Description
We spend the whole day out and about with Mark, a guide who comes highly recommended by other overlanders.
Palais Privé du Roi Agonglo
First, we visit the Palais Privé du Roi Agonglo.
The Palais Privé du Roi Agonglo is situated within the Royal Palaces of Abomey, which have been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1985.
Agonglo was the eighth king of Dahomey and reigned from 1789 to 1797. He was known as a reformer and had a particular interest in crafts, music and, above all, textiles and weaving. During his reign, craftsmen and weavers were given a more prominent role within the court.
One of his royal symbols was the pineapple. This refers to a Fon proverb about a palm tree struck by lightning whilst the pineapple, which resembles a palm, escapes unscathed. The image symbolised overcoming dangers and difficulties.
HWEMU Vodoun Temple
In Abomey, we then visit a Vodun shrine. The priest performs his rituals amongst statues and offerings connected to the spiritual world of the Fon.
Palace of King Guézo
This is the palace of King Guézo, who ruled Dahomey from 1818 to 1858. Under his reign, the kingdom grew into a powerful state.
The palace walls are adorned with colourful reliefs depicting the king, his wars and the religious traditions of the court. Today, the palace forms part of the Abomey Historical Museum.
Temple Caméléon
Just outside Abomey lies the Temple du Caméléon, a unique sanctuary within the Vodun tradition.
The temple is dedicated to Tohouiyo and is shaped like a huge chameleon. This animal symbolises adaptability, caution and change.
The temple is still used for religious rituals.
In Benin, Vodun and Christianity often coexist. Some believers attend both church and a Vodun shrine. Christian symbols, such as the cross, have also been incorporated into some traditional practices.
Palais d’Adingnignon
The Palais d’Adingnignon is a historic and religious complex. It is situated opposite the Temple Caméléon.
The most striking feature is the entrance, shaped like a panther’s head. The panther was an important symbol of power within the Kingdom of Dahomey. The king was associated with the panther as a sign of strength and royal authority.
Dry fruit factory
In Abomey, we visit the Centre de Séchage des Fruits Tropicaux. Here, mainly pineapples, but also mangoes and papayas, are processed into dried fruit and fruit juice. Unfortunately, there is no production taking place during our visit.
The centre was established in 1997 to make better use of the large quantities of tropical fruit in Benin and to prevent post-harvest spoilage.
By drying the fruit, it can be stored for much longer and gains greater economic value. The centre also provides employment and supports local farmers and women’s groups.
Chapters:
00:00:33:15 Palais du Roi Agonglo
00:01:42:27 Vodun Temple
00:03:16:10 Palais du Roi Guézo
00:03:52:35 Blacksmith
00:04:13:22 Temple Caméléon
00:05:34:38 Palais du Tohuiyo Agbale
00:06:37:43 Dry fruits factory
We visited Benin on our overland trip by car (a Toyota LandCruiser 4WD campervan) from West-Africa; see our channel https://www.youtube.com/user/JanvanBekkum for hundreds of clips. More clips of Benin can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMYlw_C7EP8KqyTKPnPCZ38MjsZxf_bkB.
Music and/or sound effects:
- 'Night Cave' by Kevin MacLeod. Link: www.incompetech.com. License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/;
- 'Monkoto' by Kevin MacLeod. Link: www.incompetech.com. License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/;
- 'Expeditionary' by Kevin MacLeod. Link: www.incompetech.com. License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/;
- 'Symphony of the Streets. Hip-Hop Background Music for video 60 second' created by Maksim Dudchyk and uploadexd from Pixbay (https://pixabay.com/nl/music/orkestraal-symphony-of-the-streets-hip-hop-background-music-for-video-60-second-476679/).;
- 'Calm inspiring technology logo short version' created by Alex Zavesa, distributed by Pixabay (https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/film-special-effects-calm-inspiring-technology-logo-short-version-518993/).