My tour guide introduced himself as Mark Dako, a descendant of King Dakodonou Danzo of the Kingdom of Dahomey. We exchanged pleasantries with a casual fist bump, and as we spoke, my attention drifted to the striking chain around his neck. At the time, it seemed like an unusual fashion statement. Before long, it would make perfect sense.
I was visiting the Akodessewa Fetish Market in Lomé, Togo’s capital. Popularly known as the Voodoo Market, it is one of the city's most intriguing attractions - a maze of vendor stalls, shrines, and dimly lit chambers occupied by Voodoo priests.
As I wandered through the market, I watched a customer purchase a hyena skull. Nearby, another examined the tails of animals I could barely identify. Moments later, I came across something eerily familiar: the spinal cord of a highly venomous snake. Instantly, my guide’s chain came to mind. He was wearing the very same thing around his neck.
For a visitor like me, the market felt puzzling, almost surreal. Yet for the traders, it was simply another day at work. Their clients, many of whom appeared perfectly at ease in this world, moved from one priest to another, seeking guidance and purchasing whatever was prescribed. The animal parts and other materials sold here are used in traditional Voodoo practices and are believed by practitioners to help treat illnesses, offer protection, attract good fortune, or provide spiritual strength. Whether one views these beliefs with curiosity, skepticism, or reverence, there is no denying their deep roots in Togo’s cultural heritage.
Standing in the middle of it all, I realized that Akodessewa is far more than a marketplace. It is a window into a spiritual tradition that continues to shape the lives of many people, preserving beliefs and practices that have endured for generations.