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

Dassa is the capital of an ancient kingdom, founded by Olofin in 1385. In the town, remnants bearing witness to the history of this long-reigning dynasty can still be seen. Here, we will observe the masks of the Egun ethnic group. According to the locals, these masks do not merely represent the spirits of the deceased; they are the spirits themselves.

The men wearing the masks are initiated into the cult. Clad in bright, multicoloured costumes, they come out of the forest and form a procession through the village streets, leaping towards any unsuspecting onlookers who dare to venture too close. You wouldn’t want an Egun to touch you, as it is believed that if they do, you might die, so beware! In fact, some people touched by Egun do indeed collapse to the ground immediately, though thankfully they recover quickly.

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

Once we reach the town of Abomey, we will participate in the Sunday ceremony of the Heavenly Church, which exemplifies the blending of voodoo and Christianity. We can meet the locals, the priests, witness exorcisms, prophecies, and trances.

We'll then visit the royal palace, whose walls are adorned with symbols of the former rulers of the Kingdom of Dahomey. The palace houses a museum and a temple constructed with a mix of clay, golden dust, and human blood. The Kingdom of Dahomey was constantly at war so that the kings could capture prisoners and sell them as slaves. The royal army included a female corps, renowned for their bravery and fierce spirit. Historians love to highlight the 'secular' aspect of royal rule, but despite not being considered a god or a priest, many human sacrifices were carried out on the royal graves on special occasions. However, governance was exercised in a wholly 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.

After reaching Abomey, we will meet the community of 'forgerons', who have served the Dahomey kings for centuries in the manufacture of weapons and other tools.

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

Gelede is at once a cult, a secret society, and a mask. Foremost, it is the cult of Udua – 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 of southern Benin. But Gelede is also the secret society that guards the masks of the same name and organizes special dances with them. Gelede performances resemble our theatre, where each mask represents a character, often humorous or ironic. This theatrical aspect of masks, enacting short stories, aims to educate, not merely entertain the village. The Gelede mask has feminine features, but it is worn by men dressed as women who perform remarkable dances: more than 20 singers, dressed in colourful garments, dance in a large circle with two big drums in the centre, as the surrounding audience, joyful and excited, sings along with them, laughs, and claps.

Meals: breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Overnight in Sun City Hotel or similar (all rooms with en-suite and air conditioning).