Somba people

The people of the Somba lives in the states of Benin and Togo. In Togo, however, they are known as the Tamberma.

They belong to the voltaic ethnic group who speak the Gur languages ​​. In the past, Somba fed partly from killed animals today are their main food maize and millet. The most important drink is tchouc, a kind of beer that is prepared by the women. The better the beer, the more respected the woman.

The Somba reject Islam and Christianity, are instead guardian spirits worshiped. In 1899, when the French already large parts of West Africa had conquered the Somba were defeated in a battle and had to surrender to the French colonial power.

The dwellings of the Somba are their traditional two-storey protection courtyards, the Tata Somba. On the ground floor is the kitchen, upstairs, on the walled roof terrace, lie sleeping rooms and pantries, where the farms were defended. Fruits and vegetables on the roof terrace, protected from domestic animals, dried.

The naming at the Somba works like this: Each first son's name is M'Po, each first daughter's name is N'Koua. Thus, there are also names for the second, the third, the fourth, etc. child. The eighth son or daughter is started again from the beginning. In addition, each child still has a Christian name.

Directions at the Somba:

  • West is called before
  • East is, after
  • North is called female
  • South is called male

The four most important events in the life of Somba are: birth, initiation, marriage and death.

Chronology of the Somba:

  • 4 days give one weeks
  • 7 weeks result in a cycle of full moon to full moon
  • 4 years yield a diffoni
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