View source for Music of Togo

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[[Image:Oprente Trommel der Firma djembe-shop aus Tweneboa Holz.jpg|thumb|A Togolese drum.]]

'''The music of [[Togo]]''' has produced a number of internationally known popular entertainers including [[Bella Bellow]], Akofah Akussah, Afia Mala, Itadi Bonney, Wellborn, King Mensah and [[Jimi Hope]].

==National music==
The Togolese national anthem is ''[[Salut à toi, pays de nos aïeux]]'' (Land of our forefathers), written by Alex Casimir-Dosseh. From 1979 to 1992 it was replaced by an anthem composed by the party of the Rally of the Togolese People. [[French language|French]] is the official and commercial language of Togo.

== Traditional music ==
{{further|Ewe music|Ewe drumming}}
Togo's southern plain is its most populous area, where the capital, [[Lomé]], is situated on the [[Gulf of Guinea]] but, like its neighbours, [[Ghana]] and [[Benin]], its territory extends hundreds of kilometres northward, passing through a central hill region into the northern [[savanna]] that borders [[Burkina Faso]]. Its population of over 6 million people, which is 65% rural and agrarian, is composed of about [[Demographics of Togo|21 ethnic groups]]. Approximately 51%  of the population has indigenous beliefs, 29% is [[Christianity|Christian]], and 20% [[Muslim]].<ref name="cia">[https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/togo/ Togo]. CIA – The World Factbook. Cia.gov. Retrieved on 2012-01-08.</ref>

The two most populous language groups are the [[Ewe (people)|Ewe]] in the south (about 32% of the population) and the [[Kabye people|Kabye]] in the north (22% of the population). [[Gen language|Gen or Mina]] is the second major language in the south, closely related to Ewe: most southern peoples use these two languages, which are spoken in commercial sectors throughout Togo. [[Fon language|Fon]], another related language, as well as [[Aja people|Aja]], are also spoken in the south: the Ewe had entered Togo from the east, and [[Akan people]] from the west, several centuries before Europeans arrived.

Folk songs of fishermen in the south may be accompanied by [[bell (musical instrument)|bell]]s such as the [[gankogui]] and [[frikiwa]]. Folk songs in [[Ewe language|Ewe]] and [[Kabye language|Kabye]], are common, [[Fon language|Fon]] and [[Yoruba language|Yoruba]] songs also occur.<ref name="ReferenceA">Virtual journey through Togo, music + dance</ref> Togolese music includes a great variety of [[percussion instrument|percussion]]-led [[dance music]]. All over Togo drums are used, by Christians and Muslims as well, to celebrate all major events of life and for festivals like the [[Expesoso]] or ''Yeke Yeke'' festival.<ref name="ReferenceB">Virtual journey through Togo, Togolese drumming</ref> In the [[Aneho]] district alone drums in use include the {{Transliteration|ee|agbadja, ageche, aziboloe, kple, amedjeame, akpesse, grekon, blekete}} and {{Transliteration|ee|adamdom}}.<ref name="ReferenceB"/> There are numerous rhythms in Togo, each area having its own special beat.

In the central hills [[Tem language|Tem]] and the [[Ghana–Togo Mountain languages]] are spoken. [[Dagomba language|Dagomba]] is the second most common language in the north, where other [[Gur languages]] such as [[Mossi language|Mossi]] and [[Gourma]] are also found. The culture of these northern people extends far into Togo's neighbouring states, [[Music of Ghana|Ghana]] and [[Music of Burkina Faso|Burkina Faso]]. The [[Dagomba people]] play [[stringed instruments]] such as the {{Transliteration|dag|kologo}} ({{Transliteration|dag|[[xalam]]}}) and the {{Transliteration|dag|[[Goje|gonjey]]}}), [[flute]] and voice, with poly-rhythms clapped or played on the [[talking drum]], gourd drums or ''brekete''. The tradition of ''[[gyil]]'' [[xylophone]] music is also common, with several players producing intricate cycling rhythms. Other folk instruments include the [[bow (musical instrument)|bow]].<ref name="ReferenceA"/> Music in the northern styles is mostly set to a minor pentatonic scale and [[melisma]] plays an important part in melodic and vocal styles, along with a long history of [[griot]] praise-singing traditions.

Togolese dances include {{Transliteration|mis|kamou}}, {{Transliteration|mis|soo}}, {{Transliteration|mis|tchimou}}, the southern royal {{Transliteration|mis|[[djokoto]]}}, the [[war dance]]s {{Transliteration|mis|[[kpehouhuon]]}} and {{Transliteration|mis|[[atsina (dance)|atsina]]}}, the hunters' dance {{Transliteration|mis|[[adewu]]}}, the stilt dance {{Transliteration|mis|[[tchebe]]}}, the miming {{Transliteration|mis|[[masseh]]}}, as well as regional dances like the coastal {{Transliteration|mis|[[sakpate]]}} and the {{Transliteration|mis|[[kaka (dance)|kaka]]}}.<ref>World Music Central</ref>
[[File:Tęlęvi - petit cascagnette.jpg|thumb|music instrument Televi.]]

==Popular music==
Internationally known performer [[King Mensah]], a former performer at the [[Ki-Yi M'Bock Theatre]] in [[Abidjan]], toured Europe and Japan before opening his own show in [[French Guiana]] and then moving to Paris and forming a band called [[Favaneva]].<ref name="Bensignor and Audra, pg. 435"/> [[Peter Solo]] The man of Vodoo Game Music from Togo The idea of integrating these haunting lines, sung in honor of the Divinities,  to an energetic 1970s Afro-funk was an obvious extension in Peter's mind of the analogy he found between this voodoo tradition and trance inducers such as Blues, Funk, as well as the Rhythm'n Blues of James Brown, Otis Redding and Wilson Picket.Peter heard this new sound coming through him and named it Vodoo Game.

Bella Bellow is Togo's best-known musician, and is often compared with [[Music of South Africa|South Africa]]'s [[Miriam Makeba]].<ref name='Rough Guide'>{{cite encyclopedia | last = Bensignor | first = Francois | editor = Simon Broughton |editor2=Mark Ellingham |editor3=Jon Lusk |editor4=Duncan Clark | encyclopedia = The Rough Guide to World Music | title = Benin and Togo | edition = 3rd | year = 2006 | publisher = Rough Guides Ltd. | volume = 1 | location = London | pages = 39–42}}</ref> Her career began after representing her country in 1966 at the [[Dakar Arts Festival]].<ref name="Bensignor and Audra, pg. 435">Bensignor and Audra, pg. 435</ref> She began a career singing love-oriented ballads in 1969, when she worked with Togolese-French [[record producer|producer]] [[Gérard Akueson]] and soon appeared on French national radio and then the prestigious [[Paris Olympia|Olympia Music Hall]].<ref name="Bensignor and Audra, pg. 435"/> She toured across much of the world before dying in a car accident in 1973, just after recording the hit collaboration with [[Manu Dibango]] "Sango Jesus Christo".<ref name="Bensignor and Audra, pg. 435"/> In Bellow's wake came a wave of female singers, including [[Mabah]], [[Afia Mala]], [[Fifi Rafiatou]] and [[Ita Jourias]].<ref name="Bensignor and Audra, pg. 435"/> Other musicians include Jimi Hope.  Hope is known for politically incisive lyrics and an innovative rock-based style.<ref name="Bensignor and Audra, pg. 435"/>

[[Hip hop music|Hip hop]] is on the rise, and 2003 saw the first Togo hip hop awards ceremony.<ref name='Rough Guide' />

The group {{ill|Toofan (band)|lt=Toofan|fr|Toofan}}, founded in 2005 in the capital city of [[Lomé]], is popular across Africa and Europe. Toofan plays a musical style they call "Ogbragada", a combination of Rap and Urban music. They have toured across Africa, Europe, North America, and the Caribbean. The group popularized a dance called "Gweta"<ref>{{Cite web|title=Gweta - A Modern African Dance, by Mama Lisa| url=https://www.mamalisa.com/blog/gweta-a-modern-african-dance/|access-date=2024-10-14|website=mamalisa.com|language=en}}</ref> Toofan has been recognized for their philanthropic and charitable initiatives in Togo.<ref>{{Cite web|title=TOOFAN: The top-notch togolese duo, by Delia Nyadi|url=https://esbimedia.com/toofan-the-top-notch-togolese-duo/|access-date=2024-10-14|website=esbimedia.com|language=en}}</ref>

[[Folk metal]] scene of Togo, counts one band under the name [[Arka'n Asrafokor]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Zã Keli, by ARKA'N ASRAFOKOR |url=https://arkanaa.bandcamp.com/album/z-keli |access-date=2023-10-30 |website=ARKA'N ASRAFOKOR |language=en}}</ref>

== Notes ==
<references />

==See also==
*[[Sub-Saharan African music traditions]]
*[[Rhythm in Sub-Saharan Africa]]
*[[West African music]]

== References ==
*Bensignor, François and Eric Audra. "Afro-Funksters". 2000. In Broughton, Simon and Ellingham, Mark with McConnachie, James and Duane, Orla (Ed.), ''World Music, Vol. 1: Africa, Europe and the Middle East'', pp 432–436. Rough Guides Ltd, [[Penguin Books]]. {{ISBN|1-85828-636-0}}
*{{cite web|url=http://www.worldmusiccentral.org/staticpages/index.php/glossary|work=World Music Central|title=International Dance Glossary|access-date=September 7, 2005 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20050901135005/http://www.worldmusiccentral.org/staticpages/index.php/glossary |archive-date = September 1, 2005}}
*{{cite web|access-date=September 7, 2005|title=Virtual journey through Togo, music + dance|work=OxFam's Cool Planet|url=http://www.oxfam.org.uk/coolplanet/ontheline/explore/journey/togo/music.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050909131529/http://www.oxfam.org.uk/coolplanet/ontheline/explore/journey/togo/music.htm|archive-date=September 9, 2005|url-status=dead}}
*{{cite web|access-date=September 7, 2005|title=Virtual journey through Togo, Togolese drumming|work=OxFam's Cool Planet|url=http://www.oxfam.org.uk/coolplanet/ontheline/explore/journey/togo/drums.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051119184205/http://www.oxfam.org.uk/coolplanet/ontheline/explore/journey/togo/drums.htm|archive-date=November 19, 2005|url-status=dead}}

==External links==
* {{in lang|fr}} [http://www.ville-ge.ch/meg/musinfo_ph.php?what=pays=Togo&debut=0&bool=AND Audio clips: Traditional music of Togo.] [[Musée d'ethnographie de Genève]]. Accessed November 25, 2010.
* [http://gallica.bnf.fr/Search?ArianeWireIndex=index&lang=EN&q=togo&p=1&f_typedoc=audio Audio clips - traditional music of Togo.] French National Library. Accessed November 25, 2010.

{{Music of Africa}}
{{Togo topics}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Music Of Togo}}
[[Category:Music of Togo| ]]