Benin is a narrow strip of land that touches the Bight of
Benin (Atlantic Ocean) and is bordered by Nigeria, Niger, Burkina Faso, and
Togo. The country is hot and dry, with definite rainy seasons and dry seasons.
The land is actually somewhat diverse: the coastal areas have many low-lying,
sandy plains, forest-covered plateaus to rocky hills and mountains. There are a
couple of nature reserves in the northern part of the country, providing great
places to be able to see the flora and fauna in the natural habitats.
The Kingdom of Dahomey was known for its military and soldiers
– both men’s and women’s corps. For about 300 years, the kingdom was right in
the middle of what was known as the “Slave Coast.” And for a while, the Dahomey
warriors avoided being part of it, but it did eventually catch up to them as
well until it was banned in 1885. By the end of the 1800s, the kingdom had
declined, and the French took over the area and controlled it for nearly 60
years until Benin’s independence from France. There was a period in its history
where there were several changes in its name as well as its political
stance. In October 1972, Lt. Col.
Mathieu Kérékou
took over and officially declared Benin as a Marxist country. Scores of
teachers and other professionals eventually left the country to escape the
regime’s overextended power. In 1989, Kérékou conceded to allow the elections
that eventually voted him out, and the name was changed to the Republic of
Benin the following year.
Much of Benin’s economy is based on subsistence farming,
cotton production and trade. However, there are problems with lower wages for
women, child labor, and forced labor. Health care is at a dangerous low. The
vast majority of people don’t have access to health care, and there aren’t
enough doctors and/or hospitals. Basic sanitation and access to clean drinking
water aren’t available in many places, especially true in the rural areas. Risk
to infectious diseases are very high: diseases such as hepatitis A, typhoid
fever, malaria, yellow fever, meningococcal meningitis, and rabies. Benin is
also plagued by high infant and maternal mortality rates with an overall life
expectancy of around 60 years old. Benin also has one of the lowest literacy
rates in the world, and it’s lower if you’re a female.
Many people in Benin utilize Akan naming traditions, that
is, naming children based on the day of the week they were born, birth order,
or any special circumstances to which the child was born. One famous example of
this would be former Secretary-General of the UN Kofi Annan. (He’s actually
from nearby Ghana.) His first name corresponds to Friday, and his middle name
of Atta corresponds to him being a twin.
Benin is one of those few countries that has two capitals. The
official one is Porto-Novo, but the seat of government is in nearby Cotonou.
Because of the French occupation, the French language is the official language,
however most people also speak Fon or Yoruba as well as other local and
regional African languages. The Fon do make up the majority of ethnic groups in
Benin. There are slightly more Christians of various denominations in Benin,
followed by those who practice Islam and Vodun (spelled a variety of ways, an
animalistic religion that is related to Voodoo in Louisiana and Santería
in Cuba).
Benin’s roots as a strong people, the cultural melding of
its history, and its geography excites me to delve into its cultural arts,
especially its music and cuisine. A country I had only a little pre-knowledge
about, my preliminary research has piqued my interest in a country most
Americans don’t know where it is, if they’ve even heard of it. It happens to be a treat for me, since I am
cooking and baking on my birthday.
Up next: Holidays and Celebrations
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