Benin: A tourism destination like no other

DW (English)

Have you considered traveling to Benin? This country is known for being the birthplace of the Vodun religion, but there is so much more to explore. From the vibrant city of Cotonou to the water village of Ganvie, there's a lot to discover. The 77 Percent's Samson Adeleke takes us on a journey through this hidden gem.

Transcript

00:00 [MUSIC PLAYING]

00:02 Where would you like to go for vacation?

00:05 Asia, Europe, or America?

00:07 I know that is a sad place ringing

00:10 in the minds of African youth.

00:12 But wait a minute.

00:13 There are so many beautiful places in Africa, most

00:17 especially here in Benin Republic.

00:20 The hidden gem of West Africa, Benin Republic.

00:24 Despite its small size, the nation

00:25 boasts a wealth of natural resources, culture,

00:28 and breathtaking sights.

00:31 The vibrant city of Ouida, the cradle of voodoo,

00:34 the water village of Ganve, the African Venice,

00:38 the mesmerizing graffiti walls in Kotonou,

00:41 but first, the majestic Amazon statue in Kotonou.

00:45 Here we are at a Place de l'Amazon, in English,

00:49 the statue, Amazon Square.

00:51 And this image is a representation

00:54 of the female warrior of the Oman kingdom.

00:58 It is a group of female warrior led by Queen Tasi Hangbe.

01:03 Queen Hangbe, the ruler of the old kingdom of Dahomey,

01:06 possessed two remarkable qualities, a female army

01:09 and regal authority.

01:11 Her gallant female warriors instilled fear

01:13 in their opponents due to their exceptional skills

01:16 in wielding the machete.

01:17 These fierce warriors served as an inspiration

01:20 and were depicted in two Hollywood blockbusters,

01:23 The Black Panther and The Woman King.

01:26 And is put here to inspire men and women of Dahomey

01:30 and the current Benin too.

01:31 Other than hosting brave warriors,

01:36 Kotonou also has the longest graffiti wall

01:38 that vividly narrates the captivating history,

01:41 rich culture and cherished traditions

01:43 of this remarkable nation.

01:45 From Kotonou, it's about a 20 minutes boat ride

01:50 to the captivating Ganve floating village.

01:53 This unique village is home to over 20,000 people

01:56 who ingeniously construct their colorful

01:58 wooden houses on water.

02:00 Can you imagine the experience of living in a place

02:02 where everything happens on water?

02:04 Eric, how is life here while growing up?

02:09 The life here is essentially from fishing at first.

02:14 Here, the men go to fishing and the women sell fish.

02:19 When we are born here, the first thing is to learn

02:23 how to swim.

02:25 And after you know how to swim,

02:27 you learn how to drive boats.

02:29 We also want to drive a boat, but not just any boat.

02:33 We are trying out the hydro keke, a water bicycle

02:36 that is perhaps not so practical,

02:38 but a fun way to get around.

02:41 Wow, are you guys enjoying this, man?

02:45 With over 400,000 square meters of water

02:49 in the Southern part of Benin Republic,

02:51 this country has great potential for water sports.

02:54 From the hydro keke recreation center,

02:57 we travel about 35 kilometers to Uida,

03:00 spiritual capital of the Wodan religion.

03:03 Finally, we are here at the Temple of Python.

03:07 Literally, Temple of Python.

03:09 Look at the church.

03:10 You have the Roman Catholic Church,

03:12 established in 1909 by colonizers.

03:17 And you now also have the Temple of Python,

03:20 or Temple of Python.

03:21 And they both coexist together?

03:22 And they both coexist together to show,

03:24 to symbolize, I mean, religious tolerance.

03:27 So what are the things that we're going to see inside

03:29 when we get in?

03:30 First of all, you will see the Python.

03:32 Python here represents a totem for some family

03:34 in Uida here.

03:36 There are totems, so they are worshipped

03:37 like a normal god for them.

03:40 So they are protected and they are worshipped.

03:42 It's so cool.

03:43 I can feel the movement.

03:46 I can feel the movement.

03:47 Can we remove this thing very fast?

03:49 No, it's okay.

03:51 It's okay.

03:52 Wow, thank you very much.

03:55 So.

03:56 I don't need to hold it.

03:57 This city is home to countless gods and goddesses,

04:00 and it proudly hosts an incredible

04:02 annual international Wodan conference,

04:05 complete with the mesmerizing Egungun Masquerade Festival

04:08 that celebrates the spirits of the ancestors.

04:12 It is sunset here in Benin Republic.

04:14 Thank you for watching DW The 77%.

04:17 (upbeat music)

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