Culture
Togo's culture reflects the influences of its 37 ethnic groups, the largest and most influential of which are the Ewe, Mina, and Kabre. The official language of Togo is French. Although there are also may indigenous African languages spoken by Togolese including Gbe languages (such as Ewe, Mina and Aja), Kabiyé and others.
Despite the influences of Christianity and Islam, over half of the people of Togo follow native animistic practices and beliefs.
Crafts
Ewe statuary is characterised by its famous statuettes which illustrate the worship of the twins, the ibéji. Sculptures and hunting trophies were used rather than the more ubiquitous African masks. The wood-carvers of Kloto are famous for their "chains of marriage": two characters are connected by rings drawn from only one piece of wood.
The dyed fabric batiks of the artisanal centre of Kloto represent stylised and coloured scenes of ancient everyday life, and the loincloths used in the ceremonies of the tisserands of Assahoun are famous.
Artists
Works of the painter Sokey Edorh are inspired by the immense arid extents, swept by the harmattan. Paul Ahyi (the creator of the Togo flag) is an internationally recognised sculptor and artist, with his murals, sculptures and stained glass creations adorning cities in Togo and across the world. He also invented "zota", a kind of pyroengraving ('decorating with fire'), in which the wood support is burned with a blow torch in such a way that reveals the wood pattern.
Folk Music
Togolese folk music includes a great variety of percussion-led dance music. Folk songs are typically in the Ewe language, but may also be found in Fon and Yoruba. There are folk songs for fishermen in the south of the country, sometimes accompanied by bells and gongs. Other folk instruments include the flute and the bow.
Drums are played all over Togo, and are used to celebrate all the major events of one's life, such as marriage and baptism; drums are also used religiously, by both Christians and Muslims, and for festivals such as the Expesoso or Yeke Yeke festival . There are numerous rhythms in Togo, with each area having its own special beat.
Dancing
Dances include:
- the southern royal djokoto
- the war dances kpehouhuon and atsina
- the hunters' dance adewu
- the stilt dance tchebe
- the miming masseh
- regional dances such as the coastal sakpate and the kaka.
Sport
As in much of Africa, football is the most popular sporting pursuit. Until recently, Togo was very much a minor force in world football, but like fellow West African nations such as Senegal, Nigeria and Cameroon before them, the Togolese national team finally qualified for the World Cup in 2006. The team's star player is Emmanuel Adebayor, who plays for English Premiership club, Arsenal.