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.