Benin, Togo - January 2019

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  • Untitled photo

  • Untitled photo

  • Untitled photo

    Vodunexpla2

  • A gathering of Vodun celebrants at a temple in Ouidah prior to the Festival Vodun.

    A gathering of Vodun celebrants at a temple in Ouidah prior to the Festival Vodun.

    VodunvodounBeninOuidah

  • At a gathering of Vodun celebrants prior to the Festival Vodun.

    At a gathering of Vodun celebrants prior to the Festival Vodun.

    vodunvodounBeninOuidah

  • At the pre-Festival gathering.

    At the pre-Festival gathering.

    vodunvodounBeninOuidah

  • Portrait at the Vodun temple gathering.

    Portrait at the Vodun temple gathering.

    vodunvodounBeninOuidah

  • A portrait at the Vodun temple gathering.

    A portrait at the Vodun temple gathering.

    vodunvodounBeninOuidah

  • Untitled photo

    vodunvodounBeninOuidah

  • Portrait at the pre-Festival gathering.

    Portrait at the pre-Festival gathering.

    vodunvodounBeninOuidah

  • A priest at the Temple of Pythons In Ouidah, Benin. The veneration of pythons stems from their help in preventing capture of the King of Ouidah in the 18th century.

    A priest at the Temple of Pythons In Ouidah, Benin. The veneration of pythons stems from their help in preventing capture of the King of Ouidah in the 18th century.

    vodunvodounBeninOuidahTemple of Pythons

  • A priest at the Temple of Pythons, Ouidah, Benin.

    A priest at the Temple of Pythons, Ouidah, Benin.

    VodunVodounBeninOuidahTemple of Python

  • At the Festival Vodoun in Ouidah, Benin.

    At the Festival Vodoun in Ouidah, Benin.

    Festival VodounOuidahBenin

  • A notable from a Vodoun temple at the Festival Vodoun.

    A notable from a Vodoun temple at the Festival Vodoun.

    Festival VodounOuidahBenin

  • Portrait of a Festival participant.

    Portrait of a Festival participant.

    Festival VodounOuidahBenin

  • At the Festival Vodoun - a Zangbeto, a guardian of the night who tracks criminals and presents them to the community for punishment. Zangbeto are able to fall into a trance which enables their bodies to be inhabited by spirits who possess special knowledge of the actions of people.

    At the Festival Vodoun - a Zangbeto, a guardian of the night who tracks criminals and presents them to the community for punishment. Zangbeto are able to fall into a trance which enables their bodies to be inhabited by spirits who possess special knowledge of the actions of people.

    ZangbetoFestival VodounOuidahBenin

  • An Egungun, a masked, costumed figure who masquerades as an ancestor who upholds ethical standards of the past among the living. The Egungun are celebrated in family ritual; the costumes are passed through the generations and the quality of the costumes reflects the status of the family as well as the power of the ancestor

    An Egungun, a masked, costumed figure who masquerades as an ancestor who upholds ethical standards of the past among the living. The Egungun are celebrated in family ritual; the costumes are passed through the generations and the quality of the costumes reflects the status of the family as well as the power of the ancestor

    EgunEgungunFestival VodounOuidahBenin

  • Two egungun at the Festival Vodoun..

    Two egungun at the Festival Vodoun..

    egungunFestival VodounOuidahBenin

  • A dancing group at the Festival Vodoun.

    A dancing group at the Festival Vodoun.

    Festival VodounOuidahBenin

  • Away from the festival, in the market of Ouidah

    Away from the festival, in the market of Ouidah

    OuidahBenin

  • Gelede dance performance near Abomey, Benin. Gẹlẹdẹ, danced by men, celebrates mothers, female ancestors and deities, the elderly women of the community, and the power and spiritual capacity they possess.

    Gelede dance performance near Abomey, Benin. Gẹlẹdẹ, danced by men, celebrates mothers, female ancestors and deities, the elderly women of the community, and the power and spiritual capacity they possess.

    geledeBenin

  • The gelede mask is actually a head piece, worn atop the head of the dancer.

    The gelede mask is actually a head piece, worn atop the head of the dancer.

    geledeBenin

  • Part of the gelede performance audience

    Part of the gelede performance audience

    geledeBenin

  • At the gelede performance.

    At the gelede performance.

    geledeBenin

  • Gelede dancer.

    Gelede dancer.

    geledeBenin

  • A part of the audience. Girls and boys routinely carry and care for their younger siblings.

    A part of the audience. Girls and boys routinely carry and care for their younger siblings.

    geledeBenin

  • Gelede audience.

    Gelede audience.

    geledeBenin

  • Young girl and her sibling at the gelede performance..

    Young girl and her sibling at the gelede performance..

    geledeBenin

  • Boys selling what appear to be dried, smoked fish.

    Boys selling what appear to be dried, smoked fish.

    geledeBenin

  • The music was percussion, mostly drums.

    The music was percussion, mostly drums.

    geledeBenin

  • Gelede dancers.

    Gelede dancers.

    geledeBenin

  • Gelede dancer.

    Gelede dancer.

    geledeBenin

  • Another gelede dance. While the "literature" emphasizes the female orientation of gelede, there were these 3 male figures. Go figure. ???

    Another gelede dance. While the "literature" emphasizes the female orientation of gelede, there were these 3 male figures. Go figure. ???

    geledeBenin

  • Untitled photo

    geledeBenin

  • Portrait opportunity, rural village north of the Atlantic coast, Benin.

    Portrait opportunity, rural village north of the Atlantic coast, Benin.

    Benin

  • Rural village portrait.

    Rural village portrait.

    Benin

  • Portrait in a rural village.

    Portrait in a rural village.

    Benin

  • Blacksmithing in rural Benin. The boy with the striped shirt is working the bellows.

    Blacksmithing in rural Benin. The boy with the striped shirt is working the bellows.

    Benin blacksmith

  • The blacksmith at work.

    The blacksmith at work.

    Benin blacksmith

  • Having sharpened the blacksmith's work, the final product.

    Having sharpened the blacksmith's work, the final product.

    Benin

  • Gathering firewood - rural Benin.

    Gathering firewood - rural Benin.

    Benin

  • At ease in rural Benin.

    At ease in rural Benin.

    Benin

  • Rural Benin - preparing lunch. It appeared to be a pea or bean which would be very good nutritionally.

    Rural Benin - preparing lunch. It appeared to be a pea or bean which would be very good nutritionally.

    Benin

  • Rural Benin.

    Rural Benin.

    Benin

  • Cooking a meal, in a Taneka ethnic group village, Benin. The Taneka, also called Tomba, are a mixture of different groups that fled their more southerly homeland - to the foothills of northern Benin - to avoid slavers who would sell them to Europeans.

    Cooking a meal, in a Taneka ethnic group village, Benin. The Taneka, also called Tomba, are a mixture of different groups that fled their more southerly homeland - to the foothills of northern Benin - to avoid slavers who would sell them to Europeans.

    BeninTanekaTombaKabyeBaribaGourmantche

  • A Taneka fetish priest who mediates between the spirits and the villagers. Living in a simple mud hut and wearing only a loin cloth, the priest performs rituals to consult and seek favor from the gods. The rituals are performed with fetishes, money, liquor and animals.

    A Taneka fetish priest who mediates between the spirits and the villagers. Living in a simple mud hut and wearing only a loin cloth, the priest performs rituals to consult and seek favor from the gods. The rituals are performed with fetishes, money, liquor and animals.

    BeninTanekaTombaKabyeBaribaGourmantchefetish priest

  • The communal cooking area of a Taneka village in northern Benin.

    The communal cooking area of a Taneka village in northern Benin.

    BeninTanekaTombaKabyeBaribaGourmantche

  • Best buddies, Taneka village, Benin.

    Best buddies, Taneka village, Benin.

    BeninTanekaTombaKabyeBaribaGourmantche

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