children, whereas the consumption of porridge (a virile somebody product) enhances that same powerfulness inward women. Thus, the thought of residuum reflected inward the myth is manifest again.
Kabye women
Land tenure together with inheritance
Historically, Kabre the world was uncentralized, together with on occasion tribute was demanded past times their centralized neighbors. Families do ain land, but oft this the world is lent out to others inward monastic tell to constitute gift giving ties, together with products which grow naturally on fallow the world are non considered the holding of the owner.
Kabye people dancing at Evala initiation festival
Socio-political structure
Kabre gild is a hierarchical together with acephalous 1 based on a organization of masculine together with feminine historic menstruation groups, equally good equally initiation rites, its educational corollary. Initiation rites are at in 1 lawsuit a physical care for of gender
differentiation based on the Kabre metaphysics of the original androgyny of humans (Piot 1999), together with a physical care for of structuring moral awareness together with religious sentiments through an internalization of 3 basic experiences : community life, mystical life together with the evocation of the ancestors (Keyewa 1997).
Kabye (kabre) old adult woman clapping joyfully at Akpema initiation festival
The brief description of some aspects of the Kabre community precisely presented higher upward determines, to some extent, the symbolism inherent inward the Kabre onomastic organization which is the object of the next section.
Kabye boy
Religious Belief
Kabye believe inward supreme existence called Eso. Eso is a creating God to whom the whole basis together with everything that is inward it belongs to, together with who is the Father of mankind. He gave monastic tell to the world past times his word,Esotom, the foremost human Esotisa, "the God`s messenger," was made the trustee of the God`s plan, Esodutu, together with of all the rules meant to regulate the human relationship s of individuals alongside themselves together with to principle the society.
Kabye (Kabre) human slaughtering fowl to the Eso (God) for blessings during initiation
The trustees of these rules, Sonsi, is the priest Coco, who is the descendant of the foremost human together with illustration of God on earth. The transgressions of these rules impairs social equilibrium together with transmission of life (fertility-fecundity), for which he is accountable together with responsible.
Kabye (Kabre) human slaughters caprine animal equally its blood pours into the bowl for sacrifice to Eso (God) to bless the initiation process
If God, owing to his immensity together with infinity, is impenetrable to those who take away hold non have him the gift of prophesy together with divination, he soundless does non cease to deed together with live introduce alongside men. Eso laki: God acts, he acts straight or indirectly. The God who assist together with forgive (Eso sinam, eso kpem)is also the 1 who chastises (Eso nasa i) past times brandishing lightening, past times striking (Eso kpata i) past times sending epidemic, droughts, sterility When truth is impenetrable to men, they rely on God ( Eso kana, " that God sees them) or solicit his judicial powers inward trials past times ordeal.
A fellow member of the Kabre community inward Northern Togo is initiated into adulthood. His outfit reflects the integration of traditional values with unusual together with mundane objects, equally a celebration of both worlds.
Eso we: God is; he is introduce inward holy places, diweri ("places of presence"), sanctuaries of cracking ancestors who revealed God`s mightiness together with who today are mediators betwixt human together with Creator.
These spirits, Akoloma, who bears witness to Eso`s words together with sacred ordinances (Kade), are at the same fourth dimension man`s mediator with God, they are at the junction of 2 worlds, human together with divine, together with they ensure communications from 1 to the other.
Kabye Akpema initiates performing candle rituals
Respect to Ancestral Customs
Atetena are the ancestors,-literally, those who are inward the grave. they sentry over men together with they are e'er introduce alongside them. Death, inward fact, only affects the body, the 2 spiritual places of Kaliza together with Wayiyu that be inward somebody is immortal, so that decease does non hateful cessation of life, but passage from 1 trend existence to another; after the surgical physical care for of funeral ritual together with setting of his altar into the solid unit of measurement home, the deceased takes his identify henceforth inward the lineage of his ancestors, together with past times perpetuating it, insures the transmission of life to the futurity generations. Read farther here:kabre+name+for+god&source.
Kabre recognize the role the ancestors played inward the formation of society. They are remembered equally previous owners of the the world together with are thanked annually for the contribution they made to the evolution of agriculture inward the area. Ancestors are remembered for the piece of job they position into making the fields. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 part of each year's crops is laid aside for the ancestors together with offered to them equally an appear of gratitude.
Kabye initiation together with sacrificing of animals to the ancestors
Kabre believe inward witchcraft together with farther believe that a witch receives coin inward commutation for eating an individual. Given the relative disdain for cash exchanges outlined above, it is possible to imagine why witches, symbolically charged with representing what is unacceptable to the society, would live paid inward currency.
Akpema initiate
Initiation rites
Kabre people do non believe that the kid is a component subdivision of their solid unit of measurement until they found whom of the ancestors he represents. Only after this the kid is identified with 1 of dead ancestors he is treated similar solid unit of measurement member. The concept of gender is also different inward Kabre community.
Kabye woman somebody initiate at Evala ceremony,kara
They define the gender of the kid only after initiation, which becomes a symbolic deed which makes the kid to loose his androgynous nature.
Young kids performing Evala wrestling competition for their initiation
The Kabre communities are organized into 2 groups: virile somebody together with female. Each grouping has a ritualistic role inward the community, together with they both are responsible for ceremonies based on both historic menstruation even out together with calendar, which occur during their season (the woman somebody flavor is during "wet season" together with the virile somebody flavor is during "dry season").
Kabye kids
In 1 particular situation, during the kojunduku (the age-grade initiation that takes identify during the "wet" woman somebody season), the virile somebody grouping gives a performance of dogonto, which "dries out" the moisture flavor temporarily.
Kabye kids existence initiated into adulthood during Evala ceremony
The woman somebody grouping also perform a fertility ceremony that balances the virile somebody dry out season. More important, both groups consist Of males together with females, together with males sometimes fulfill "female" roles precisely equally females may select on "male" roles. The individual’s surgical physical care for inward a particular role is the determining factor equally to which role that private may play.
Kabye men marching to the acre for their Evala contest
1. They are mainly famous because of their virile somebody initiation ritual called Evala which takes identify every twelvemonth inward the surface area of Kara: It is a form of traditional acquire by aiming at bringing the opponent down.
2. In each tournament, 5 immature men from xviii to twenty acquire by against 5 others. Rules are non actually clear but when fourth dimension is up, each acquire by ends either with 1 challenger wining or with a draw. There is no concluding ranking; the only thing that remains is the brave conduct of the wrestlers.
3. Evala is the really foremost initiation to manhood for a Kabye teenager. Before next these rituals, the immature men are trained both psychologically together with physically for a fair amount of time. In the Kabye area, a beau who shrinks from his initiation volition live punished past times the wise men, his parents together with the entire society. In a way, such a beau would live excluded from his community.
Akpema dance
4. The main purpose of this ritual is to create the beau tough, brave together with stoic. The cultural component subdivision of the lawsuit is emphasized past times the many sacrifices the teenager has to concord to: fasting, sexual abstinence together with scarification are the external signs of a warrior.
5. The traditional aspect of the ceremony is stressed past times the presence of the community wise men. They are the ones who create sure as shooting the rules are respected past times supervising together with arbitrating the tournaments. The dates of the ceremonies are decided after a consultation with the oracle together with the potency given past times the cracking fetish priest called "Tchodjo". After the fights, the traditional priests see all the sacred places to give thanks the ancestors for allowing the ceremony.
Akpema initiation
6. The woman somebody faux called Akpema glorifies the maturity of the immature women’s’ bodies from so on publicly recognized equally laid upward for maternity together with marriage.
Girl initiates
7. The virile somebody initiation is completed past times the Kondona rites gathering together every 5 years all the immature men who went through the Evala.
The ceremony is characterized past times 2 high lights:
Listening to the elders on top of the hills,
Enjoying festivities inward the villages.
The immature men are from so on definitely considered equally members of the adult community.
Kabye people
Evala initiationEvala (traditional wrestling ceremony) Evala is a shape of traditional wrestling that the Kabye people inward the community practice. Competitors run into yearly inward a festival. Evala is the culmination of a calendar week of initiation which marks the transition of immature males into adulthood (Kabiye efalu , pregnant "new men.") In the community, immature men are allowed to start wrestling at the historic menstruation of 20.
They acquire to wrestle during a menstruation of 3 years. Then they select a ease for a year. They resume wrestling after the menstruation of ease together with go through the Evala ceremony. The initiation lasts a calendar week together with involves isolating the immature adults from their families together with keeping them inward special huts where they are fed together with position through their mental paces. At the terminate of the week, the participants go on a pilgrimage which involves climbing 3 mountains. Anyone who does non consummate this pilgrimage cannot live initiated into adulthood. The penultimate chemical ingredient of this initiation rite is Evala, a wresting hateful solar daytime where wrestlers are pitched against opponents from other villages. All wrestlers volition live initiated regardless of whether they win or not. However, losing is considered shameful to the solid unit of measurement name. The concluding physical care for of this initiation ceremony consists of circumcisions. During the wrestling, the women mock the wrestlers, singing 'come on, you lot think you lot are a lion? you lot are non a lion!' Evala usually takes identify inward July.
Habye (religious festival of the Kabyé Kozah.) This is a magical trip the lite fantastic toe demonstration. it is an chance to demonstrate the strength occult sorcerers.
It provides for the initiated, the chance to evidence a mutually command the forces of nature. It is held every 5 years inward November. It is also Triennial inward some cantons Kozah.
Sinkaring
Sinkaring (Party initiation together with harvesting of Kabye of Binah). Sinkaring comes from a couplet of verbs Sankuu way washing hands, purify together with Karuu which way existence laid upward to human face upward the trials of life . Sinkaring which has its root inward Lama Tessi is a examination past times which the immature are subjected Kabye of Binah inward endurance together with strength so that he tin defend his community. This is a examination for the immature to enable their integration into the adult class. It is also a harvest festival because after the songs together with dances, precisely tasting donuts edible bean together with the local drink, fruit of novel crops. it is rotatable 1 canton together with is celebrated annually on the foremost Sat of December
Source:http://www.njas.helsinki.fi/pdf-files/vol18num3/batoma.pdf
photograph source:Edward Perry
Evala festival nether Eyedema
Before the competition each competing solid unit of measurement performs rites of ancestral worship. Spirits of the ancestors dwell inward these clay loaves, each of which represents a forefather. The elderberry of the solid unit of measurement talks to the clay equally if he is talking to a solid unit of measurement member.
Then the headman comes forth, invokes the ancestors habitation inward the clay, together with pours a libation.
Sacrifice is also performed equally component subdivision of the ceremony together with the feathers inward the clay are the resultant of these repeated acts of worship. For large events such equally this these clay loaves are moved carefully together with respecfully out of their niches together with so worshiped. The white cock flutters its wings, an occurrance which the local people believe is a sign of the ancestors welcoming their guests. They chant thanks together with applaud.
The women are preparing a local food, a favorite of the indigenous people, made from boiled yam mixed with cassava. This nutrient is to live served to the wrestlers after the contest.
When the chicken is ready, it is presented to the ancestors first, together with a bowl of corn wine.
The ancestors are supposed to consume foremost so they volition so assist together with protect the family. The chicken is served together with the yam-cassava nutrient together with seasonings. Each 1 of the ancestors is treated with solemnity.
After the worship the clay loaves are sent dorsum to the niches. The board debate at the entrance keeps out the cats together with dogs.
Now the wrestling competition begins. The correspond is, inward fact, betwixt 2 tribes. The principal is the judge.
With their tribesmen cheering, the wrestlers pay homage to the chief.
Now they withdraw for the warm-up together with the cheering becomes louder from both tribes, equally they urge their men together with exertion to dishearten the opponents.
The wrestlers acquire inward sprayed with white powder, a symbol of valour.
First 3 pairs of immature boys do the wrestling, equally is the laid physical care for of the event. Kabre boys acquire to wrestle when they are really little so wrestling is an of import dependent area inward their upbringing. When they attain their 18th birthday, they volition finally live allowed to select component subdivision inward the contest.
Now come upward the adult wrestlers. Every twelvemonth inward July Kabre immature men get together inward the northern metropolis Kara to compete inward a weeklong wrestle competition together with a virile somebody must compete for 3 consecutive years from the historic menstruation of xviii earlier he tin live considered a man.
In the foremost twelvemonth immature men who take away hold only precisely reached the historic menstruation of xviii compete with 1 another. In the minute together with 3rd years contests are held within villages until the overall entitle is decided. This organization of wrestling competitions patently began with the practise of settling inter-tribal conflicts through wrestling rather than war.
The competition goes on through the afternoon to dusk with the competitors giving their best exertion to the fights. The argue why this impromptu lawsuit has been called for doesn’t seem to matter.
Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 wrestler’s exertion is given appreciation, whether he wins or non together with the tribe recognizes him equally a man. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 human who has never wrestled is non considered an adult, specially non alongside his peers.
Wrestlers who take away hold successful been through the virile somebody initiation telephone telephone at the chief’s home.
The winner of the competition becomes the dependent of populace admiration. He tin compete for 5 or 10 to a greater extent than years, together with people volition say, “Look, this is a existent master copy wrestler!” The president of Togo, Eyadema, was precisely such a wrestling master copy xl years agone earlier he enlisted equally a soldier.
Sunset paints the sky golden together with songs of triumph are soundless existence heard over the Kabre village. It goes, “We are brave fighters. We e'er win.”
Togo’s Kabre president Gnassingbe Eyadema was born inward Pya, precisely 5 kilometers from Kara. The president’s older blood brother died precisely in conclusion April. Kabre people celebrate the foremost anniversary of a person’s decease if they were over eighty years of historic menstruation when they died. This ceremony is called the ghost worship ceremony.
The ceremony can, inward fact, live costly. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 good to do solid unit of measurement tin afford a procession of no to a greater extent than than a hundred people or so together with this way that families who are rather to a greater extent than hard upward merely take away hold to forgo it. We had the gamble to witness such a ceremony. Over 160 women grip ox heads overhead, their clothe bearing portraits of the president’s brother, who died at 86 years of age. The local people sacrifice ox heads to the dead. Air-dried ox heads are kept for later usage spell some of the fresh ones are taken past times the women equally a reward.
President Eyadema attends ceremony. He’s been inward powerfulness for 36 years together with he is, inward fact, Africa’s longest-serving caput of state.
The villagers trip the lite fantastic toe vigorously with reed stems, which the women volition dismiss for cooking. The to a greater extent than a adult woman participates inward ceremonial activities, the to a greater extent than she is venerated. The reed dancers parade about the courtyard 3 times inward worship of the gods, commencement for pelting together with showing their allegiance to the president.
Now the wrestling competition begins. The correspond is, inward fact, betwixt 2 tribes. The principal is the judge.
With their tribesmen cheering, the wrestlers pay homage to the chief.
Now they withdraw for the warm-up together with the cheering becomes louder from both tribes, equally they urge their men together with exertion to dishearten the opponents.
The wrestlers acquire inward sprayed with white powder, a symbol of valour.
First 3 pairs of immature boys do the wrestling, equally is the laid physical care for of the event. Kabre boys acquire to wrestle when they are really little so wrestling is an of import dependent area inward their upbringing. When they attain their 18th birthday, they volition finally live allowed to select component subdivision inward the contest.
Now come upward the adult wrestlers. Every twelvemonth inward July Kabre immature men get together inward the northern metropolis Kara to compete inward a weeklong wrestle competition together with a virile somebody must compete for 3 consecutive years from the historic menstruation of xviii earlier he tin live considered a man.
In the foremost twelvemonth immature men who take away hold only precisely reached the historic menstruation of xviii compete with 1 another. In the minute together with 3rd years contests are held within villages until the overall entitle is decided. This organization of wrestling competitions patently began with the practise of settling inter-tribal conflicts through wrestling rather than war.
The competition goes on through the afternoon to dusk with the competitors giving their best exertion to the fights. The argue why this impromptu lawsuit has been called for doesn’t seem to matter.
Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 wrestler’s exertion is given appreciation, whether he wins or non together with the tribe recognizes him equally a man. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 human who has never wrestled is non considered an adult, specially non alongside his peers.
Wrestlers who take away hold successful been through the virile somebody initiation telephone telephone at the chief’s home.
The winner of the competition becomes the dependent of populace admiration. He tin compete for 5 or 10 to a greater extent than years, together with people volition say, “Look, this is a existent master copy wrestler!” The president of Togo, Eyadema, was precisely such a wrestling master copy xl years agone earlier he enlisted equally a soldier.
Sunset paints the sky golden together with songs of triumph are soundless existence heard over the Kabre village. It goes, “We are brave fighters. We e'er win.”
Togo’s Kabre president Gnassingbe Eyadema was born inward Pya, precisely 5 kilometers from Kara. The president’s older blood brother died precisely in conclusion April. Kabre people celebrate the foremost anniversary of a person’s decease if they were over eighty years of historic menstruation when they died. This ceremony is called the ghost worship ceremony.
The ceremony can, inward fact, live costly. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 good to do solid unit of measurement tin afford a procession of no to a greater extent than than a hundred people or so together with this way that families who are rather to a greater extent than hard upward merely take away hold to forgo it. We had the gamble to witness such a ceremony. Over 160 women grip ox heads overhead, their clothe bearing portraits of the president’s brother, who died at 86 years of age. The local people sacrifice ox heads to the dead. Air-dried ox heads are kept for later usage spell some of the fresh ones are taken past times the women equally a reward.
President Eyadema attends ceremony. He’s been inward powerfulness for 36 years together with he is, inward fact, Africa’s longest-serving caput of state.
The villagers trip the lite fantastic toe vigorously with reed stems, which the women volition dismiss for cooking. The to a greater extent than a adult woman participates inward ceremonial activities, the to a greater extent than she is venerated. The reed dancers parade about the courtyard 3 times inward worship of the gods, commencement for pelting together with showing their allegiance to the president.
The hunter’s trip the lite fantastic toe is to demonstrate the valour of the people.
Men are sprayed with white powder, equally are the wrestlers inward the initiation.
The men inward crimson caps are called warrior, the best of all fighters. The Red Cap Dance is regarded equally a symbol of adulthood together with courage inward the virile somebody initiation ceremony.
Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 mourning ceremony e'er ends upward equally a carnival for the children. After the ceremony those soundless live tin forget the dead together with acquire on with the concern of living their lives. This has been a farewell to the dead.
Kabye initiate dring traditional beer
KABYE AND DOGS
Dogs take away hold a special condition inward relation to the other animals. They are unopen plenty to human to deserve to live named (in fact they are the only animals to live so singled out) together with they are unopen plenty to other animals to never attain the condition of pets.
Kabye human holding a dog
Kabye human holding a dog
Some photos of Evala together with Akpema festivals
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