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Impressions of Kougnohou
Nestled into the rolling hills of Togo's plateau region, Kougnohou (pronounced coon-yo) is a relatively big village, home to the largest market west of Atakpame. There is no running water and only limited hours of electricity, so Kougnohou has been the perfect place to unplug and relax. Reaching only 122 degrees in the middle of the afternoon and being blessed with cooler weather most mornings and evenings, Kougnohou is a haven of nice weather in the middle of Africa. Afternoon storms are frequent during the rainy season, which has just begun. Torrential downpours, fierce wind, lightning, and thunder make for exciting nights under a tin roof. It also makes the land surrounding the village lush and green - much like a tropical paradise in the middle of Africa. Red dirt roads and off-white clay houses stained red on the bottom and topped with tin roofs fill the village. Chickens, guinea fowl, and goats roam the roadsides, feasting on grass and bushes. Each morning, I hear multiple roosters crowing, church bells ringing, the mosque's call to worship, and people rising and preparing for the day… all before 5 am. Cooking, cleaning, and bathing all take place outdoors. Most Togolese cook over fires on traditional stoves outside. They shower either in public or private enclosures or out in the middle of their compounds. When I leave the house between 5:30 and 6am for my morning walk, I see naked children covered with soap next to large basins of water in the middle of each housing compound. Life starts early in this village, as they are so dependent on using natural light throughout the day. Students are walking to school sometimes before 6am. Stores are open and doing business sometimes before 7. Government offices open at 7am. As I walk out of the village, I pass men and women heading to their fields to farm for the day or going to the river to collect water. I will even pass women coming back from the river carrying large basins of water on their heads before 6am.
Kougnohou is a cross-roads of sorts, with dirt roads heading off to small villages further in the bush. It is definitely not on the Togo tourist route, if one even exists. Few tourists come to Togo in the first place, and I would be incredibly surprised if any of them makes it to Kougnohou. Peace Corps has had a presence in Kougnohou for quite some time, however. It is for that reason that most people I meet assume I'm another volunteer visiting Ortencia, rather than a true visitor. Everyone we meet is amazed that I would travel so far to visit, and they constantly demand that Ortencia treat me well and show me the true Togo. I've been fortunate to meet several of the women she works with and other friends she has made in her two years here. I am greeted on the street by both the familiar and unfamiliar. It's hard to believe that the word "Kougnohou" means "Death is better."
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Peter Fun to read this. I was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Kougnohou in the early 1980s. You've done a good job capsulizing the feel of the place. While I was there "world travelers" would wander through from time to time. They always brought them to me! (Some were welcome-- some not so much.) Anyway, glad you enjoyed your time there.