The word voodoo normally conjures up scary images of Aunt Jemima-esque women murdering goats. Thanks to the current season of American Horror Story: Coven however, I feel like voodoo is about to be a thing. To celebrate that, I tracked down the largest voodoo (or Vodoun) market in the world, located in Lomé, (accent on the é like Beyoncé), West Africa.
The Akodessewa Fetish Market in Lomé, Togo, West Africa is a supply store that provides fetishes and charms for pretty much any kind of Voodoo ritual you desire.
Although many people think Haiti is the birthplace of Voodoo, it actually originated in West Africa. Vodoun is the largest religion in that area, and people travel from all over the continent to visit the Akodessewa Fetish Market. A lot of people that can’t afford traditional medical treatment seek out the talismans and charms of the market to treat everything from curses to infertility, and I am assuming, inverted nipples.
In case you have ever wondered, the reason Vodoun practitioners use skulls in their rituals is because they believe every single creature is divine and contains potent magic regardless of whether it is alive or dead. I am not saying the Akodessewa Fetish Market smells all that great, but if you are looking for an authentic Voodoo experience, there is nowhere better.
