Benin

Visited: January 2013

Duration of visit: 5 days

Capital city: Porto-Novo (Cotonou)

Population: 10 million (2013)

Benin travel blog reading time: 6 minutes

• The birthplace of voodoo, blending Roman Catholic rituals with traditional African rites involving sorcery and spirit possession.
• The shift from a Marxist past to a democratic republic with an open-market economy.
• Rundown city Cotonou with impoverished buildings, informal street sellers and basic eateries.
• Ganvié – a village built on wooden stilts 2 meters above water level.

My trip to Benin was part of a three-week journey that also included Togo and Niger during the European winter of 2013.

Especially Togo and Benin have a lot in common. They share the French language, a long and narrow shape facing the Gulf of Guinea, and transportation by bush taxis and moto-taxis in the big cities.

Benin is the birthplace of the voodoo religion and home to the former Dahomey Kingdom from the beginning of 17^th century to the end of 19^th century.

Vodun is the official religion of the country and an important part of the life of ordinary Beninese.

The Kingdom of Dahomey was a highly militaristic kingdom that developed Benin’s coast into the largest center of the slave trade in Africa. The kings of Dahomey sold their war captives into transatlantic slavery or killed them ritually in a ceremony known as the Annual Customs.

The area was named the Slave Coast because of its once-flourishing slave trade. The last slave ship departed modern-day Benin for Brazil in 1885, just before Brazil abolished slavery.

During the 1970s and 1980s under Major Mathieu Kérékou, the country adopted Marxist principles and became a one-party socialist state. It was also during this period that it was renamed to today’s Benin. Thanks to financial help from France, the country later transitioned to a multiparty republic with a market-based economy.

Today, Benin remains an extremely poor country with lack of basic infrastructure, suffering from poverty and corruption.

The official capital is Porto-Novo, but Cotonou is Benin’s largest city, its chief port, and its de facto administrative capital. Porto-Novo hosts several cultural festivals, showcasing the rich traditions and artistic expressions of the local communities. There were none on the schedule during my visit.

Due to the lack of attractions, exciting things to do, or worthwhile places to visit, I left Porto-Novo off my list and decided not to visit it.

Cotonou could be a beautiful city, with sandy beaches just a few kilometers from downtown. Instead, it is a mix of zemidjans, run-down buildings, informal street sellers, and basic eateries.

Zemidjans are motorcycles that transport one or two passengers across short distances in the city.

Riding around on these moto-taxis was the most exciting and cheapest way for me to explore the city. It could have become the most dangerous adventure if something had gone wrong.

Helmet has not been implemented as a part of protection equipment yet, street rules give priority to the more skilled, faster and stronger vehicles. I used zemidjans whenever they were available, and every driver I met was accommodating and friendly. They were always proud to transport le blanc – the foreigner.

For me, Cotonou offered very few architectural landmarks, historical buildings, museums, or other major highlights to explore. I used my time mostly to hang around, observing locals, stroll around colorful markets and chatting to random people passing by.

Sitting on a comfortable chair in front of Hotel le Crillon, enjoying idleness, watching motorcyclists passing by and slothful locals were my regular afternoon activities.

Since French is the official language, communication in English was not easy. I had previously improved my French skills. I was able to get by with basic expressions about accommodation, food and prices at the end of this trip.

Marche de Dantokpa is the grand central market, with a wide offer of food, electronics, clothes, fruits and vegetables to more specific items. It is the largest open-air market in West Africa, covering over 20 hectares, where 35,000 merchants seek buyers’ attention. A huge mix of retail and wholesale activity fills the market, offering everything from agricultural goods to textiles, jewelry, and cosmetics.

For a country or region where formal commerce is rare, impractical and expensive, informal trade is the most important catalyst of economical movements. Chaotic organization of labyrinthine lanes has its rules and the system of vendors or micro locations has been established based on demand and supply.

I found the fetish market the most captivating, with vendors offering exotic items like monkey testicles and love fetishes.

Quidah was one of the most active slave trading ports in all of Africa. These days, it is famous for voodoo ceremonies.

Over the course of two centuries, Quidah alone exported more than one million Africans before closing its trade in the 1860s.

The 4-kilometer Route des Esclaves, once used to march slaves to the ships, is lined with monuments. Along the way, I observed various fetishes, statues, and voodoo symbols on display. The path ends at the Door of No Return, a memorial arch on the waterfront.

The extraordinary Voodoo Festival, held every year on January 10^th in Ouidah, attracts thousands of devotees. It is a vibrant celebration of singing, drinking, ceremonies, and unique voodoo rituals.

I continued my travel to Ganvié. The village was built on wooden stilts two meters above the water, with houses, hotels, and restaurants all standing above the lake.

Many of 25,000 people live from fishing and tourism. Most of the non-fishing pirogues are operated by women, who actively sell spices, fruits, and other products at the markets.

Villagers built the settlement in the middle of Lake Nokoué 400 years ago, and its unique history began during the era of slavery.

People of the Tofinu tribe fled to the lake in the 18^th century to escape Fon and Dahomey soldiers who sold captives to Portuguese traders. They felt safer in this remote, easily controlled settlement.

The soldiers feared the lake, believing a terrible demon lived beneath its surface. Knowing this, the tribe chose to build their homes on stilts in the middle of the water.

Ganvi means “we survived” in the local language.

Despite the original threat gone long ago, the tradition, village and lifestyle on canals have not changed much to these days. I cannot imagine living myself this way, but half a day touring, cruising, observing and chatting with local community was inspiring.

Beside Cotonou and surrounding areas, I also stopped in the northern part of the country, when travelling toward Niger. Nothing in this area struck me as remarkable, and there were no real places to visit or things to do. People simply tried to survive through any activity that could bring an income. Their work relied mainly on farming, commerce, transport services, or government jobs.

The birthplace of voodoo and the main departure point for slaves are the most compelling historical facts of Benin. They shape everyday life and create a chaotic yet vibrant atmosphere typical of West Africa and beyond.

In theory, Benin offers do many highlights and exciting things to do: from spectacular countryside to exotic beaches and wildlife-filled national park. In practice is not easy, nor cheap to access these attractions.

I enjoyed the simplicity, the chaos of the local markets, and the hospitality of the Beninese people, even without any abundance of highlights or landmarks.