Benin voodoo history book

In ouidah, a small town and former slave port in the west african country of benin, the annual voodoo festival gathers visitors from far and wide. In the south, according to oral tradition, a group of aja migrated 12th or th cent. While exploring the cape coast area of ghana, we met apollo, a man with a family history in benin. Benin is the place where the voodoo, or vodu, was born and today is the official religion of the country. In the past centuries, voodoo was born in the region between abomey and ouidah in benin.

Benin held legislative elections on march 31, 2007, for the 83 seats in the national assembly. Benin and togo voodoo discovery by explore bookmundi. The role of the conspiracy theory in shaping modern history. Benin travel guide travel information and expert holiday advice including portonovo and cotonou highlights, vodoo history and fetishes, hotels, restaurants, what to see and where to go. First up, a spirit appears for the first time in seven years and. Voodoo is practiced by 60% of the population and on this day, followers of the various voodoo cults gather at the door of no return in ouidah, the capital of the voodoo religion. Benin was the seat of one of the great medieval african kingdoms. While voodoo certainly isnt fiction here, witnessing it in action seems unlikely at first.

So did i until my recent trip to west africa, the birthplace of voodoo. We recommend booking ouidah museum of history tours ahead of time to secure your spot. Vodou is also known as vodoun, voodoo, and by several other variants. Voodoo is one of the least understood religions of the world. This diverse trip through benin and togo is an opportunity to understand tribal cultures directly from a village chief, discover the varied landscapes and learn about the controversial french colonisation and slave trade history. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Later, allada became the capital of great ardra, a state whose kings ruled with the consent of the elders of the people. As part of the government of benin s action plan to spur growth, benin passed public private partnership legislation in 2017 to attract more foreign investment, place more emphasis on tourism, facilitate the development of new food processing systems and agricultural products, encourage new information and communication technology, and establish independent power producers. The egungun are masqueraded dancers that represents the ancestral spirits of the yoruba, a nigerian ethnic group, and are believed to visit earth to possess and give guidance to the living. The image, which shows the coast of benin on 22 october 2010, uses a combination of infrared and visible light to increase the contrast between water and land. Benin history, language and culture history of benin. Incredible video of voodoo culture in benin youtube. These fetish origins of worship predate many religions by 10,000 years and keep a link of ancestry alive in west africa.

Benin is one of only two countries in the world where voodoo is the official religion the other being haiti, in the caribbean. January 2020 if you want to plumb the secrets of voodoo youll have to wait for the end of the world. Heavy rains flooded parts of west and central africa in the rainy season of 2010, and among the hardesthit countries was benin. If you book with tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. Ouidah museum of history 2020 all you need to know.

For those who are interested, this book gives instructions on how to do the spells, healing charm, protection charm and so on of the kind. The role of the conspiracy theory in shaping modern history aaronovitch, david on. A book s total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book. What makes benin most interesting for tourists is its main religion, voodoo. This is an active and outdoor trip that takes 14 days. It includes short and long benin itineraies and suggestions for places to stay and how to get around. Voodoo believers are most numerous in haiti, where voodoo was granted official religious status in 2003, and in benin, where the religion has had official recognition since 1996. If you would have all nigerians penalised for a crime committed by a benin man, then you would have all europeans penalised for a crime committed by a german man.

The rituals and ceremonies of the voodoo religion in benin. List of books and articles about benin history online. A further aspect of history, one that is rather unpleasant, can be seen in ouidah, benin, where the slave route ended and from where people were shipped as slaves to america. The country has a grim history with slave trade on one hand and a place on the unesco world heritage list on the other. In midlife, native new yorker sharon caulder left her successful physical therapy practice to find her soul among the voodoo people in benin republic, west africa. Thus, the real source of voodoo is the egyptian pyramids. In particular, ouidahs feticheurs enjoy great reputation and the temple of the pythons, despite its small size, represents one of the most. In cotonou, benins largest city, the tourist office told me to return in january, because id only see voodoo at an annual festival in ouidah offering choreographed ceremonies for benins trickle of largely french tourists. During the th century, the indigenous edo people were run by a group of local chieftains. It is a syncretic religion that combines roman catholicism and native african religion, particularly from the religion of the dahomey region of west africa the modern day nation of benin. See all 4 ouidah museum of history tours on tripadvisor. Also christian belief in voodoo countries is shown. Public domain although the exact origins of voodoo are unknown, it is generally agreed that this religion has its roots in west africa. As pope benedict xvi visits benin, widely seen as the home of voodoo, virgile ahissou from bbc afrique explains the reality behind what is often a misunderstood religion.

So spirits and spirit communication is more prominent in voodoo practice over an allpowerful deity. But in the book there are also pictures of markets and crafts as well as children with pretty hairstyles. However, by the 15th century, a single ruler, known as the oba, had asserted control. Benin was a french colony from the late 19th century until 1960. Revised for 2016, this book contains essential historical information and activities on kingdom of benin study of non european society which contrasts with british history. The birthplace of voodoo and a pivotal platform of the slave trade for nearly three centuries, benin is steeped in a rich and complex history still very much in evidence today. The word vodun the haitian word voodoo comes from the african fon language which is still spoken today in benin. Nigeria has ideological differences, judge not all at a time. The extraordinary voodoo festival which takes place in ouidah, benin every year on 10 january is a once seen, never forgotten experience. This book contains the history of voodoo, a long one that we cannot accurately trace back. Voodoo history, beliefs, elements, strains or schools, practices, myths and facts.

Vodou, also spelled voodoo, voudou, vodun, or french vaudou, a religion practiced in haiti. Modern day benin is regarded as the birth place of this religion, and the name voodoo itself means spirit in. Pythons, preserved skulls and voodoo ceremonies drew us from ghana to benin, the birthplace of voodoo. The origin of vodun a religion rarely spoken about where our story takes place map of benin map of forest by kevi read our book.

Ouidah is benins voodoo heartland, and thought to be the spiritual birthplace of voodoo or vodun as it known in benin. Its a week that brings together priests and dignitaries, rich and poor, locals and visitors from as far afield as the caribbean and france. The peoples guide to benin this is a wikipedia book, a collection of wikipedia articles that can be easily saved, imported by an external electronic rendering service, and ordered as a printed book. Voodoo and west africas spiritual life the voodoo religion, with 30 million followers in west africa, is one of the most misunderstood faiths in the world. The term voodoo, in fact, literally means spirit in the local fon language of modern day benin. A study of powerful female leadership in nineteenth century new orleans studies in african american history and culture only 2 left in stock more on the way. You will travel from accra to winneba, cape coast and elmina to visit old. An introduction to haitis indigenous spiritual tradition.

It has been suggested that voodoo in west africa evolved from the ancient traditions of ancestor worship and animism. Fiction and nonfiction books set completely or at least partially in benin. Its the must attend event in the voodoo calendar a celebration of the voodoo religion and the cults associated with it and draws fetish priests, adepts, traditional chiefs and onlookers from far and wide. Explore benin holidays and discover the best time and places to visit. People across west africa, especially togo, ghana and nigeria hold similar beliefs. Modern day benin is regarded as the birth place of this religion, and the name voodoo itself means spirit in the local fon language. Vodun meaning spirit in the fon and ewe languages, pronounced with a nasal hightone u. As pope benedict xvi visits benin, widely seen as the home of voodoo, the bbcs virgile ahissou explains the reality behind what is often a misunderstood religion. Random vacay goes to benin, west africa, and the home of the voodoo religion.

Vodou is a creolized religion forged by descendents of dahomean, kongo, yoruba, and other african ethnic groups who had been enslaved and brought to colonial saintdomingue as haiti was known then and christianized by roman catholic missionaries in. A monument in benin depicts slaves being led away in chains. It also presents the voodoo s nature, where we come to know the term loa. History early history little is known about the history of n benin. Benin history, language and culture world travel guide. The force cowrie for an emerging benin fcbe, a coalition of parties, closely linked to president yayi, won a plurality of the seats in the national assembly, providing the president with considerable influence over the legislative agenda. A massive, arched gateway, some 50 feet high, stands alone on the edge of one of the loveliest beaches in west. Learn more about the history, geography, and culture of benin in this article. In 1996, the government of benin declared january 10, national voodoo day. Voodoo practitioners believe in the power of spirits, which have influence over nature and human existence.