OTRWJ Benin Part 4 - Tribal Traditions
Beninese woman green scarf
Whew! It’s been a whirlwind of many tribes and cultures over just a few days.
Some tribes are living mostly in “modern” (for West Africa) towns but trying to retain their traditions and beliefs. Some have required us to travel miles down deserted dusty roads and then trek a few hundred meters up rocky hills and through the bush to find a tiny village. Some, displaced by jihadist extremism in neighboring Burkina Faso and fearful of outsiders knowing the location of their home, drive miles to meet up with us. Some villages have been so close to international borders or to areas of tribal conflict that I am glad to be with a company and a local guide who truly understand this country and how to navigate through any challenges.
As we visit tribes, ceremonies continue to occur spontaneously. There was the sacrifice and gathering for a funeral, a wedding!!, a celebration of happiness, and a celebration for health! This spontaneity of stumbling on experiences and special people has been a highlight of this trip.
In other villages, there are re-enactments. Through it all, there is evidence of traditions slipping away as younger people resist the “old” ways, as this corner of the world becomes homogenized into the rest.
Old and new
Sacrificed cow for funeral in background with modern motorcycle in foreground
But always, these are the friendliest and warmest people. Quick with a smile. Waving. Saying hello. Eager to shake hands or even give a welcoming hug to a stranger. Children wanting to softly hold your hand Laughing, dancers pull you into their circle. Resisting is hopeless!
Benin is the friendly corner of Africa.
But there are still so many questions! There is no written history for these people. The many languages are a barrier to sharing oral histories across cultures. Our well-educated and clearly respected local guide has many answers, but there are limitations. Sometimes our own language barrier is a problem. Sometimes answers are not to be shared (voodoo). And sometimes, I think, even his good knowledge is thin in certain areas because there are so many tribal differences. What would normally be considered the best sources for information on cultures of the world are pretty thin when it comes to Benin. There are few well-researched books. And there is is no consistent spelling of names/tribes/places, which makes things even more confusing.
First, a correction: contrary to what I said in my first post, Ghana was colonized by the Brits, Togo by the Germans, and Benin by the French—not all by the French. Like most of this continent, the border lines these powers put on a map have nothing to do with the people who have lived here for centuries. Many tribes in Benin spill over into Nigeria or Togo or Burkina Faso.
My experiences here range from voodoo ceremonies to tribal village celebrations:
The horsemanship of the Baatonu was an adrenaline rush! These people, who inhabit a range that stretches across into Nigeria, were part of a tribe that used horses in warfare. (The may be the same tribe depicted in the Netflix movie “The King’s Horseman.” )
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The riders’ ability to control the horses in a tight space (essentially a back alley) at full gallop…with us (and kids!) a couple feet away was a little scary. I took tons of video! The horsemen and the horses were so colorful as they raced by! Loved the rider who posed with his overwhelmed little boy!
One of the happiest ceremonies I saw was Guelede - which pays tribute to the role of women in society. This was a tradition of the Yoruba people. The drummers arrived first. Then the singers/dancers who formed a circle around the drummers and for about 90 minutes - in crazy heat- chanted and danced non stop.
Then a series of masked dancers came out, often comical and satirical in their representation of women. But inside… all the dancers are men! These masks are locally carved from wood and some also include a mechanical character on the top.
Mask workshop
The masked dancers often were comedic in their actions, going into the crowd to hug or sit on laps. (I have no clue about the relevance of the dog!)
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Guelede
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A favorite was the pregnant woman Gelede! Not only was the mask funny but the movements… holding and stretching her back like pregnant women do…were spot on!
While this was a reenactment, the whole community turned out to watch.
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The most dramatic gelede was the one with fire on its head. As he bobbed and weaved, dancing for the crowd, he would reach up and toss hot coals on the ground!!! Somehow neither he nor the kids running around stepped on them!!
When the Guelede ended,suddenly the crowd took off running up the hill. There was more drumming! We followed…and found a voodoo healing ceremony. While it was out in the open, we were forbidden to get close or take photos until our guide had gotten permission.
Like all ceremonies, lots of drumming and dancing. But here there was some great face painting. Also - there was a row of (??) voodoo priests before which all the dancers knelt before performing…sorta as if getting a blessing.
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The visit with the Holi was a tribe of tiny villages hidden back in the bush. They are known for their traditional body scarring and tattoos which designate their clan and family. This is done so each is unique and a person can be identified by the markings. Many are marked at birth or at puberty.
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The women have intricate markings all over their stomach and breasts which are done as a fertility rite. Oddly, after many children, the markings still retain their shape! The scarring is done by the village tribal leader. Clearly the women were proud of their markings and eager to show them off! It was was apparent that the older women had more than the younger, some of whom had none.
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While this village in the bush was simple, it was clean and friendly.
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As as part of our visit, we were welcomed by the village leader who brought out their local palm oil liquor (think: grain alcohol) and thanked the spirits for bringing guests to his village. He then poured the liquor in a glass and passed it around. Yes - I did take a teeny sip. (I had marinated mare’s milk in Mongolia so distilled palm oil seems pretty safe. The shared community glass? Well…….)
Some of the men and even a young boy had markings that identify their tribe and family. Zoom in to see the incredible tattoos and scarring !
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The Fulani, a largely Muslim tribe (like most people in northern Benin) are concentrated near the Togo and Burkina Faso borders. Some are “settled” and more assimilated, lacking any markings or traditional dress. However many of the Fulani are nomads. There are many clans of Fulani but the ones we saw in Benin — where we stumbled on a wedding about to happen!!!!! —were keen on bright colors and make up! Even the men and the little girls.
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Some of the Fulani women have beautiful intricate facial tattoos. …again designating clans. They also shave their front hairline, beginning as young girls, so as to have a high forehead, considered quite a beautiful look in their culture.
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Perhaps the most fascinating group was the Otarmari! They are famous for their unusual architecture, a UNESCO tangible World Heritage called tatas.
These unusual three level structures are multi-purpose: grain and livestock storage, kitchen and living space. They were also designed to be protective from slavers as there was a ladder inside that could be pulled up to prevent access.
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The tatas are also distinctive for the markings on the exterior walls that mirror the scars on young men …done with a fine knife when they are toddlers.
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Many homes and buildings in Benin have a legba at the entrance. But the Otamari tatas had several and beautiful. Many others were crude carvings or simple. And yes, many have penises. Something about having protective power and strength.
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Legbas are where offerings are given as blessings for the spirits as you enter or leave. The offerings may take many forms: kaolin powder, water, blood or bones of sacrificial animal.
If other tribal villages were sometimes quite simple and rudimentary, a village of the Taneka people was harsh. In an area of northern Benin where government websites encourage you not to go, we spent a couple of hours greeting two Fetish leaders: one for happiness and health, the second for fertility.
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As it happened, the tiny village squeezed in among the rocks, was preparing for a funeral so it was unusually crowded with Tanekas from the surrounding area. A cow was sacrificed. And in the middle of the village sat a stately looking woman, a relative of the deceased. She was wearing the robe of the deceased to show he is not dead. Soon, the drums began and people started dancing. In voodoo, there is no death. They use various euphemisms.
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Again - this was a rather rough village. Clearly the children were not in school. Many were barely clothed. There was no toilet facilities. The well was a long ways away. It was more difficult and took considerable time before we were allowed to mingle with the villagers and take photos.
The Taneka also have very distinctive scaring on their faces to identify their tribe
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In a tiny village, far from any road, we floated across a small lake in a hand carved canoe. As we spent the morning with these people, I mentally dubbed the town “busy hands.” For all these people, life is still hard work. Many use outdoor fires. Corn is ground, sometimes by hand. Water is carried from a town well. Fishing nets are repaired. Everyone had a task and they were hard at it!
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As I head into the final days of this incredible journey with so much still to understand, I know the charm of this country - which is changing so so rapidly - is that it will hold its mysteries and keep them hidden.
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