Ethnic-historical trip to Nigeria and Benin: the land of the Yoruba, Egba and Ije

Discover the highlights of this ethnic-historical trip to Nigeria and Benin

► We will get to know the culture of the Yoruba people in Nigeria and Benin

Egungun ceremony

We will witness the liberation of the egungun, the spirits of the ancestors, figures respected and feared by the community.

We will enter the sacred grove of Osun-Osogbo

There, you can admire the representations of the Orisha pantheon, among which a special place is reserved for the protective goddess Osun.

► We will discover the culture of the Fon people, the heirs of the kingdom of Dahomey

Kingdom of Dahomey

During this trip we will tour the streets of Abomey, the royal city of Benin. We will visit this historic capital of the kingdom of Dahomey and the royal palaces and museums that are world heritage sites. We will delve into the history of this fascinating kingdom and learn about the culture of the Fon people.

Zangbeto ceremony

We will witness the Zangbeto dance of the Fon. These beings considered protectors of the night roam the streets to detect thieves and witches and to provide law and order.

Egungun ceremony

We will attend to dances and rituals to evoke the egungun, a moment in which the spirit of the ancestors is present in all its color, to the rhythm of the vibrant African drums.

► We will meet different traditional tribes of Benin

Ije tribe

We will visit one of the most interesting ethnic groups in the country: the Ije or Ohori. It is an animist people that stands out aesthetically for its facial scarifications and because women of a certain age have fascinating tattoos on their bodies. We will observe their houses built with bamboo and explore the nature of the region.

Tofi tribe

We will visit the lake city of Ganvié, the mythical “African Venice”. We will tour this large town of houses on stilts inhabited by the Tofi ethnic group, who have lived on the lake since the 18th century.

► We will enjoy the Afro-Brazilian architecture of Nigeria and Benin

Afro-Brazilian architecture was the work of the Aguda, descendants of Brazilian slaves who returned to Africa in the mid-19th century and developed a unique culture in the Gulf of Guinea. We will enjoy this type of architecture in Lagos, Abeokuta, Osgbo, and Porto Novo.

► Throughout the ethnic-historical trip to Nigeria and Benin, we will delve into the history of the slave trade in the Gulf of Guinea

During the trip we will make different visits to symbolic places and memorials to reflect on the slave trade.

© Photos by Jordi Zaragozà Anglès, Edith ScharffenbergandAníbal Bueno

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