Ouidah - Ouidah

Ouidah is a city of Southern Benin.

To know

Once a large slave port under the control of the Kingdom of Abomey (which had turned this business into a "royal monopoly" within the European "triangular trade", it was the last vision many slaves had of their homeland. After a ritual of excommunication that deprived them of Voodoo initiation, the slaves left, sold by their countrymen and bought by the whites. Men who died before passing through the gate and were therefore still "initiates" were buried in the earth, but afterwards having passed it were no longer considered men and were thrown into the ocean. The memory of these painful events is perpetuated by numerous monuments, such as "the door of no return", but also by numerous European forts. In 2000 the Christians built the door of the pardon.

Prominent religious center for followers of Voodoo. In the village there are Bukono, Voodoo priests, able to initiate Voodoo and perform authentic rituals.

Background

According to local tradition, it was King Kpase who founded the city towards the end of the 16th century. The city was originally known as Glēxwé, literally "farm", and was part of the Whydah Kingdom.

Ouidah expanded thanks to the increase in international trade when the British they built a fort here in 1650.

Whydah's troops made their way inland African, capturing millions of people through tribal wars and selling them to the Europeans and ai Arabs. In 1716, when the massive English slave ship Whydah Gally came to buy 500 slaves from King Haffon to sell them in Jamaica, the Whydah Kingdom had become the second largest slave port in the triangular trade.

The kingdom was ruled by King Haffon, who received his coronation as a gift from the Portugal, until, in 1727, the Whydah kingdom was conquered by the forces of King Agaja of Dahomey.

The land that made up the Whydah Kingdom became a simple city in the new Kingdom of Dahomey. The Portuguese, English, Dutch is French they all built forts in the city to protect their interests in slavery. The Portuguese had reached the city they called Ajudá in 1580. The Portuguese fort of São João Baptista de Ajudá, which now houses the Whydah Museum, dates back to 1721 and belonged to Portugal until July 31, 1961.

In the period between 1946 and 1949, French government estimates have brought the population of Ouidah to around 14,600. Since then it had a railway and was a center for the production and trade of palm grains, palm oil, cover, coffee, cassava, beans, tomatoes and onions. It was also a center of fish trade and vegetable oil production and had Catholic, Protestant and Muslim places of worship.

How to orient yourself

How to get

How to get around

What see

• 6.3589032.0901851 Ouidah History Museum (Fort of São João Baptista de Ajudá). The fort of São João Baptista de Ajudá is a small fortress built by the Portuguese in the city of Ouidah, on the coast of Benin. The fort, built on land ceded to Portugal by the king of Dahomey, he remained Portuguese from 1721 to 1961. In 1680 the governor of São Tomé and Príncipe he was authorized to erect a fort. After being abandoned for several years it was rebuilt in 1721 and named São João Baptista de Ajudá. The fort played an important role in the Portuguese slave trade. With the abolition of slavery in 1807 the fort gradually lost its importance. Although Portugal always claimed possession, the actual occupation and administration suffered several interruptions. The fort was permanently reoccupied by Portugal in 1865 as part of the brief Portuguese attempt to establish a protectorate over the kingdom of Dahomey. After the conquest French del Dahomey (1891-1894), the possession was reduced only to the territory within the walls.

Until its annexation to Dahomey in 1961 São João Baptista de Ajudá was probably the smallest separate territorial entity in the modern world. The annexation was only recognized by Portugal in 1975. Restored with Portuguese funding, the fort now houses a museum.  

• 6.364632.0959422 Sacred forest of Kpassè (East of the municipality of Ouidah, in the district of Tovè II and Tovè). Forest made up of large secular trees, where you can also find religious carvings and bronze statues of voodoo deities. The sacred forest of Kpassè is today also a museum of contemporary art. There are statues that symbolize Voodoo deities such as:

• Mami Wata (Yemendja for the Yoruba)
• Gu (Ogun for the Yoruba), god of war
• Ogoun Zobla, represents pure intelligence and success
• Sakpata, god of smallpox and more generally of disease, healing and the Earth
• Hêbiosso (or Hêvièsso), god of storm and lightning. He is accompanied by a dwarf or homunculus accused of forging his lightning bolt
• Legba, the intermediary and messenger of the gods. It is assimilated, in Haitian syncretistic voodoo, to St. Peter, who holds the keys to heaven and hell. Presides the washing of hands with water and rum

Wildlife includes squirrels and snakes such as the python and the viper.  

• Route des Esclaves. Path through which the slaves were brought to the beach. It has numerous statues and monuments, including the Gate of No Return. 
• Door of no return. Slave Trade Memorial. 
• 6.3606522.0847343 Basilica of the Immaculate Conception (Basilique de l 'Immaculée Conception). Extraordinary Catholic church and former cathedral before passing the title to the present of Porto-Novo. Built during the colonial period with European Gothic architectural style starting from 1903 and completed in 1909. It took the title of Roman Catholic minor basilica on November 9, 1989 by Pope John Paul II.  
• 6.3595652.0851374 Temple of the pythons (In front of the basilica), ☎ 229 97 87 80 93. Mon-Fri 8: 00-18: 00. Royal pythons are considered sacred and this temple is dedicated to the snake deity Dangbè, who has been worshiped in the city for centuries. In the main building there are dozens of pythons kept with extreme care by the priests. It is not excluded that at night you can find some in the surrounding area. 
• Maison du Brésil. Art Gallery. 

Events and parties

What to do

Shopping

• Market Center. Established by the scouts more than 20 years ago, it trains young people in agricultural skills, thus helping to reverse the exodus to the cities. 

How to have fun

Night clubs

• BlueMooN (Former interstate road). Partially open-air restaurant bar offering homemade cocktails and ice creams, good music for a really enjoyable evening! Here you will find local beers, good wine, cakes ... everything you need until late at night! It serves great inexpensive dishes such as braised fish, chicken curry, couscous, guinea fowl with coconut sauce and shrimp. 

Where to eat

Average prices

• Good Marquis at Gbena. They offer salad, roast turkey, chicken and fish and African staples (i.e. rice and pate). 
• Amicalé (In Amicale near the basilica). The couple who own it are so cute, they'll just come back for the company. They have shawarma, burgers, ice cream, fish, chicken and a specialty Ivorian call attiéké. The drinks are a little more expensive than the buvette. 
• Côté Pêche (In front of EPP Bresil). Some of the best fish in Ouidah. To the à la carte dishes, prefer the dishes of the day. By going as a group, you can negotiate to share a big fish. Side dishes include fries, legumes, and rice. 
• Le Jardin Secret (Secluded, but there are signs on the highway). They generally have great food. It is also a hotel and offers motorbike and bicycle rental. 

Where stay

Average prices

• Hotel Kpassè, ☎ 229 66 76 30 53. 
• Oriki Maquis Hotel. 
• Gbena hotels. 

Safety

How to keep in touch

Around

Other projects

• Wikipedia contains an entry concerning Ouidah
• Commons contains images or other files on Ouidah

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