‘GREAT WARRIORS’:
The African country is hoping the ancient tradition of ‘Evala’ would soon be recognized by UNESCO as part of Togo’s intangible cultural heritage
The bare-chested young men emerged from a forest ceremony in northern Togo chanting war songs, ready for the initiation tradition of “Evala” in which they wrestle to become men.Every mid-July, thousands of ethnic Kabye men aged 18 to 20 take part in the ancestral rite of passage in the west African nation’s Kara region, hundreds of kilometers from the capital, Lome. Authorities are hoping it would soon be recognized by UNESCO as part of Togo’s cultural heritage.Ahead of wrestling, the participating “Evalo,” as the young men are called, must sport three small scars near each ear, made using blades.
Young men compete in the “Evala” ritual wrestling competition in the north Togo town of Lama-Feing in the Kara region on Wednesday last week.
The next rite requires they dance with a dog until it dies of exhaustion. They also eat the meat of the animal “for the first time” in their lives, Tchitchao canton chief Achille Samah Bidiwana said.“The dog is a strong, hardy and cunning animal. By eating its meat, the initiate takes on these qualities. In the arena, the one who floors his opponent is the winner,” he said, dressed in a black-and-white ceremonial outfit with a matching traditional cap.
