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grets Says: From the advert outside, this place sounded grand. From the inside it was deserted, faded and looking a little tired. Maybe this place comes alive in the evening, but the particular lunchtime we were there, there was no-one else but us there. There was one huge courtyard,...
The Takienta Terrace: Small souvenirs
grets Says: This was one of the very few places in Togo where I saw souvenirs for sale openly. The villagers make these items themselves, and I hope the whole village get to benefit from the sale of these small clay figures. We bought a miniature Takienta as a gift for a friend, but it...
grets Says: As animists, the Taberma people worship their ancestors, and each of these cones represents the spirits of one of the forbearers. Sacrifices are performed atop the cones from time to time.
grets Says: The word sacrifice comes from an old English expression “to make sacred”, and sacrifice is part of everyday life in rural Ghana. Sacrifice is basically making an offering in the form of food, drink or an animal to appease the gods and is used in traditional religions all...
grets Says: The Taberma also grow millet. Millet is grass-like grain grown throughout West Africa for use as food for humans and animals. Millet is separated from the husks, then washed and toasted. It can then be eaten more or less as it is, just boiled with water (used as an...
grets Says: Although officially banned, female circumcision does take place in various parts of West Africa. I will not go into the rights or wrongs here, all I will say is that during the initiation ceremony, the woman will wear a hat to symbolise the antelope – for speed, grace and...
grets Says: Although officially banned, female circumcision does take place in various parts of West Africa. I will not go into the rights or wrongs here, all I will say is that during the initiation ceremony, the woman will wear a hat to symbolise the antelope – for speed, grace and...
grets Says: The Taberma grow – amongst other things – fonio, the smallest of all millet species. Not only nutritious, it is also one of the fastest growing cereals, reaching maturity in six to eight weeks. Fonio is used to make couscous, bread, porridge and beer.
Breaking away from your family
grets Says: When the son is old enough to start his own family, he will go out with his father and fire off an arrow. Where the arrow lands is where he will build his Takienta for his own family.
grets Says: Everything the Taberma people do, in all aspects of their lives, is based on readiness to fight, including entering the Takienta backwards. That was they can be ready facing the outside world if the enemy should attack. They will never be taken by surprise.
grets Says: At eight weeks old, the babies are taken to a sacred place on the terrace of the Takienta, where it is washed for the first time, using the bowls seen in picture two. The cleansing is symbolic of ‘life after dark’ – bringing life to the new baby.
grets Says: Suffering from claustrophobia, I didn’t like entering the main door backwards, and I refused to go in to the small rooms atop the terrace. The entrance is fairly tight and the inside is small, dark and has a low roof. Do not enter if you don’t like enclosed spaces!
grets Says: As we were being shown around the terrace of the Takienta, a group of local people dressed up in traditional gear, started putting on a dance show for us. It was all rather touristy; although at no time did they ask us for any money. It was just that feeling of falseness.
grets Says: This area, known as Koutammakou, is home to the Taberma ethnic group, whose name means good builder. There are 37 different ethnic groups in Togo, of which the Taberma are one minority who live in the north of Togo and neighbouring Benin. They are famous for their unique...
grets Says: Also on the main terrace are conical-shaped towers with thatched roofs where grain is stored. The picture shows David climbing the chicken ladder to check out the contents of the granary.
grets Says: The first room you come to when you enter the Takienta, is where the animals are kept under the main terrace, away from rain and the enemy. You continue up rudely crafted stairs to the main terrace, where the Taberma spend all their leisure time and sleeping (as well as...
grets Says: The entrance area is fashioned like a face/head, with the eyes being the holes you see near the top (these are the entrances for the spirits), the vertical decoration stripes in the middle the nose and the doorway the mouth.
grets Says: There is only one entrance in the walls of the Takienta, and that will always face west out of nostalgia - the Taberma people hail from West or South Burkina Faso.
grets Says: The name of the tribe who live here is Taberma which means ‘good builder’. They are known for their unique architecture. Each compound, known as Takienta, consists of tall towers connected by high walls, made from a material called banco, a mixture of clay and straw. No...
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There is only one entrance in the walls of the Takienta, and that will always face west out of nostalgia - the Taberma people hail from West or South Burkina...
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We spent very little time in Kande itself, apart from the small restaurant for lunch, as we went off the beaten track to see the Taberma Valley villages. These villages are on the UNESCO Heritage......
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