Abomey
The royal seat of the Dahomey kingdom, whose palaces hold bas-reliefs and bocio figures, and whose kings were bound up in the Vodun religion.
Practised and told of here
Best time: November to February; January 10 is Vodun Day across Benin.
Abomey was the capital of the Kingdom of Dahomey from the seventeenth century until the French conquest in 1892. Its royal palaces are on the World Heritage List.
Kings and Vodun
Dahomey's rulers kept a close link between the throne and the vodun, the spirits. The state maintained a corps of priests and a calendar of rites, including the annual customs, which were bloody under some kings. The kingdom also took part in the Atlantic slave trade, and the Vodun of Haiti and Brazil carry the names of Dahomey spirits.
Bocio and bo
Bocio are wooden figures with cloth, rope, nails or objects tied to them, made to protect or to carry a request, and shown today in museums. Western collectors once called them fetishes, a term that placed them beneath other religions. In Benin they are made by specialists and are part of the live religion.
Visiting
The Historical Museum, in the palaces, has the famous throne and the carved doors. Ask before photographing a bocio in a village shrine and avoid purchase of objects not made for sale.
A respectful visit to Abomey
Living communities are not a show. Ask before photographing a person or a ceremony, and follow local rules.
- The Historical Museum of Abomey Look at the bas-reliefs.
- The palace of King Glele See how the kings' symbols are shown.
- A local Vodun shrine Ask a local guide for a respectful introduction.
Written by the EveryJaadu desk with AI assistance. Background: "Abomey" on Wikipedia. Opening hours, markets and ceremonies change; check locally before travelling. If something is wrong, tell us.
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