Trokosi-The Definitive Dictionary on shrine slavery & ritual servitude in West Africa. Confused over terminology in the controversy over trokosi shrine slavery? Here are unbiased definitions in straightforward English to help you understand the reports you are reading.

Information on Trokosi A specialized dictionary of terms on shrine slavery or ritual servitude

A DICTIONARY OF TERMS AND NAMES AS THEY RELATE TO THE TROKOSI CONTROVERSY (Shrine slavery or ritual servitude) IN WEST AFRICA The Dictionary defines these terms: Adidome Training Center-- African Traditional Religion-- Afrikania Mission, Afrikan Renaissance Movement-- Amen-Ra-- Apostate-- Benin-- CHRAJ-- Criminal Code (Ghana)-- Customary servitude-- Divination-- Durbar-- Equality Now-- Every Child Ministries-- Ewe-- Fear-- FESLIM-- Festival-- Fetish-- Fetish priest-- Fetish shrine-- Fetish slavery-- Fiashidi-- FIDA Fon-- Freedom of religion-- Ghana-- Human rights-- Human rights violations Idolatry-- Idols-- Initiation-- International Needs-- Involuntary servitude-- Klikor-- Lesser gods-- Liberation, Trokosi liberation, Liberation of trokosi-- Liberation certificates-- Liberation documents-- Liberation package-- Modern slave belt of West Africa-- National Department of Culture (Ghana)-- NGO-- Opposition (to liberating the trokosi)-- Queens-- Rape-- Rehabilitation, Rehabilitation of trokosi-- Replacement-- Ritual Servitude-- Schnapps-- Secrecy-- Shrine slavery, shrine slaves Slaves-- Slavery-- Swearing place-- Starvation-- Temporary Release-- Togbui, Togbe-- Togo-- Traditional Religion-- Tro-- Tro-Horvi Council-- Trokosi-- Trokosi priest-- Trokosi Abolition Fellowship-- Trokosi Council-- Trokosi priest-- Trokosi shrine-- Troxovi- Voodoo or voudou or voudoun-- Voodoosi or voudousi or voudounsi-- Wives of the gods-- Witchcraft pot--

TROKOSI--the practice of some but not all traditional shrines in West Africa in which a human being, usually a young virgin, is forced into ritual servitude to pay for alleged crimes of family members or ancestors (almost always male), or for the priest to lift certain curses placed upon her or her family at the shrine.  She is acclaimed to be a "wife of the gods," but those forced into such servitude usually feel they are slaves of the priests, who often use them sexually, treat them harshly and inhumanely, force them to worship and serve the shrine idols, and force them to work hard without compensation and sometimes with barely enough food to keep them alive.  The practice is against International Law and was outlawed in Ghana in 1998, but still persists in parts of Ghana, Togo, Benin, and Nigeria.  Many shrines have been liberated in Ghana through the work of NGO's who recognize trokosi as a violation of human rights.  The practice has been defended by some traditionalists who see it as merely a part of traditional culture.. Recognizing that trokosi is a complex issue, this site is offered to provide a dictionary of terms frequently used in the discussion in the hope of bringing about greater understanding of the issues involved.

Click here to enter the dictionary of trokosi terms.

Published by:  The Commission for Truth on Trokosi