Porto-Novo, Benin (Dec. 2016/Jan. 2017)

Bootlegged petrol from Nigeria for sale on the Abomey-Cotonou road.

Before a final couple of days in Cotonou, we headed to Porto-Novo, Benin's sleepy capital across the lagoon.

Photographing artifacts wasn't allowed either.

We visited the Musée da Silva, in a compound/large family house owned by an Afro-Brazilian named Urbain Karim da Silva. Many Afro-Brazilians converted to Islam, while others were Christians. One name among the photographs - Khabir Noel da Silva.

Mural at Musée da Silva depicting various Vodoun deities.

There were girls' and boys' sides to the house, next to the mother's and father's bedrooms, respectively. There was a room with photographs of eminent African and other world leaders. This room also featured a large panel of Jimmie Rodgers memorabilia - Urbain Karim was a big fan of him.

Eglise Notre Dame, built in the 1880s, and some prominent clergy members' busts.

One interesting display was on Abram Petrovich Gannibal, great-grandfather of Alexander Pushkin. While his origins are somewhat in dispute, the emerging consensus is that Gannibal was abducted from northern Cameroon, enslaved and taken to Russia. He eventually was raised as member of the imperial court and served as a general in the Russian military. So, an illuminating find in an Afro-Brazilian museum in Benin.

Toffa I, the last sovereign king of Porto Novo. He established the first connections with the French before colonialism.

While most of the furniture was showing its age, there was also early 20th century printing equipment that seemed in better shape - printing presses, type setting machines, and a stapler.

The Afro-Brazilian built Great Mosque, with its modern successor.

Another stop in Porto-Novo was the Royal Palace. We had a brief audience with the current king, King Toffa IX, whose role is largely ceremonial these days.

Toffa I ruled from 1874-1908. The current king was enthroned in 2007.

We also discovered a great bookstore owned by Joelle Esso, Cameroonian author of Eto'o Fils, an autobiography co-written with (as told by) Samuel Eto'o. Mme. Esso is also a singer and comedian, and it was a pleasure to meet her in this little bookstore, where we were also able to pick up a copy of "Abraham Petrovich, Le Prince Noir de Russie," a nice bookend to our visit to the Musée da Silva.

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Our lodging in Porto-Novo was at the Songhai Center, a sprawling production and training center with a wide range of activities - farming, livestock rearing, a boutique and restaurants. We rang in the new year fairly quietly with palm wine and baked goods produced locally.

Abomey, Benin (December 2016)

On our return south we spent a couple of days in Abomey, capital of the Dahomey empire. The city was really spread out, on account of the various kings' palaces as well as training palaces built around town.

Market for princesses and wives of kings. The citizenry weren't permitted to see them, so King Agadja (1711-1742) created this market so they could still shop for needed items. The market also housed a divinity that protected the site from unfortunate events.

We took a tour with Bonaventure, visiting several of the kings' palaces. We also checked out a few "palais privés" - training palaces or finishing schools for princes. The palais privés are empty as no one can agree on who should live in them.

"Let's unite for the viability of our palace."

A colonial site that we visited was the "Cercle" - the campement (camp/base) of the French. The building was built in 1928 as the French didn't eat local fare and "needed a hygienic base" for their food and their bodies. Access by Beninois to the camp was banned until independence in 1960, as the French also feared they would poison them. The cercle was one of the colonial subdivisions and French administrators were based in another building on these grounds.

Le Cercle / Le campement des Français.

We also passed by Cathédrale Saints Pierre et Paul, built by the Portuguese in 1721 with the approval of King Agadja. The Portuguese were instrumental in the early trans-Atlantic slave trade, and found in the Dahomey empire willing intermediaries. The first church built for the kingdom was constructed in the private palace of king Guezo (1818-1858), who was later baptized Joseph and married a Portuguese woman following his conversion.

Agbodo: Pit of fortification of the city. The pit and walls extended for 10 km around the core of the kingdom. The pit was apparently filled with poisonous plants and wild animals.

Bonaventure and Blair outside one of the many palaces of Abomey - this one for king Houegbadja.

King Houegbadja (1645-1685) was the founder of the Dahomey kingdom. He expanded the kingdom without waging war, instead forming political agreements with people indigenous to the areas he ended up controlling. Houegbadja's symbols were the fish, the net, and the hoe. He wanted these symbols to show that he wouldn't be trapped, he was cunning, and he was ready to defend himself.

These informative signs are all over Abomey (and Benin in general)!

The queen Hangbe, daughter of Houegbadja and twin of king Akaba, took power after Akaba's death. She created the famed Amazon corps, but abdicated under pressure from royals who wouldn't accept a female on the throne. Her brother and predecessor created a new saber for decapitating his enemies, and encouraged diverse forms of crafts including cutting of precious stones, embroidery, pottery, and dyeing of fabric!

King Gbehanzin was the last king of Dahomey (1890-1894). He's depicted here turning away the foreign invaders. He went to see the French to pursue a truce, but was exiled to Martinique, then to Algeria, where he died in 1906.

The next day we met up with Bonaventure, who suggested we check out an interesting site outside of town. This is how we ended up exploring a hole in the ground in Abomey's outskirts, accompanied by the members of a family compound - two students, their uncle, his wife and their daughter and baby.

Descending into the hole.

The purpose of the holes was the subject of speculation - hiding from enemies being the preferred theory. Our hosts mentioned that some holes contained ironwork from 3,000 years ago.

We had an interesting time in sprawling Abomey (including finding a mini-golf course). One curious aspect was how matter-of-fact Bonaventure and other residents were about the brutal reputation of the Dahomey kingdom. But it was greatly affected by the slave trade, which probably motivated the various expansionary wars described in the historical signs around town, and explains the lengths neighboring communities went to in order to avoid slavers.

Dassa-Zoumé - December 2016

The story of the wooden horse. "Robust men spent a lot of energy pulling the horse and Otetan Adjikin Zomahoun around town."

The wizened gentleman who unlocked the room: "You can touch it if you're not afraid."

In Dassa we started off by going in search of the palace. On the way we checked out the famous wooden horse, given to a onetime king of the city. Otetan Adjikin Zomahoun was enthroned as the 23rd king of Dassa after its conquest by the Dahomey kingdom. He subsequently was a canton chief/administrator under the French, and to give himself a noble air he went about on horseback. After his first four horses died, a Portuguese friend made him a wooden horse on wheels.

Painting of the 4th king of Dassa at the royal palace.

Mortars carved into the hillside? It's been so long that I've forgotten the answer.

We then walked through the market, where a young girl from a fabric shop walked us over to the royal palace. From there a resident named Fabrice took us up to the sacred hilltop of Pace Yaka and a shrine to Ogoun, the Vodoun god of iron and war. The hills around the town were where locals took refuge from slave raids by the Dahomey kingdom.

View from hill of the Omandjagoun. It's a bit hazy on account of the Harmattan.

Tortoise rock!

The next day we went to visit Notre Dame de Arigbo church, with a lively pastel interior. The Virgin Mary appeared at a cave behind the church, and it is now the largest pilgrimage site in West Africa (Catholic division, that is).

Notre Dame de Arigbo church, Dassa.

We had a laugh with some Beninois visitors when we were met with the sign "Marchez a genoux" ("Walk on your knees). One said, "You'll be doing a little penance." To which another remarked, "It'd be more than a little penance." Ah, gentle west African humour.

Later on we took a moto to the outskirts of town then continued on foot to Maktub Farm, where Armand showed us around his rabbit-rearing project. He started in 1999 with sheep then transitioned in 2005 when the mairie/city sold the surrounding land. After 10 years or so, the rabbits developed tooth and paw problems and weren't reproducing as much. They tried disinfecting the surroundings and treating the rabbits, but decided to start a new batch this year (i.e. 2016).

Maktub Farm rabbits and a second pastel church interior.

Another challenge for Maktub Farm has been the water supply. Sometimes they'd only have water once or twice a week, and they've even gone a month without water, forcing them to buy bidongs (20L jerrycans) to supply the rabbits.

Gate at the second church.

Also in Dassa is the Okuta Site run by local artists. In 2008 the Okuta Association hosted artists from West Africa and Europe who carved masks into boulders at the base of one of Dassa's many hills.

Djougou, Benin stopover - December 2016

Baobab Express: "Move and win together - it's good."

As mentioned in our post on northern Benin (as with most west African countries, the share of Muslims in the population rises as you head north towards the Sahel), some Beninois were unimpressed by the relative religiosity of the residents of Djougou.

Former cinema, Djougou.

Our driver and front-seat passengers (a total of four people up front if you count the toddler, but nobody does when considering occupancy) remarked that the people of Djougou were too strict - they looked askance at drinking alcohol or incorporating traditional practices into Islam. To be fair, our taxi's occupants also criticized exclusive fidelity to Christianity too. There was indeed a marked difference between Djougou and other parts of Benin both to the north and south. More women wore hijabs and in some cases also covered their faces and feet and even hands, and buvettes (bars) were harder to find.

"The drum of modern times in the Donga."

In addition to what our fellow travelers had to say, Djougou is also known for a vibrant handicraft trade. We inquired about jewelry and ended up walking a winding route to the blacksmiths' section of town, where Blair picked up a couple of large bracelets made from camions casses - broken trucks.

On the way to the metalworkers' district.

Next we went to Espace Tissage, where apprentices learn to weave fabric out of cotton. The pieces are up to 16 meters long; the cotton slowly makes its way across the floor to the loom. Apprentices (all of whom were female the day we went) work at the center three days a week, and are at home the other days. Our taxi driver, Manaf, noted that many of the apprentices are from outlying areas where they may have limited opportunities (and would likely be working a lot around the household when at home).

Considering the relative conservatism and roaming many dusty roads to visit blacksmiths and weavers, Djougou definitely seemed more like The Gambia than anywhere else we've visited in central Africa.

Cheese in stew with igname pilee at right. The cheese was so delicious.
Below: cheese for sale.

Manaf's car died a couple of kms from our hotel. While I shopped for flip flops and we prepared to walk the final stretch a relief car arrived. It was a sea green Peugeot 505 station wagon, of the kind that have delivered francophone west African passengers to their destinations for decades. This may have been among the first post-independence transports - the gentleman who brought it said it was fifty years old, and the interior looked original (and about that age). Said Peugeot holds nine passengers in Benin (it was built for six), but Manaf and the procurer were shocked when I told them that in Guinea they squeeze in a 10th (not to mention the roof occupants - scroll to Part IV).

"Who am I?" Transport

A statue of Ahossou Soha, the first king of Savalou,
greeted us as we passed through the town.

Natitingou, Atakora Region, Benin

[Also from our December 2016 visit to Benin.]

Riding the bus north we saw lots of cotton coming the opposite way.

After a few days in Cotonou and Ouidah, we took a bus to Natitingou, one of northern Benin’s largest towns. A tour of the surrounding area allowed us to see traditional dwellings, and we learned about the blend of Islamic belief and local culture too.

Statue of Mathieu Kerekou, longtime president of Benin, on Natitingou's main street. He was from a nearby town. Nicknamed "the Chameleon" (see below), Kerekou's motto was "The branch will not break in the hands of the chameleon," implying that without his rule Benin would be faced with chaos.

Compared to other countries we have visited, Beninois are quite open about the blending of traditional beliefs with those adopted from Christianity and/or Islam. Their syncretism is very accommodating to a range of practices – well, mostly. Leaving Natitingou for points south, the other occupants in our taxi engaged in a one-sided diatribe against people who believed in strict observance of religious practices. The residents of Djougou came in for particular criticism, as a town where most Muslims followed Islam without incorporating local practices.

Exterior and ground floor of a tata somba (house/compound). Animals are kept inside on the ground floor overnight. Tata sombas are surrounded by talismans and altars to traditional deities.

An example of how Beninois combine religious and cultural practices to their liking was shared by a Peace Corps volunteer we met in Natitingou who was based near Boukoumbe. After observing Ramadan, the residents celebrated Eid al Fitr with an all-day binge on tchoukoutou (millet beer).

View of granary on the upper floor of the compound.

Our walking tour in the around Boukoumbe and Koussoukoingou allowed us to see tata sombas, traditional fortified housing of the area. The compounds were constructed with living quarters and grain storage on the higher floor, while the ground floor was reserved for livestock and cooking. Pulling ladders up helped keep the homestead secure. There were also holes in the compound head’s room to observe what’s happening outside (arrows could also be shot out of the holes).

Second floor (first European) of a tata somba: granary (left) with ladder, bedroom (right).

The second tata somba we visited was Tata Osiri (our guide Prosper’s ethnic group). There was one level above the ground floor. The roof had four granaries – including one for guests and one for the very old or infirm. The host offered a benediction in Osiri for Blair’s broken arm.

The Nere tree was pointed out to us. The seed pods contain yellow powder used in pate/sauce and drinks. The seeds are pounded to make a type of mustard (that smells bad but tastes good). The seed pod is boiled then used to reinforce the mud of the tata sombas.

Natitingou's main street at dusk.

Hints of “Things Fall Apart”: An interesting note from Prosper (our Nati based guide) and Jean (the local guide) was how the introduction of western education led to a changing of the guard in northern Benin. The French would ask families to send their children to the Roman Catholic boarding schools. Since most people looked askance at the Catholic schools opened in the region, only marginalized residents ended up sending any of their children for schooling. An example Prosper and Jean cited would be the child of a deceased co-wife. The families expected the children to be mistreated and didn’t want to send theirs to the schools. The guides wryly noted that these students ended up becoming the civil servants, ministers and leaders of independent Benin. They said, The orphans became Big Men; now there is nothing for orphans.

Huts near Kota Falls. They were used by fighters in the Kaba rebellion against French rule.

Later, Jean and Prosper pointed out that the colonial road had been surrounded by mango trees so that the colonists could find it. It seemed ridiculous but now we have more mangoes. It’s the same as with the schools…

Kota Falls

We also visited Kota Falls, which was also the sight of the Kaba rebellion (named after its leader) against the French from 1915-1917. The area had remnants of huts where the fighters hid. We closed out our stay in Natitingou with some tchoukoutou at a “cabaret” (millet beer bar) next to the Natitingou Regional Museum.

Natitingou Regional Museum and the "cabaret" around the back with calabashes and holders for millet beer.