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tammi242013

Togolainen ihmepallo

Antti Seppänen, Jalkapalloa Grand-Popossa 2011
Antti Seppänen, Jalkapalloa Grand-Popossa 2011

 

Jalkapallon Afrikan mestaruusturnaus, eli CAN, pärähti taas käyntiin viime viikolla, tällä kertaa Etelä-Afrikassa. Kahden vuoden välein pelattava turnaus on äärettömän tärkeä tapahtuma afrikkalaisille, pelejä seurataan kaikkialla, mistä löytyy televisio. Beninin Oravat eivät tällä kertaa osallistu, joten keskittykäämme länsinaapuriin Togoon ja sen joukkueeseen Varpushaukkoihin, jota Lomén oma poika, Englannin liigassa pelaava Emmanuel Sheyi ”Chéri” Adébayor ohjaa. Nähtäväksi jää nappaavatko Varpushaukat vedonlyöntikertoimia uhmaten Afrikan mestaruuden, ja miksei maailmankin; mestaruuksia odotellessa voimme tehdä katsauksen Haukkain historian jännittävimpiin käänteisiin.

Vuonna 2006 jalkapallon maailmanmestaruuskisat pelattiin Berliinissä ja Togo oli kisoissa mukana. Varpushaukkojen taustajoukkojen mukana Berliiniin matkasi myös tsemppibiisistä vastannut hittibändi Toofan. Myös Suomen Veikkaus katsoi asiakseen polkaista käyntiin Togoa tukevan mainoskampanjan Suomessa. Ensimmäisen pelin Etelä-Koreaa vastaan Varpushaukat hävisivät harmillisesti 2-1. Ennen seuraavaa ottelua Haukkain pelaajat ja manageri menivät rahanjakoepäselvyyksien vuoksi lakkoon, mikä aiheutti kansainvälistä kummastusta ja FIFAlta sakot. Haukat lopettivat lakon, hävisivät kaikki loputkin pelit ja palasivat kotiin. Yksi Toofanin kolmesta jäsenestä katosi reissulla, eikä hänestä ole kuultu sen koommin. Toofan jatkaa minankielisten hittibiisien tekemistä duettona.

Vuonna 2008 Varpushaukat olivat ottelumatkalla Sierra Leonessa, jossa osa matkasta piti taittaa helikopterilla. 20 Togon delegaation jäsentä, Togon urheiluministeri mukaan lukien, kuljettanut helikopteri räjähti ja syöksyi maahan: kaikki 20 kuolivat. Itse joukkue pelastui nipin napin, sillä se oli tulossa vasta seuraavalla kopterilla.

Traagiset tapahtumat saivat jatkoa vuoden 2010 CANissa Angolassa, Varpushaukkojen ollessa matkalla ottelupaikalle. Bussi joutui väijytykseen ja sitä tulitettiin rankasti: 3 kuoli ja useita loukkaantui, mm. maalivahti Kodjovi Obilale oli pitkään kriittisessä tilassa ja ehdittiin väliaikaisesti julistaa kuolleeksikin. Hyökkäyksestä selvinneet olivat ymmärrettävästi shokissa. Virallisesti hyökkäyksen sanotaan olleen Cabindan alueen vapautusliikkeen FLECin järjestämä, mutta yleisen käsityksen mukaan sen takana saattaa olla paljon, paljon muuta. Varpushaukat keskeyttivät turnauksen ja palasivat osa Togoon toipumaan, osa luotivammoja leikkauttamaan Etelä-Afrikan sairaaloihin.

Tässä vaiheessa Afrikan jalkapalloliiton CAFin mukaan tragiikkaa ei ollut kylliksi, vaan se määräsi Varpushaukat osallistumiskieltoon kahdessa seuraavassa CANissa. Syyksi se määritteli otteluiden perumisen liian myöhään. Tästä virallisesta päätöksestä togolaiset tyrmistyivät. Yleisen käsityksen mukaan myös CAFin toiminnan takana on paljon, paljon muuta.

Angolan järkytysturnauksen jälkitunnelmissa supertähti Sheyi ilmoitti jättävänsä maajoukkuepelit, koska ei voinut hyväksyä CAFin päätöstä rangaista Togon joukkuetta. Yleisen käsityksen mukaan myös sillä, että sekä Sheyi että Tasavallan Presidentti heilastelivat samaa kaunotarta, on ollut vaikutusta Sheyin vetäytymiseen joukkueesta. Sheyi kuitenkin palasi Haukkain riveihin seuraavana vuonna.

Myöhemmin vuonna 2010 Togon joukkue matkusti Bahrainiin pelaamaan ystävyysottelua. Togo hävisi ja joku nettosi suuret vedonlyöntirahat. Muutaman päivän kuluttua paljastui, että kyseessä ei ollut oikea maajoukkue. Tietyt henkilöt Togon jalkapalloliitto FTF:stä olivat järjestäneet maajoukkueväärennöksen pelaamaan Lähi-itään. Luovan tempun järjestäjiä rangaistiin, mutta maajoukkueväärennös jäi ainutlaatuisuuttaan historiaan.

Marraskuussa 2011 togolaista liigajoukkuetta Étoile Filantea kuljettanut bussi syöksyi rotkoon Atakpamén lähellä. Pelaajista kuusi menehtyi ja lukuisia loukkaantui.

Vuonna 2012 Varpushaukat ovat harjoittaneet draamatonta hiljaiseloa. CAFin osallistumiskieltopäätös on kumottu ja Haukat pelaavat juuri käynnistyneessä CANissa. Toivotamme onnea matkaan, ilman kuolemantapauksia.

tammi102013

National Vodun Day

Vodun Day 2013 by Hannu Lindroos

Vodun Day 2013 by Hannu Lindroos

Vodun Day 2013 by Hannu Lindroos

Vodun Day 2013 by Hannu Lindroos

National Vodun Day was celebrated again in Gbêcon, in Grand-Popo on 10th January 2013.

People across West Africa hold beliefs similar to Vodun, but in Benin this belief system is recognised as an official religion. It is followed by some 40% of the population.

Even if authorities in the past sought to extirpate Voodoo from the country, it is now being widely accepted and celebrated as a religion in its own right, and considered a deeply rooted aspect of the region’s culture.

Since 1996, the 10th of January has been dedicated to celebrate Vodun and the ”Voodoo Day” is a bank holiday. One of the biggest celebrations of the day take place in the Voodoo-stadium of Grand- Popo.

kesä12012

New Exhibition in the Petit musée de la Villa Karo!

May was a month of hard work as we renewed the exhibition of the Petit musée in Villa Karo, and here it is! Ready to welcome visitors right away when Villa Karo opens it’s doors again in the end of August!

Tintti Timonen and I did the design based on Soile Rinno’s prior exhibitions; carpenters and painters repaired the interior and the furniture designed by Tina Lotila for the first exhibition in 2002; and finally together with Georgette Singbe, Wiktoriina Hurskainen and Boniface Gossou we arranged the objects in their right places. If you’re not in Benin right now, take a look at the ”musée” through the photos below!

The whole Vodun room with it’s fetishes and statues. Click to see the larger image, and click again to zoom.
Fetishes and assins (altars) in the Vodun room, the left corner from the entrance.
Left wall of the Vodun room, with an evil fetish (above) and a fetish from a sacred forest (below). The text says: ”Vodun is an animistic religion, whose followers believe that nature consists of deities and spirits touching their lives. The religion has its roots in coastal West Africa and from there it travelled with slaves to the Caribbean and to Brazil.
At its heart Vodun is an everyday, social and comprehensive religion and world view, based on reciprocity, reverence for nature and mutual assistance between deities, spirits, the living and the dead.
Fa is the spirit that works as a mediator between the people and the deities. Its message is interpreted by Bokono, diviner of Fa, and the readings are executed by Vodun priests and priestesses in different ceremonies.
Colonialism, mission, political persecution and modernization have all threatened the survival of Vodun. Its nature is flexible and open to influences, the religion continually adjusts to new challenges and its position is nowadays officially recognized, especially in Benin where it is a state religion.
Fetishes are objects of some special innate power, made for many different purposes and closely connected to the Vodun religion. After a divination they embody the force of a god and are used for example for protection or as good luck charms. Some fetish objects may be placed on home altars to promote their owner’s well-being, while other ones may travel in the pockets of travelers, protecting them on their way.”
The upper left corner of the Vodun room shows fertility statues from West Africa, for example from the Ashanti, Fanti and the Baoulé cultures in Ghana and Côte-d’Ivoire.
Marriage, pregnancy, birth, divorce, death… all represented through the fetish statues. Akuaba, an Ashanti girl who is unable to have a child, is perhaps the most well known (aloft).
Hounon, fetish priest of Heviosso, guards the Petit musée across the entrance. On his left side is the fetish of Ogun, the God of Iron and on his right side a fetish with bull’s horns on his back.
Fetish statues of the Goddess of Mami Wata, God of Water, right side of the Vodun room.
”In Vodun religion the universe is divided into five basic elements: water, fire, earth, air and sky. In their own way each Vodun deity represents one of these elements. The Supreme God, the creator of the universe is called Mawu. The names and meanings of the hundreds of deities may vary from one community to another, but certain deities, such as Mami Wata, recur.
The vibrant water goddess has drawn influences from Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, as well as from Buddhism. Some characteristics of Mami Wata may also have been taken from the mermaid figureheads adorning the ships that brought the first Europeans to Africa, but for example the Dogon culture of Mali and Burkina Faso told tales of mermaids and mermen as early as 4000 years ago. Mami Wata guarantees her followers speedy success, riches, good luck and good health. The goddess, who is often characterized as jealous, is known to show herself every now and then to true believers, in the light of the full moon.
Other important Vodun deity Heviosso, also known as Shango among the Yoruba people, represents the air being the god of thunder. The red color associated with Heviosso/Shango is considered to be holy. For example the boat fetishes from the fishing village Ada in Ghana often include the double-sided axe of Shango as the symbol of thunder. The owner of the fetish gains strength and Shango is prevailed upon to calm the sea winds.”
The left side of the History room presents the slave trade with statuettes and a picture of Francisco de Souza, a slave trader who lived in Ouidah and visited also Grand-Popo – giving the town it’s name.
”The Portuguese were the first to settle on what later was called the Slave Coast: the coast of today’s Togo, Benin and western Nigeria. Town of Ouidah, 45 kilometers from Grand-Popo, became center of West African slave trade. In the 18th century Ouidah had five European fortresses: English, French, Portuguese, Dutch and Danish. The beach of Ouidah became a ”gate of no return” to hundred thousands, even millions of people.
Slave trade was approved in Dahomey and the kings sold their own countrymen and war prisoners as slaves. In return they got weapons, precious metals and luxury objects. King Agadja’s emblem even depicted a slave ship: to represent the prosperity slave trade brought to the kingdom.
The first slavery abolishment acts were given already in the 18th century, but the slave trade was profitable up to the 1860’s. Most of the slaves were sold to the coffee- and sugar plantations in Brazil. About 20 million Africans were victims of the trade while it was going on. Maybe only half of the sold slaves arrived alive to the new continent. Today the African diaspora is commemorated for example during the annual Vodun-festivities in Benin, every 10th January.”
Colon statuettes welcome the visitors to the history room, across the entrance. ”The colonization of Benin (then Dahomey) began in 1889, when France took over the country after winning a war against its last independent ruler, king Gbehanzin. Other French colonies in West Africa were Mauritania, Mali, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire and Niger. France also ruled large areas in other parts of Africa.
French colonial administration hired locals to work in the government, and “colon” statues represent the local people dressed in European uniforms and clothes. Today colons are sold everywhere in West Africa as souvenirs.
Independence movements started to grow stronger in different parts of the continent in the 1950’s and most French colonies became independent in 1960 or soon after. Dahomey gained independence from France finally in 1960 and it was renamed Benin in 1974.”
The upper right corner of the history room.
Old kingdoms of West-Africa are represented by the bronze statues from old Benin (area in today’s Nigeria), kings’ staffs and an application work of the twelve kings of Dahomey (modern Benin).
”The history of Benin is a succession of several kingdoms and cultures. The Fon king of Abomey subdued the surrounding countries and formed the kingdom of Dahomey in 1625. It then became the most powerful kingdom in the area, fighting wars for example against the Oyo Empire (in today’s Porto Novo) and the Kingdom of Whydah (Ouidah).
Other powerful kingdoms in West Africa were the Ashanti kingdom in modern day Ghana, and the Benin Empire of Edo culture, which formed the origins of modern Nigeria. Today kings don’t hold political power, but they have important positions in communities.”
The right side of the history room
touko302012

Workshop with the Thakamou Culture Arts

On 19th of May Villa Karo participated in the finale of the Teni-Tedji Marionette Festival, which was organized for the third time in Benin by association Thakamou Culture Arts and it’s director Jude Zounmenou. Earlier in May Thakamou performed at the concert in Villa Karo, and now it was time to let the local children and high school students participate in the act – and they were many!

The rain forced us indoors in the beginning, but it didn’t stop people from playing, singing and dancing. Familiar songs and rhythms invited the children to try the marionettes, and the artists from Thakamou group taught us how the puppets are moved and how a performance is made.

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After the workshop Teni-Tedji Festival had a succesful ending, as the performers gave one last show for the children. Next year we’ll see the 4th edition of the festival, and we warmly welcome Thakamou Culture Arts back to Villa Karo!

Here’s also a peak to Thakamou group’s project in 2011. This year’s theme in the Teni-Tedji festival was the treatment of disabled people in the society and an effort to enhance their well-being. We’ll see what next year brings!