From Dassa to Abomey (100 km, 2 hours) – Benin

Dassa is the capital of an ancient kingdom, founded by Olofin in 1385. In the city, you can still see places that bear witness to the history of this long-reigning dynasty. Here we will see the masks of the Egun ethnic group. According to the locals, they are not just representations of the spirits of the deceased, but the spirits themselves.

The men wearing the masks are those initiated into the cult. Dressed in brightly coloured clothing, they emerge from the forest and parade through the village streets, leaping at any unwary spectator who dares to get too close. You wouldn't want an Egun to touch you, because if it does, it is believed you might die, so be careful! In fact, some people touched by an Egun do indeed collapse to the ground immediately but, thankfully, recover quickly.

Upon their arrival, the masked men perform a kind of bullfight intended to evoke fear and respect.

Once we reach the city of Abomey, we will take part in the Sunday ceremony of the Heavenly Church, which exemplifies the blending of Voodoo and Christianity. We can meet the locals, the priests, and witness exorcisms, prophecies, and enter trances.

We will then visit the royal palace, whose walls are adorned with the symbols of the former rulers of the Kingdom of Dahomey. Within the palace are a museum and a temple built with a mixture of clay, gold dust, and human blood. The Kingdom of Dahomey was constantly at war in order for the kings to capture prisoners and sell them as slaves. The royal army included a female regiment, known for their bravery and aggressive fighting spirit. Historians like to highlight the “worldly” aspect of the king's rule, but although he was not considered a god or a priest, many human sacrifices were performed on the graves of the kings on special occasions. However, power was exercised in a very rational way, easy for Europeans to understand; evidence of this is the fact that the kings of France and Dahomey exchanged diplomatic representatives at the end of the 18th century.

Once we arrive in Abomey, we will meet the community of “forgerons,” who have served the kings of Dahomey for centuries in the production of weapons and other tools.

In the afternoon, we will witness the spectacular Gelede dance masks.

Gelede is simultaneously a cult, a secret society, and a mask. First and foremost, it is the cult of Udwa – the great deity, the old mother, and Mother Earth. Gelede is also the daughter of Ogun, the god of iron and one of the principal gods in the Voodoo religion in Southern Benin. But Gelede is also the secret society that guards the eponymous masks and organises special dances with them. The Gelede performances are reminiscent of our theatre, where each mask represents a character, often humorous or ironic. This theatrical aspect of the masks, which recreate short stories, aims to educate rather than just entertain the village. The Gelede mask has female features but is worn by men who are dressed as women and dance in an incredible way: more than 20 singers, dressed in colourful attire, dance in a large circle with two large drums in the centre, and the surrounding audience, happy and excited, sings along, laughs, and claps.

Meals: breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Overnight at Hotel Sun City or similar (all rooms with private facilities and air conditioning).