Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Sights
Route des Esclaves
MEMORIAL
Once sold, slaves were taken from the fort to the beach down the 4km Rte des Esclaves.
Lining the sandy track now are fetishes and monuments, such as the Monument of
Repentance and the Tree of Forgetfulness. There is a poignant memorial on the beach, the
Point of No Return
, with bas-relief depicting slaves in chains. It's such a beautiful spot that
it's hard to fathom that 12 million people were deported from this very shore.
Musée d'Histoire de Ouidah
MUSEUM
( 21 34 10 21;
www.museeouidah.org
;
Rue van Vollenhoven; admission CFA1000; 8am-12.30pm & 3-5pm
Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm Sat & Sun)
Ouidah's main site is its Musée d'Histoire de Ouidah, housed in
the beautiful Fortaleza São João Batista, a Portuguese fort built in 1721. It retraces the
town's slave-trading history and explores the links between Benin, Brazil and the Carib-
bean.
Python Temple
RELIGIOUS
(off Rue F Colombani; admission CFA1000, photos CFA5000; 9am-6.30pm)
Those interested in voodoo
could visit the python temple, home to some 60 sleepy pythons. The guide explains some
of the beliefs and ceremonies associated with the temple.
DON'T MISS
VOODOO DAY
Vodou
(voodoo) got its current name in Haiti and Cuba, where the religions arrived with Fon and Ewe slaves
from the Dahomey Kingdom and mixed with Catholicism. It means 'the hidden' or 'the mystery'. Traditional
priests are consulted for their power to communicate with particular spirits and seek intercession with them. This
communication is achieved through spirit possession and ritual that often involves a gift or 'sacrifice' of palm
wine, chickens or goats.
Voodoo was formally recognised as a religion by the Beninese authorities in February 1996. Since then, 10
January, Voodoo Day, has been a bank holiday, with celebrations all over the country. Those in Ouidah, voodoo's
historic centre, are among the best and most colourful, with endless singing, dancing, beating of drums and drink-
ing.
Sleeping & Eating
For a tasty meal, a hotel is your best bet. Otherwise, Rue F Colombani is peppered with
food stalls and small
maquis.
