The Voodoo Trail

Join a Voodoo ceremony in one of the local villages. The compelling rhythm of the percussion and the chants of the participants help to invoke the voodoo spirit, which takes possession of some of the dancers who fall into a deep trance.

The traditional religion on the Gulf of Guinea coast, all along the coast of Benin and Togo, Voodoo is an animist religion, passed down through generations and still practiced today. Voodoo practices are not a form of black magic; to millions both here and abroad, Voodoo represents a religion that gives meaning and order to their lives.

Visit the intriguing stilt village of Ganvié, which is the largest and most beautiful stilt village in Africa. The approximately 18,000 inhabitants of the Tofinou (“water people”) ethnic group build their huts on teak stilts over the water and cover the roofs with a thick layer of leaves. The entire community is situated in the middle of Lake Nokwe for various reasons: as the inhabitants live exclusively on fishing, this puts them closer to the deepest parts of the lake where fish are plentiful.

A local guide from the village will show us around, and give us a bit of perspective on what life is like for the villagers.

Kétou is said to have been founded by Ede, son of Sopasan and grandson of Oduduwa, who ruled the Yoruba kingdom of Ile-Ife. The dynasty in Kétou is directly tied to the Ife Kingdom.

The present king of Kétou is the 50th Oba and he has been in power since 2005. He will receive us at his royal palace, surrounded by his court (if his schedule permits). We will be granted the honour to speak with him and get to know a little more about his role of traditional chief in a modern state.

Stop at the fetish of Dankoli, the gateway to the Voodoo world. Pilgrims plant thousands of wood sticks to testify their prayers to the fetish priest. When they are satisfied, they come to sacrifice the promised ransom: a goat, a chicken, or a cow. A mound of blood, palm oil, and sodabi (local liquor) are presented to the long line of pilgrims, all looking for a solution to their problems.

Travel to a Fulani encampment to spend time with locals and learn about their traditions. The Fulani people are one of the largest nomadic groups in the world and are known for being the first group to convert to Islam in Western Africa. The word "Fulani" means beauty.

Walk through Somba land. Somba in the local language means nude. In certain isolated villages people still dress in a simple cloth and the women are covered with only amulets. These traditions, due to the geographic isolation of the tribe, have not yet been contaminated by outsiders.

The Somba architecture is characterized by small castles three stories high that serve as the families' dwellings. These beautiful fortified dwellings are separated from the others for reasons of ownership determined in accordance with the size of the cultivable land and also to guarantee the privacy of a group of people who are, by nature, individualists.

Walk from village to village through a hilly landscape. Our day will be enriched by friendly meetings with locals along the path.

In Northwest Togo, encounter the region of the Moba people, the most populous tribe of the Savanes region, the northernmost of the five regions of Togo.

Visit small villages spread over the desolate landscape, which, depending on the season, can be lush green or the colour of earth. See what agricultural products these communities farm, perhaps try some of their produce, and learn a bit about the Moba's round clay homesteads, which are topped with a conical straw roof typical of the area.

The Tamberma tribe live in fortified dwellings, similar to the Somba. The houses are built by hand, layer by layer, putting round balls of mud and shaping them following the design of the house. We visit these homes to get a better sense of life in this region.

All the family, food, and the animals are kept in the house, for the survival of the family group in case of attack of enemies. And also, in order to defend themselves, as well as a desire to escape all external influences, these people have for centuries sought refuge in the hard to access Atakora mountain chain.

Meet the Gurunsi people, who live in colourfully decorated fortified houses built of dung. Gurunsi society is organized around gender: men do the building, while women are in charge of painting and decorating the home.

Stop at the villages of the Dagarti peoples, made in a fortified style similar but distinct to the Lobi style. Here we may take a walk through a number of villages, viewing many aspects of the culture and agriculture.

We head out to visit the shy, traditional Lobi people of Burkina Faso: men still carry bows and arrows, and old women wear lip disks, while wooden statues are carved for an ancient cult. Visit their unique villages with a Lobi translator. Each family lives in a large, clay fortified building.

Meet also a traditional healer. Traditional religion is still very strong among the Lobi. He will receive us in his house, surrounded by fetishes and shrines.

Meet the chief of Obire, the 29th of his dynasty. This long lasting kingdom is deep-rooted in West African history. This is where the Guen settled centuries ago. The meeting will be a great opportunity to learn more about the traditions of these people.

Meet the local gold diggers. Men dig deep holes and bring out clay which is washed and filtered by the local women to turn into gold dust. This is reminiscent of the times when caravans were carrying gold to the north, only to return later with caravans of salt.