Tuesday, July 5, 2016

History of Togo Final



Introduction

The history of Togo has been greatly influenced by outsiders. Throughout history, the Togolese have lived a relatively simple life but beginning in 1847 following their first contact with Europeans, their lives began to grow increasingly more complex.[1] Like most other African nations, Togo experienced a period where it endured colonization, which was its most overt interaction with non-natives but the Togolese also saw interactions in other ways as well. Foreigners, notably Europeans, have played a significant role in the history of Togo in the areas of borders, natural resources and trade, and religion - especially in missions.
"HISTORY OF TOGO." HISTORY OF TOGO. Accessed June 12, 2016. http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?historyid=ad42.

National Borders

            One of the most direct ways that Togo was influenced by outside forces was through the creation of their national borders. Because they were colonized by the Germans in 1885, the Togolese surrendered control over their own land. [2] When Germany divided the land they did not maintain the former boundaries. They created entirely new borders which divided people groups and separated villages and tribes. The Ewe, Adja, Outachi, Fon and other groups were divided to name a few. These groups were divided between the Gold Coast, Togo, and Dahomey which is now known as Benin.[3] The border between Benin and Togo was agreed upon by the French and the Germans but it was not fully marked so it has been a point of contention in recent history between the two nations.[4] This border was created without even consulting the Togolese. The dividing of people groups is another example of a group of outsiders shaping the history of Togo for the Togolese. 

 "Murray & Candace's Adventures." : Trekking across Togo... Accessed June 28, 2016. http://mercyshipadventure.blogspot.com/2010/05/trekking-across-togo.html. 

Resources and Trade 

            Another area where foreigners have influenced the history of Togo is in the area of natural resources and trade. When the Germans colonized Togo one of their main motives was for access to trade routes, and resources. Togo sits on the Gulf of Guinea which gives access to trade routes that the Germans coveted. Although it is a relatively small strip of land, Togo has several natural resources including its largest exported resource, gold. In 2014, the most recent data provided by OEC through MIT, cites that gold accounted for 27 percent of Togo’s exports but they also exported refined petroleum, calcium phosphates, and cement in the same year.[5] The area where the Germans had the most significant impact was their development of railroads throughout the country. Blackshire-Belay in her book states, “In economic terms, the impact of German colonialism was far from insignificant… Overall, the Germans oversaw the laying of some 4,500 km. of railway track…”[6] This left a long lasting impact on the nation of Togo because they were now able to trade their resources and they were able to travel relatively quickly throughout the country. Unfortunately, the price of these railroads came at a cost and that cost was the high price of forced labor at the expense of the Togolese and the railroads also led to exploitation of the villages in some cases. The Togolese also compete in the global market which is yet another way interactions with foreigners have influenced the history of their nation. Togo is the 137th largest export economy and the 95th most complex according to the Economic Complexity Index.[7] Togo has been influenced in the areas of natural resources and trade by foreigners through the railroad system built by the Germans and their participation in the global economy.
Saefong, Myra P., and Sue Chang. "Gold Drops in Biggest Move in Two Weeks on Upbeat Economic Signs." MarketWatch. 2016. Accessed July 05, 2016. http://www.marketwatch.com/story/gold-falls-for-second-day-lower-for-the-week-as-us-economy-improves-2016-04-14.

Religion

            Another area where Togo has been influenced is the area of religion. This has been done through the hard work of missionaries both on the ground and through supporters from all over the world. The nation has no official religion. A majority (51%) of the Togolese still practice their traditional Voodoo practices. 20 percent of Togolese profess to be followers of Islam and 19 percent profess to be Christians.[8] Traditional Voodoo is the belief that spirits and demons exist even if they cannot be seen with the naked eye. Voodoo practices are done to keep these demons and spirits away and to try to appease them. One can also place a curse on a neighbor or an enemy. Ancestor worship is also often considered a part of the traditional religion of Togo.[9] Christianity was introduced to Togo as a result of the anti-slavery movement in 1847. This first group of missionaries were German Catholics and a few years later missionaries with the John Wesley Methodist Tradition joined them and they began ministering to the Togolese as well.
 "A Day at the Voodoo Fetish Market of Lomè." My 1st Impressions. Accessed July 05, 2016. http://my1stimpressions.com/2013/04/17/togolese-voodoo-fetish-market/. 

Missionary Impact

The impact that these missionaries have is great as are the humanitarian needs in Togo.  In a study done by the African Development Review, it was found that in 1998 the malnutrition rates were high but in 2006 they had dropped to average.[10] This is largely a testament to humanitarian efforts by both missionaries and nations from around the globe helping the Togolese with agricultural methods and sustainability. The missionaries are also responsible for helping to increase the education rates. This can be seen in a study done by the Journal of Economic History. In this study, they compared the literacy rates of Christians to non-Christians. In Togo, 77 percent of men had never been to school who were non-Christians. Of those who professed to be Christians, only 53 percent of men had never been to school. This could be accounted for a variety of reasons but the most probable is that there are many private Christian schools that have been established by missionaries and these schools educate both Christians and non-Christians but many students are Christians by the time they graduate from the school.[11] Missionaries have also helped in the area of physical needs by establishing a hospital called Hôpital Baptiste Biblique or Karolyn Kempton Memorial Christian Hospital.[12] This is a hospital that was founded by missionaries for the purpose of meeting the physical needs of the Togolese with the greater purpose of meeting their spiritual needs at the same time. This is a difficult undertaking in Togo because many of the Togolese are hesitant to receive outside aid fearful that it will upset the spirits. This can be frustrating for many of the doctors and medical personnel because many of the issues the Togolese are suffering from can be cured. Some issues such as HIV and aids however, are much greater of a problem and although the missionaries are doing all they can the fight is a difficult one.[13]
"Christian Schools." ABWE Togo South Team. Accessed July 04, 2016. https://abwetogosouth.org/ministries/christian-schools/.

Conclusion

The Togolese have been influenced from the outside but they have still managed to keep their culture alive. Foreigners have had a significant role in shaping the history but the Togolese have maintained continuity in their character. When one visits Togo it is not the borders, the trade or the work being done by missionaries that leaves a lasting impression. It is the smiles and the warmth of a culture that is alive and thriving amidst circumstances that seem it should be lost. These are the memories that are taken from Togo and the aspects that remain despite the foreigners lasting impact.




Video Presentation:
*The Prezi is most easily navigated by allowing it to play through on its own after you hit the play button but can also be navigated manually with the arrows at the bottom. Make sure your volume is on for the audio! Enjoy. 








Bibliography
[1] "Togoland." Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6Th Edition (April 2016): 1. Literary Reference Center, EBSCOhost (accessed June 28, 2016).
[2] Blackshire-Belay Carol Aisha. "German Imperialism in Africa: The Distorted Images of Cameroon, Namibia, Tanzania, and Togo." Journal of Black Studies 23, no. 2 (1992): 238. http://www.jstor.org/stable/2784532.
[3] "History." Togo Country Review (July 2011): 6-8. Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed June 27, 2016).
[4] Shelley, Fred M. Nation Shapes: The Story behind the World's Borders. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2013. 265.
[5] "Togo." OEC. Accessed June 08, 2016. http://atlas.media.mit.edu/en/profile/country/tgo.
[6] Blackshire-Belay Carol Aisha. 237.
[7] “Togo” OEC.
[8] "Key Data." Togo Country Review (July 2012): 1-5. Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed July 3, 2016).
[9] Morse, Donald R. "Evidence for Voodoo Curses." Journal of Spirituality & Paranormal Studies, October 2010., 181-183, Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost(accessed July 3, 2016).
[10] Abalo, Kodjo, Akoété Ega Agbodji, and Yélé Maweki Batana. "Nutritional Health Inequalities among Children in Togo." African Development Review 26, no. 4 (December 2014): 584-596. International Security & Counter Terrorism Reference Center, EBSCOhost (accessed July 3, 2016).
[11] Cogneau, D., & Moradi, A. (2014). Borders that divide: Education and religion in ghana and togo since colonial times. The Journal of Economic History, 74(3), 694-729.
[12] "Hôpital Baptiste Biblique." ABWE Togo South Team. 2015. Accessed June 15, 2016. https://abwetogosouth.org/ministries/hbb/.
[13] Yaya, I., Saka, B., Landoh, D. E., Patchali, P., Patassi, A. A., Aboubakari, A., . . . Pitché, P. (2015). HIV status disclosure to sexual partners, among people living with HIV and AIDS on antiretroviral therapy at sokodé regional hospital, togo. PLoS One,10(2).