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Friday, June 26, 2015

Inside the World's Largest Black Magic Market

Voodoo viagra: Inside the world's largest black magic market which sells monkey head aphrodisiacs and love potions made from chameleons ground up with Chanel No.5 

  • The sprawling Marche des Feticheurs in Togo's capital, Lomé, is believed to be the world's largest voodoo market
  • Items for sale include monkey heads, boa constrictor skins, dried hyena heads, elephant tail bones and live hawks
  • Voodoo, although associated with Haiti, originated in West Africa and is popular in Togo and neighbouring Benin
From dried-out monkey heads and antelope skulls to dead birds and crates of baby crocodiles, this is the world's biggest voodoo market.
The Marche des Feticheurs in Lomé, the capital of Togo in West Africa, is the world's largest voodoo market with products including a love potion consisting of Chanel No.5 and ground-up chameleon.
Cures include monkey heads, which are thought to be a stimulant, and burn-healing boa constrictor skins while the markets also stock dried hyena heads, elephant tail bones and even live hawks.
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Black magic: The Marche des Feticheurs in Togo's capital, Lomé, is the world's largest voodoo market featuring the remains of thousands of animals
Black magic: The Marche des Feticheurs in Togo's capital, Lomé, is the world's largest voodoo market featuring the remains of thousands of animals
For sale: The market features dried-out monkey heads (pictured) as well as antelope skulls, dead birds and crates of baby crocodiles
For sale: The market features dried-out monkey heads (pictured) as well as antelope skulls, dead birds and crates of baby crocodiles
Special powers? People who practise the voodoo tradition believe that life derives from the natural forces of earth, water, fire and air
Special powers? People who practise the voodoo tradition believe that life derives from the natural forces of earth, water, fire and air
Up for grabs: Antelope heads, tortoise shells and cattle horns are shown stacked up at the world's biggest voodoo market in Togo, Africa
Up for grabs: Antelope heads, tortoise shells and cattle horns are shown stacked up at the world's biggest voodoo market in Togo, Africa
Tradition: Voodoo, although associated with Haiti, originated in West Africa and is popular in Togo and neighbouring Benin
Tradition: Voodoo, although associated with Haiti, originated in West Africa and is popular in Togo and neighbouring Benin
People who practise the voodoo tradition believe that life derives from the natural forces of earth, water, fire and air.
Voodoo, although associated with Haiti, originated in West Africa and is popular in Togo and neighbouring Benin.
Emanuela Grieco, 34, the photographer who took these stunning pictures, said: 'There is a bit of everything at Lome voodoo market.
Cures include monkey heads, which are thought to be a stimulant, and burn-healing boa constrictor skins while the markets also stock dried hyena heads, elephant tail bones and even live hawks
Cures include monkey heads, which are thought to be a stimulant, and burn-healing boa constrictor skins while the markets also stock dried hyena heads, elephant tail bones and even live hawks
Browsing: A trourist examines items for sale at the Marche des Feticheurs in Togo's capital, Lomé
A man holds the head of a crocodile
Browsing: A trourist examines items for sale at the Marche des Feticheurs in Togo's capital, Lomé while a man holds the head of a crocodile
In stock: Items for sale at the Marche des Feticheurs include dried heads, skulls, horns and antlers from a range of animals
In stock: Items for sale at the Marche des Feticheurs include dried heads, skulls, horns and antlers from a range of animals
The stunning images were taken by 34-year-old photographer Emanuela Grieco during a visit to Lomé's voodoo magic
The stunning images were taken by 34-year-old photographer Emanuela Grieco during a visit to Lomé's voodoo magic
'There is what you'd expect like cows heads or horses hair tails and there is what you wouldn't expect like dead cats heads or even what you have never before like cobras or antelopes heads.
'Once you arrive, you enter the world of white magic and the spiritual world of Togo - this tiny unknown sweet piece of Earth in Mother Africa's heart.
'At the beginning you don't know how to take it as the border between credence and superstition is so thin and unknown that it's easy to get lost in our western eyes.'
The photographer said that as well as the likes of cows heads and horses hair tails, shoppers could also find unexpected items such as dead cats heads, cobras and antelope heads
The photographer said that as well as the likes of cows heads and horses hair tails, shoppers could also find unexpected items such as dead cats heads, cobras and antelope heads
The world's largest voodoo market has products including a love potion consisting of Chanel No.5 and ground-up chameleon 
The world's largest voodoo market has products including a love potion consisting of Chanel No.5 and ground-up chameleon 
The Marche des Feticheurs features dried-out monkey heads and antelope skulls, dead birds and crates of baby crocodiles
The Marche des Feticheurs features dried-out monkey heads and antelope skulls, dead birds and crates of baby crocodiles
As well as dead animals, the market also stocks these small wooden men described by salesmen as being male fertility statues
As well as dead animals, the market also stocks these small wooden men described by salesmen as being male fertility statues

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