- Title: TOGO-INITIATION WRESTLING Togo's hosts popular Evala initation festival
- Date: 29th July 2015
- Summary: PYA, TOGO (RECENT) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF YOUNG INITIATES SINGING AND DANCING INITIATE COVERED IN POWDER MORE OF INITIATES SINGING AND DANCING VARIOUS OF INITIATES WRESTLING (SOUNDBITE) (Kabye) VALENTIN SOBO, INITIATE SAYING: "It's a very important initiation ceremony for us. After this ceremony, we will be accepted as adults. It's compulsory to go through this initiation, and each wrestler does what they can to take the opponent down. We go through many rituals, including eating dog meat." MORE OF WRESTLING MATCH DURING INITIATION CEREMONY AUDIENCE LOOKING MORE OF WRESTLING (SOUNDBITE) (French) TCHAO MANDJATOM, PRESIDENT KABYE ACADEMY, SAYING: "This initiation is supposed to test endurance, courage and tenacity. It's a way of teaching young people the art of combat. Wrestling is a physical combat. Back in the day, when different tribes were fighting, and when people would run out of weapons, the enemy was conquered through wrestling. This teaches young people endurance. Young wrestlers were required to run from one end to to another, like in a relay race. It's a way of teaching young people in Kabye to be fit. That's how they would defend the village and the country." MORE OF WRESTLING (SOUNDBITE) (French) AMELIE PETITJEAN, TOURIST SAYING: "I am happy to be at this traditional ceremony. I have learnt that it's important for the Kabye people. It's a true rite of passage in the life of a young Kabye. I am very interested in seeing what happens after. It's beautiful to watch." YOUNG DANCERS RE-ENACTING WRESTLING ON STAGE TO THE SOUND OF MUSIC AUDIENCE LOOKING ON MORE OF PERFORMANCE ON STAGE
- Embargoed: 13th August 2015 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Togo
- Country: Togo
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVAAI89EHXMELHWCO9RAQ43LT123
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Every year in July, the small town of Kara, 430 kilometers north of Togo's capital is a hive of activity, as it plays host to one of the country most popular cultural events, the Evala festival.
Evala, is an important initiation ritual in the growth of a young man among the Kabye community in northern Togo.
According to tradition, a young Kabye man does not become a member of the community, unless he goes through the evala initiation process.
Aged between 15 and 20 years, hundreds of young men from across Togo gathered in Kara, where they took part in a traditional wrestling event.
In teams of 5, young men wrestle each other, in what is aimed to forge, shape and model the individual in their preparation for the adult responsibilities.
"It's a very important initiation ceremony for us. After this ceremony, we will be accepted as adults. It's compulsory to go through this initiation, and each wrestler does what they can to take the opponent down. We go through many rituals, including eating dog meat," said one participant, Valentin Sobo.
As part of the initiation process, young initiates are isolated and in the week leading to the competition, they are required to consume dog meat, an animal that symbolises endurance, courage, and faith, qualities that the wrestlers need to defeat the opponents during the fights.
Practiced across the African continent for hundreds of years, traditional wrestling in Togo amongst the Kabyes grew out of an ancestral sport, practiced with sticks.
Competitors used to wrestle with sticks and threw each other on the ground using a stick. When two competitors no longer had the sticks in their hands, they would then have to grab each other and wrestle.
Over time, the tradition then evolved into a sport, that is aimed at preparing young Kabye men, physically and mentally for adulthood.
"This initiation is supposed to test endurance, courage and tenacity. It's a way of teaching young people the art of combat. Wrestling is a physical combat. Back in the day, when different tribes were fighting, and when people would run out of weapons, the enemy was conquered through wrestling. This teaches young people endurance. Young wrestlers were required to run from one end to to another, like in a relay race. It's way of teaching young people in Kabye to be fit. That's how they would defend the village and the country," said Tchao Mandjatom, president of the Kabyea academy, which is in charge of preserving the Kabye culture and traditions.
The event has also become a popular attraction not only for locals but also tourists.
"I am happy to be at this traditional ceremony. I have learnt that it's important for the Kabye people. It's a true rite of passage in the life of a young Kabye. I am very interested in seeing what happens after. It's beautiful to watch," said Amelie Petitjean, a tourist from France.
This year's event also included several concerts, as well as a sensitising campaign on HIV/AIDS for youths. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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