Th roughout the ages, vodou has been transmitted by the elders to the children. In fact allada, a small town in benin, is often called the cradle of voodoo. Vodou originated in what is now benin and developed in the french colonial. The power of voodoo to impoverish and enslave a nation pdf the 21stcentury mission. Learn more about the history, geography, and culture of benin in this article. Vodun is practiced by the fon people of benin, and southern and central togo. The origins of voodoo, the misunderstood religion ancient. Republique du benin and formerly dahomey 19601975, is a country in west africa. People across west africa, especially togo, ghana and nigeria hold similar beliefs but in benin it is. Benin history, language and culture history of benin. These fetish origins of worship predate many religions by 10,000 years and keep a link of ancestry alive in west africa. Voodoo in west africa gone with the wynd expedition number iv.
Its a week that brings together priests and dignitaries, rich and poor, locals and visitors from as. What makes benin most interesting for tourists is its main religion, voodoo. Pdf i, pencil pdf the unique role of the local church in developing a flourishing community pdf england before and after wesley pdf haitian voodoo. Common in haiti and new orleans, vodou merges catholic and african beliefs to form a unique set of rituals that include voodoo dolls and symbolic drawings. Voodoo had its origins over 350 years ago in west africa. These metal bronze plaques tell a full and varied history of the west african people over hundreds of years and which can be verified today through their current practices. A short history of benin 3rd edition by jacob egharevba. History, language and culture in benin world travel guide. In the tiny west african nation of benin, voodoo remains the state religion. Awakening the spirits at a voodoo ceremony for voodooists, dances and ceremonies are an important part of their religion. You will be touring through lome, koussou, bassar and 7 other destinations in bermuda, benin and togo. Dunham reports from her personal experience in her book island possessed. Contesting the history of benin kingdom article pdf available in research in african literatures 3. Benin is perhaps best known to the world as the birthplace of the vodun religionvoodoo.
Benin is one of only two countries in the world where voodoo is the official religion the other being haiti, in the caribbean. T he vodoun vudu voodoo vodou vodun vaudou vaudaux religion at its cosmological, theological, ritual and philosophical core, is an african ancestral religion, practiced today largely in west africa, haiti and througout the diaspora its fundamental tenants are the honoring of specialized deities typically born to africans and honored along with their ancient, and recent. Voodoo, santeria, hoodoo free metaphysical books the. It was a very interesting book if you desire more about rituals and ceremonies in voodoo. While exploring the cape coast area of ghana, we met apollo, a man with a family history in benin. In particular, ouidahs feticheurs enjoy great reputation and the temple of the pythons, despite its small size, represents one of. I also think that it glosses over the relative low level of the infrastructure prevalent in the country.
The crossroads in hoodoo magic selling your soul to the devil. Benin and togo voodoo discovery by explore bookmundi. Benin, west africa, bopa, dah tofa voodoo master showing the skulls criminals killed. Vodun, spiritual insecurity, and religious importation in benin in brill. The republic of benin formerly dahomey is known as the african source of new world vodou and voodoo, but the countrys religious. People across west africa, especially togo, ghana and nigeria hold similar beliefs but in benin it is recognised as an official religion, followed by some 40%. Mar 28, 2016 it was a very interesting book if you desire more about rituals and ceremonies in voodoo. A visit to this small, clubshaped nation would therefore not be complete without exploring the afrobrazilian heritage of ouidah, abomey and porto novo. The history of voodoo does not start, as many people believe around 1500 ad in haiti, but about 15,000 years before christ in africa. The rituals and ceremonies of the voodoo religion in benin. As well as being the centre of the voodoo religion, from the 17th to the 19th century, ouidah in southern benin was a major slavetrading post.
The history was collected from the following authorities. In particular, ouidahs feticheurs enjoy great reputation and the temple of the pythons, despite its small size, represents one of the most. Books set in benin 33 books meet your next favorite book. It is a country with a rich history, culture, art and numerous other considerable things. Rushs book will become a standard reference on vodunvodouvoodoo.
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. Vodou, also spelled voodoo, voudou, vodun, or french vaudou, a religion practiced in haiti. Voodoo, santeria, hoodoo free metaphysical books the free. Nevertheless, voodoo is still a rather misunderstood religion due to its inaccurate portrayal by the media. 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. The role of the conspiracy theory in shaping modern history unabridged by aaronovitch, david, langton, james isbn. Voodoo temples, roadside fetishes, and fetish markets are found throughout the country, but the best known is the skull and skinfilled fetish market in the grande marche du dantopka cotonou s overwhelmingly busy, enormous, and hectic grand market. For help with downloading a wikipedia page as a pdf, see help. Pdf download possession ecstasy and law in ewe voodoo. Fiction and nonfiction books set completely or at least partially in benin. The book is a trifle expensive for the information contained in it.
Both of these are different from the use of the word voodoo by religious reconstructionists in new orleans and increasingly, throughout the united states for their religious practices. List of books and articles about benin history online. Popular books on benin best book recommendations, best. Oct 29, 2007 voodoo in lokossa, benin in october 2007. It is bordered by togo to the west, nigeria to the east, burkina faso to the northwest, and niger to the northeast. History early history little is known about the history of n benin. Enter a world of python temples, haystack cults and oozing fetish. Pdf bokonosofo bisi from the village of gbedala is the head of the. Ihogbe, the worshippers and recorders of the departed.
John lahr, national book critics circle awardwinning author of tennessee williams from an awardwinning journalist, a history so funny, so true, so scary, its bound to be called a conspiracy. 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. In the past centuries, voodoo was born in the region between abomey and ouidah in benin. It is the only african kingdom to have recorded its history for posterity through this unique art form. Why kingdom of benin should be given prominence in world history. For getting complete knowledge about these things, the individuals are required to consider the way of books. Pythons, preserved skulls and voodoo ceremonies drew us from ghana to benin, the birthplace of voodoo.
In cotonou, benin s 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 benin s trickle of largely french tourists. Incredible video of voodoo culture in benin duration. The power of voodoo to impoverish and enslave a nation. The origin and settling down of the edo article pdf available in anthropos. Walking the slave route in ouidah, benin happy days travel blog. 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. During the th century, the indigenous edo people were run by a group of local chieftains.
Apr 21, 2015 in benin and haiti, voodoo is now officially recognised as a religion. Benin was the seat of one of the great medieval african kingdoms. The word vodun the haitian word voodoo comes from the african fon language which is still spoken today in benin. Haiti, once called the jewel of the antilles, was the richest french colony in the new world. The practice of sticking pins in voodoo dolls has history in folk magic. In the south, according to oral tradition, a group of aja migrated 12th or th cent. Score 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. 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. 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. In 1996, january 10th became national voodoo day in honor of its followers that make up 65% of benin population. Over the next eleven years, she studied this voodoo in west africas ewe populations of coastal ghana, togo, and benin, an area once called the slave coast. Later, allada became the capital of great ardra, a state whose kings ruled with the consent of the elders of the people. While voodoo certainly isnt fiction here, witnessing it in action seems unlikely at first. In fon the root word for voodoo is vodoun that means spirit or god.
We see it everywhere from pearl harbor to 911, from the assassination of kennedy to the death of diana. Known by the ewe as amedzofe, it is the more ancient ancestral home of the ewe, fon and other gbe vodoun groups prior to the expansion of the oyo empire into their region around 10 1100 b. Centered on the former slaving port of ouidah, benin, dana rushs research. An introduction to the basic beliefs of the vodou voodoo. A handbook is a unique work that seeks to fill gaps in public knowledge and to provide muchneeded correctives when public perception diverges from facts. The world of vodou songs the roots of vodou vodou is the hereditary spiritual tradition of african descendants in haiti jil and jil 2009. Lastly, the only historic connection of nigeria to the vodoun religion is the nation of ketu, in what is now the republic of benin, in southwestern nigeria. The general fear of vodou in the us can be traced back to the end of the haitian revolution 1791. Benin was a french colony from the late 19th century until 1960. In benin and haiti, voodoo is now officially recognised as a religion.
Economists estimate that in the 1750s haiti provided as much as 50% of the gross national product of france. Starting and ending in lome, the tour benin and togo voodoo discovery is a guided active and outdoor tour that takes 14 days. The ouidah voodoo festival in benin exploring africa. He decided the book of his life would be called voodoo law is the. Walking the slave route in ouidah, benin happy days. Instead of associating this religion with zombies and voodoo dolls, we should perhaps take the time to better understand voodoo, and view it as a way of life or a set. Hoodoo mary fleener a comic book detailing hoodoo instructions, fun learning.
In the online market, various books are available those provide proper knowledge. 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 across the country. Read online and download ebook complete book of voodoo. Benin and togo voodoo discovery is a small group tour which will include accommodation, transport, meals and others. Life before benin is a tiny country in west african region bordered with nigeria, little is known about this country, its history, culture, people, and tradition, here you have the entire history of republic of benin, starting from the first day of. The country has a grim history with slave trade on one hand and a place on the unesco world heritage list on the other. However, by the 15th century, a single ruler, known as the oba, had asserted control. Sep 27, 2015 the country has a grim history with slave trade on one hand and a place on the unesco world heritage list on the other. Benin is the place where the voodoo, or vodu, was born and today is the official religion of the country. Vodou or voodoo is a monotheistic religion that is often misunderstood. Get complete book of voodoo pdf file for free from our online library created date. A picture of residents selling smuggled nigerian gasoline in glass jugs from a roadside table probably more likely truly portrays everyday life in the country.