A centuries-old Voodoo tradition in Togo has brought a message of hope for the year ahead, with the unveiling of a white sacred stone, traditionally seen as a symbol of peace, purity and prosperity.
The ceremony took place at Glidji-Kpodji Square near the southern city of Aneho during the annual Epe-Ekpe, or Ekpessosso, festival, which marks the beginning of the ancestral year for the Guin people.
The sacred ritual dates back to 1663, when settlers from the former Gold Coast, present-day Ghana, established the tradition. Each year, followers gather to witness the emergence of the mysterious stone, whose color is believed to offer clues about what the coming year may hold.
According to Wlomo Nomo Combietey VIII Nii Labite, guardian of the sacred wood, different colors carry different meanings. A white stone represents peace and prosperity, while sky blue is associated with good harvests. Red is traditionally viewed as a warning of famine, war and misfortune, while a multicolored stone may signal disease or a major epidemic.
This year, however, the stone emerged white, bringing relief and celebration among worshipers.
Hundreds of people, many of them Voodoo priests and priestesses, gathered for the historic ceremony. Dressed predominantly in white and decorated with colorful beads, participants sang and danced for hours, with some entering trance-like states as they took part in the rituals.
When a group of worshipers emerged from the sacred forest carrying the oval-shaped stone, the crowd erupted in chants of “Helu-lo, helu-lo,” a traditional Mina expression calling for evil spirits to be driven away.
A Voodoo priest later declared that the white stone heralded “a year of purity, peace and prosperity.”
For many worshipers, the message was deeply reassuring.
“The gods have answered our prayers,” said priestess Pierrette Ahouefa, celebrating the favorable sign.
The rituals leading up to the unveiling began in June and were carried out in Voodoo convents and the sacred forest, with every stage carefully observed according to tradition.
Voodoo remains deeply rooted in Togo, where the belief system takes many forms. It originated in the late 16th century in Tado, along the Mono River, and centers on belief in a supreme creator, Mahu or Segbo-Lissa, who is worshiped through more than 200 deities.
For the Guin community, the annual unveiling is more than a colorful cultural celebration. It is a spiritual moment that connects generations to their ancestors—and this year, the sacred white stone has given many followers renewed hope for a peaceful and prosperous year ahead.#newsafro_
