Trip to Benin: Gerewol Festival and tribes

Discover the highlights of this trip to Benin

We will experience the Gerewol Festival on this trip to Benin

During this trip to Benin, we will have the opportunity to experience the Gerewol Festival, a massive event where Borgu-Mbororo nomads from all around northern Benin and even Nigeria gathering for this annual event. The Borgu-Mbororo people belong to the greater Fulani nation we can find from Senegal to Sudan. Their economy is based in nomadic or semi-nomadic cattle rearing. ‘Mbororo’ means landless or nomadic person and Borgu is the name the Fulani of this part of Benin and Nigeria have, and it is connected to the Borgu Kingdom to whom they once belonged. The female hairdos and facial tattoos are specific to these people and can be easily distinguished from other Fulani groups. During Gerewol ceremonies, young men meet young women and a lot of ritual dancing and singing is involved. Together with the flirting rituals, there is much going on: family and clan meetings, business deals, and partying. We will spend 3 entire days of this trip to Benin enjoying the spectacular Gerewol Festival in the wild forested savannah of the north of the country.

We will meet different traditional tribes of Benin

Taneka tribe

During this trip to Benin, we will explore the Taneka or Yom tribal territory. The Taneka community live in 4 traditional villages on the foothills and on top of the Taneka Hills. We will visit the 4 communities and meet the local people. What makes this tribe very special is that they are ruled by both customary chiefs and Animistic priests that act as local ministers. We will meet the ‘agriculture minister’, the ‘water minister’, ‘religious affairs minister’, all dressed in the traditional leather loincloth. In addition, we will experience a small Taneka initiation ritual in one of the villages. The excursion to the oldest village, on top of the hill, will take us 1h walk.

Bariba tribe

During this anthropological trip to Benin, we will visit the kingdom of Nikki, the historic capital of the Bariba tribe. Upon arrival in this small town, we will greet the king and admire the royal horses and the rides of decorated horsemen.

Fulani Borgu-Mbororo tribe

We will visit a settlement of Fulani Borgu-Mbororo nomads, where the Gerewol Festival will take place, which we will attend during this trip to Benin. This ethnic group is famous for their facial tattoos and decorative hairstyles.

We will delve into voodoo culture and religion

During this anthropological trip to Benin, we will stop in several Yoruba towns, such as Dassa and Savalou, where we will visit Voodoo shrines.

© Photos by Jordi Zaragozà Anglès, Aníbal Buenoand Joan Riera taken during a trip to Benin.

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