Lucky Charms of Togo

Togo is home to the Akodessewa Fetish Market in Lomé — the largest voodoo market in the world — where dried animal parts, carved figures, and natural substances used in traditional protective and luck-attracting ceremonies are sold alongside each other. This market is a visible testament to the vitality of Ewe and Fon voodoo (vodun) traditions. Vodun is not mere superstition here but a living theological system in which specific spirits (lwa or vodun) govern specific aspects of life.

Cowrie shells are used extensively in Ewe and Fon divination, and Fa divination (the southern cousin of Yoruba Ifa) produces specific prescribed amulets and rituals. The growing Islamic community carries gris-gris and tasbih. The adinkra symbols of neighboring Ghana's Akan people are shared across the border.