Trip to Nigeria and Benin ► the land of the Yoruba and the Fon

05 - 17 February 2024 (13 d. / 12 n.) / TRIP COMPLETED

Trip to Nigeria and Benin specially designed to learn about the culture of the Yoruba and Fon peoples, as well as delve into the history of the slave trade in the Gulf of Guinea.

During the trip we will immerse ourselves in an ancient history of powerful empires and ancient cultures. From the origins, in mythical cities like Osogbo or Abomey, to the present of Lagos, Porto Novo and Cotonou. We will get closer to the customs of the Yoruba and Fon people, as well as tribes such as the Ije, Mahi and Tofi. Also, we will learn about the sources of power of the Oyo and Dahomey kingdoms. Furthermore, this trip will help us to measure what the slave trade was in this region of the Gulf of Guinea, to learn how this infamous human trafficking operated and to reflect on its implications today. A trip to rethink history and to approach an otherness unknown to the Western world.

Download the itinerary for this trip to Nigeria and Benin

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Discover the highlights of this 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. Also, we will visit the house-museum of the Austrian artist Susanne Wenger, who dedicated her life to the preservation of traditional Yoruba art. We will take in the unique architecture of the building and the variety of antiques displayed for sale inside.

Visit to fetish markets

In the fetish market you can find all the ingredients to make amulets and magical potions, such as live and dried chameleons, chimpanzee limbs, plants with medicinal and mystical uses, etc.

Visit to an Orisha temple

We will visit an Orisha temple, where we will meet its devoted women.

► 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.

Zangbeto ceremony

We will attend to a zangbeto dance. 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.

Mahi tribe

On the island of Agonvè, we will visit a fishing village of the Mahi ethnic group. Also, we will pass through the town of Covè with the possibility of attend to the Gueledé mask dance.

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.