Islam in Benin accounts for 24% of the population. As reported by BBC, their newly formed kingdom, Igodomigodo, was ruled by kings who were called Ogisos, or "rulers of the sky.". In 2020, the Smithsonian Folklife Festival will feature a program about the West African nation of Benin and how communities connect to their environment through spirituality and traditional knowledge. Iya,as it is popularly called by Binis, is the largest man-made earthworks in the world. Voodoo priests ask these gods to intervene on behalf of ordinary people but local adherents stress that they have nothing to do with sorcery or black magic. According to the most recent 2020 estimate, the population of Benin is 52.2% Christian, 24.6% Muslim, 17.9 Animist and 5.3% follows other faiths or has no religion. Other variants of the system are found across the region, a result of its dynamic history. And despite myHammer House of Horrorexpectations, not a drop of sacrificial blood was spilled, nor did any eye-bulging zombies grace the affair. The city also manufactures furniture and produces beer and soft drinks. Real changes may unfold in your life during the weeks after your sessions. Across Africa, the practice of divination is a way of knowing that is widely used and widely varied. Rituals, related to the Benin cosmic view form an intrinsic part of life. For more information about spiritual healing in Benin, please feel free to contact our friendly team of experts today! This rivalry resulted in a high degree of religious and cultural exchange between the Fon and Yoruba, with Dahomey making a conscious effort to incorporate Yoruba art, deities, and cultureincluding Ifa divinationinto its existing set of beliefs. His son Eweka is regarded as the first oba, or king, of Benin, though authority would remain for many years with a hereditary order of local chiefs. Two brothers, Joe and Ger, and a sister, Eileen Irwin, still reside in Castlebar. Yet what really captivated me were the tales of Voodoo, a practice that is still followed by over 60% of Beninese today and considered the state religion. The descendants of Benins ruling dynasty still occupy the throne in Benin City (although the present-day oba has only an advisory role in government). The land, which is presently part of southern Nigeria, remained under British control until 1960. Spiritualists sought to make contact with the dead, commonly through the assistance of a medium, which is a person believed to have the ability to contact spirits directly. Contrary to the British troops' description of the Benin Kingdom, other visitors described the city as civilized and clean. Vodun majorly concentrates on spirits and divine elements that rule the earth, deities which govern human society and natural forces as well as spirits of individual trees, streams and rocks and defenders of a certain nation, clan or tribe. True to his word, when Fr McCawillerevisited the cemetery on the Tuesday morning the cemetery was cleared and with the help of some photos that had been taken of the grave shortly after the burial and a name plate which was sent by the extended family and on which were inscribed the words In loving memory of Brian McCormack. Suddenly an ageing lady, head lolling on her neck, pulled down her top and started beating her breasts. Brian, Sr. was born in 1917 into a family of 9 boys and 5 girls. "This is our divinity before Catholicism came along and our way to make our lives better." Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you. All but the last two have gone to their eternal reward. deficiencies. Kings are ten-a-penny in Benin although, as museum guide Mireille explained, Benin's monarchy endured a hiatus during French colonisation in the 1890s and its 30-year flirtation with Communism. Spiritual healing aims to give a person total healing. Spiritual healing can be very empowering for the client, as there is a desire on the healers part to enable each person to heal themselves. Stay tuned for more research and stories from the program. The number of those who practiced yoga jumped from 9.5% to 14.3% . The Slave Trade, Depopulation and Human Sacrifice in Benin History. Between 1440 and the late 1800s, the Benin Empire thrived and became a successful center for trade. Sign up for our newsletter today "If you see their eyes, you will die!" Larger gatherings were held for public demonstrations of spirit contact and psychic phenomena. Spirits were said to have the power to levitate objects, to speak independently of the medium, to leave pictures on photographic plates, and to materialize objects, including themselves. According to Bacon, the town was rife with "crucifixions, human sacrifices, and every horror the eye could get accustomed to blood was everywhere; smeared over bronzes, ivory, and even the walls." This accounts for the similarities in the two groups divination systems and the art surrounding the process. Spiritual music, lyrics, and videos from Benin-City, NG on ReverbNation Latest Testimonials. On a side street in Mgomilite district, crowds assembled by an abandoned petroleum tanker. His twosons, Paul, born in December 1951 and his younger brother, Brian, born in November 1953, just after his father had gone to Nigeria, were not old enough to fully understand the circumstances surrounding their dads death at the age of 37. Although the majority of the population in Benin City describe themselves as Christian, many also believe in the indigenous spiritual customs. The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user. I was fleetingly disappointed to discover it was going to be another a Mami Wata ceremony - but not for long. Yovo, yovo, bonjour. Generations of Dahomian Kings fought internecine wars, maintained female Amazon warriors with a penchant for decapitation, and sold slaves to the Europeans to equip themselves militarily. - Spirit beings are little changed from their earlier selves as those in the spirit-world are I lost all my hopes getting rid of this evil spirit after trying many years get rid of him but you made the impossible thing into possible and that is out of our life. The Gate of No Return in Ouidah, Benin (Shutterstock). In Vodun, a religion originating in coastal West Africa, Fa (also known as Ifa) divination is a key component of religious practice. However, my next destination, Chatwin's occult capital Ouidah, promised something a little morenoire. As reported by Google Arts and Culture, Oba Ewuape faced harsh criticism and rebellion from the kingdom and chiefs almost immediately after his appointment. Dr. Guillory's upcoming book draws on years of archival research, ethnographic observation, and oral history interviews to . - People who are frustrated with chronic or recurring problems, - People who don't like to take medication, - People who have been in prolonged forms of treatment without much result, - People who are emotionally suffering and are unable to understand the source of their unhappiness, confusion, or anxiety, - Universal energy or spiritual force (non-religious) can be directed by intention, - When focused on the human body, via the aura (human energy field), it raises the spiritual vibrations of that person, improving health that allows your highest nature to unfold, - For optimum healing, repeated treatments are needed to overcome the bodys inertia. It also profited greatly from the slave trade. People across West Africa, especially Togo, Ghana and Nigeria hold similar beliefs but in Benin it is recognised as an official religion, followed by some 40% of the population. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions. Joseph Omesa (later Monsignor) replaced him. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Religious leaders suggested a human sacrifice would help restore order to the kingdom. Email: bestresult786@yahoo.co.uk. I sensed the Voodoo floodgates were opening. Recommended Also basic to spiritualist practice is spirit healing. Among the precursors of spiritualism was the Magnetist movement, which had grown out of the magnetic healing theories of Franz Anton Mesmer. Ikhuiwu is an African Canadian. Privileged regalia. These days Abomey is a backwater with little pomp or grandeur. - These souls can communicate with the material world as spiritualists believe that The subject of Brians sudden death so far from home was scarcely ever mentioned over the years. Spiritual music, lyrics, and videos from Benin City, NG on ReverbNation - Every human soul survives the death of the body and enters a spirit-world that surrounds The Benin Empire was ultimately destroyed during the Benin Punitive Expedition of 1897. The work you done on evil spirit it's unbelievable. "I'd thoroughly recommend the Route des Esclaves (The Slave Route). It is imperative to mention that during the tenure of Fr . Those for whom materialistic ways of thinking have precluded belief in a life after death have been given a new hope of immortality. It was designed to be worn suspended on the chest or hips during important ceremonies by the two large side hoops framing the face. His Dahomian lineage was restored in 1995 after Marxist government rule ended and although his powers are limited these days, he's a charming man. Although the specific age of the home is unknown, the architectural style suggests it was built in the mid to late 1800s. Later my hotel proprietor explained it to be Gounko, a Nigerian-Yoruba Voodoo figure that chased away evil spirits. Only those who live a virtuous and good existence earn the privilege of reincarnation; those who are unkind or deceitful don't get to be reborn. A compass of escape and meeting which rests on two main pillars: the spectacular character of the places, often classified with the UNESCO world heritage, and the charisma of the main characters who are transmitters of their respective traditions.Subscribe to see more full documentaries every week:https://bit.ly/2lneXNyTRACKS publishes unique, unexpected and untold stories from across the world every week. Peter McCawille, SMA, was working in Benin City. From \"Today In Africa\"Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TRACKSTravelChannel/Content licensed from ZED Media to Little Dot Studios.Any queries, please contact us at: owned-enquiries@littledotstudios.com However, it gained independence in 1960 and became the capital of Edo state in 1963. With this knowledge I headed to Porto Novo, a lagoon-facing former French colonial city of 350,000 people, 40-minutes drive from busy Cotonou, and on the flat coastal plain of south Benin's Voodoo heartland. In a village north of Ouidah, the group met with a. The oba became the supreme political, judicial, economic, and spiritual leader of his people, and he and his ancestors eventually became the object of state cults that utilized human sacrifice in their religious observances. Feeling positive now. The smaller side streets were also built in mathematical patterns. He completed the prescribed sacrifices following a January consultation and sent video evidence of them over WhatsApp to his absent client. Seated in a padded armchair, wearing a blue skullcap, white tunic and chequered sarong, his majesty recounted his royal predecessors back to 1620 and in the spirit ofentente cordialewe discussed subjects as diverse as the Channel Tunnel and Concorde's demise. The work you done on evil spirit it's unbelievable. Mr Yaseen, a spiritualist with the highest level of Knowledge. Benin is a religiously diverse country consisting of Atheism and Agnosticism which accounts for 7% of the population, West African folk religions and traditional beliefs aside from Vodun which accounts for 6% of Benin's population and Eckankar, Baha'i faith and other beliefs accounting for 3% of the countrys population. I would like to say thanks once again. Fa divination is intrinsically connected to the environment, using materials such as kola and palm nuts, palm oil, leaves, and flour, plus animal sacrifice. Benin, one of the principal historic kingdoms of the western African forest region (fl. Corrections? The harmonious singing commenced, as before, but altogether more frenetic. Portuguese captain Lourenco Pinto, who visited Benin City in 1691, said "Great Benin is larger than Lisbon; all the streets run straight and as far as the eye can see. The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network. Many divination practices are connected to religious traditions, but they are also used to glean insight into all aspects of daily life. Benin: A Country Armed With Powerful Spirituality Fundraiser TRACKS - Travel Documentaries 564K subscribers 979K views 11 months ago In human cultures in general, and perhaps particularly in. In addition to being the fourth-largest city in Nigeria, Benin is the largest city in Edo state. My reading was not particularly flattering. Is climate change killing Australian wine? About 70km west from Porto Novo, Ouidah is the most atmospheric and elegantly crumbling small city. No matter whether your intention is rooted in the physical, emotional, or spiritual, while the healing transmission occurs your body, mind, and spirit re-emanate and heal at the deepest essential levels. Spiritual healing is not concerned with religion or belief but instead focuses on compatibility. Women painting voodoo symbols in a Benin village (Shutterstock). From the center, 30 streets, which were approximately 120 feet wide, extended out at right angles like the spokes of a wheel. Mr Yaseen, a spiritualist with the highest level of Knowledge. 135 views, 6 likes, 0 loves, 2 comments, 2 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Living Faith Church, GRA. Brian's sudden death was a huge blow to his wife, Patricia, who is still hale and hearty and living in her native Dublin, and the other members of his family. However, in recent years Brian Jr., who lives near Ennis, Co. Clare became friendly with Mr. Tajudeen Busari, a native of Nigeria, who has been living in Ireland for the past twelve years. Christianity first entered Benin around the year 1680 and gained momentum during the 19th century. One of the most notorious of Benin City's sacrifices was Queen Iden, who was the wife of Oba Ewuape. Tradition asserts that the Edo people became dissatisfied with the rule of a dynasty of semimythical kings, the ogisos, and in the 13th century they invited Prince Oranmiyan of Ife to rule them. Voodoo spirituality, known in Ghana as Vodun, is one of them. An attractive city of spirits worshipped by the animist Goun people, Porto Novo's most visible ghosts are world-weary French houses with honey-coloured facades and peeling shutters, and I spent my first morning exploring its fine museums. Interestingly, the side streets were built with strips of turf in the middle to provide somewhere for animals to graze. The African American Spiritual Churches are combinatory religious sites, which blend Protestant, Catholic, Spiritualist, Haitian Voodoo, and Benin's traditional Vodun practices. Contemporary Fa divination usually involves a divining chain, called an akplekan or an opele, after the seeds out of which it is made. In the inner sanctum of the Djeho Temple, built by Glele for his father Ghezo, the mortar is forged from the blood of 41 slaves. Then Casmin rang a bell. AI chatbots 'may soon be more intelligent than us', Russia troop deaths hit 20,000 in five months - US, France May Day protests leave dozens of police injured, 'My wife and six children joined Kenya starvation cult', Cat-and-mouse chase with China in hotly contested sea, On board the worlds last surviving turntable ferry. Support the Folklife Festival, Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, sustainability projects, educational outreach, and more. Each home was also outfitted with a well, which provided the family with fresh water. Islam was brought into Benin by the Songhai-Dendi traders and Hausa from the north. Across the Atlantic, Fon, Yoruba, and other African systems of belief mixed with colonially imposed Catholicism, particularly by combining Roman Catholic saints and Fon vodun/Yoruba orisha, thereby enabling enslaved people to covertly continue their religious practices. Spiritualists in Benin generally believe the following: For more information about spiritualism in Benin, please feel free to contact our friendly team of experts today. The white-robed women looked altogether more edgy, with kohl-etched eyes and tattoos. Megan Grabill is a research intern at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival and an anthropology and comparative studies major at Oberlin College. In 2020, the Smithsonian Folklife Festival will feature a program about the West African nation of Benin and how communities connect to their environment through spirituality and traditional knowledge. I walked around late every evening hoping to witness them, but I never did. Although rumors suggest a portion of one of the walls remains intact, hidden in the Nigerian bush, it is unlikely as there was no effort to preserve or restore any of the remnants left standing following the Punitive Expedition. P.D. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Spiritual guidance questions and answer sessions by Dr. James L. Thompkins and Dr. Leon Moss: Dr. Leon Moss : www.holy-tab: Spiritual: Iam Ubuntu: I am Ubuntu Ministry is available for the community for worship service. It was spooky. The main room of the house, which was in the center, was the husband's quarters, the wives' quarters were to the left of the main quarters, and the young men's quarters were on the right. The syncretism of Beninese religious life ensured some would be worshipping animist deities later that day. A dancer at Benin Voodoo Festival (Shutterstock). In a general sense, the term "juju" can be used to refer to magical properties dealing with good luck. Benin's Catholic hierarchy includes the Archdiocese of Cotonou which consists of the Dassa-Zoume, Lokossa, Abomey, Porto Novo Dioceses and the Parakou composed of the Natitingou, Djougou, N'dali and Kandi Dioceses. Christianity entered Benin during the late 16th century. Materials & Size It is a pendant mask made of elephant ivory, iron, and copper alloy. Spiritual healing in Benin originates in spirit and is a popular practice based on energy flow. I lost all my hopes getting rid of this evil spirit after trying many years get rid of him but you made the impossible thing into possible and that is out of our life. The population of Benin is approximately 10.8 million people with their official dialect being French. Approaching the coast, sea breezes rustled coconut groves while crabs gnashed their claws amid mangroves. Once again I was being swept along by a society offering a magical snapshot of life and beliefs before European Christianity arrived. Video, On board the worlds last surviving turntable ferry, Met Gala 2023: Stars celebrate Karl Lagerfeld, Shooting suspect was deported four times - US media, Yellen warns US could run out of cash in a month, King Charles to wear golden robes for Coronation, Photo of Princess Charlotte shared as she turns 8, Street piano confiscated as public 'break rules', Explosion derails train in Russian border region. The palace, which was declared one of Nigeria 's UNESCO Listed Heritage sites in 1999, is an architectural wonder. Until one evening, while enjoying a fried fish and tomato-infused maize meal, a huge commotion occurred. If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health, drawing on spiritual energies or forces through spiritual healing in Benin can be extremely beneficial. Tradition asserts that the Edo people became dissatisfied with the rule of a dynasty of semimythical kings, the ogisos, and in the 13th century they invited Prince Oranmiyan of Ife to rule them. After the Mass he carried a memento from the grave and the candle used during the Mass back to Ireland with him. On a high, I headed north to Abomey the next day. It remains an important source of palm kernels, palm oil, and lumber. People seek help on a variety of issues - to be cured of a disease, find a job, complete a business deal, find a spouse or have a child. Using the traditional diviners tools of tray, sand, and shells, he conveys the results over the phone. I would like to say thanks once again. 6 talking about this. Spiritualists sought to make contact with the dead, commonly through the assistance of a medium, which is a person believed to have the ability to contact spirits directly. Ewuare also rebuilt the capital (present-day Benin City), endowing it with great walls and moats. communication is possible between the material world and the spirit-world under certain The Vodun worship believes in a divine Creator known as Mawu or Mahu a female being who gave birth to seven children and gave them dominion over seven different realms of nature. Benin City has a renowned teaching hospital and a number of factories. The city also manufactures furniture and produces beer and soft drinks. Historians believe residents often dressed in bright colors, primarily blue, green, and yellow. The term has been applied to traditional African religions.. Somebody had seen an evil vision, so a semi-naked Voodoosi came over, cast sanctified water over us and urged the sacrifice of a chicken to atone. A Christian worship service inside the Cotonou Cathedral. This can happen when asking for help or when you wish has been granted. The strong involvement of emotion in both the acceptance and the rejection of spiritualism has made it difficult to appraise impartially the evidence for and against it. Very early in the movement, however, sances featuring more spectacular physical phenomena were conducted, and mediums arose who specialized in such displays. We ended by sipping cassava gin infused with herbs to remedy erectile dysfunction. And then fate eventually smiled upon me. Remi, a local guide, showed me the marketplace where slavers bartered 15 male Africans for one cannon. Some Voodoo priests use herbs to cure the sick - and possibly to poison enemies. By the 1100s, the Edo people gained independence from the Ogisos. The palace, which is centrally situated at the heart of the city, was erected by . After beseeching the god to grant my wish, I sealed our deal by anointing the shrine with blood-red palm oil and spitting out three mouthfuls of fiery homemade gin. The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes. Although spiritualist practices have been motivated by mere curiosity and fascination with the supernatural, they have also been driven by more serious concerns about the fate of the human soul. Explore in 3D: The dazzling crown that makes a king. In 1843, English Methodists began in Benin spreading among the Gun people from the coastal region. 13th-19th century). Vodun has proven itself to be boundlessly adaptable and versatile, enabling it to spread across the world, due in large part to the diasporic effects of the transatlantic slave trade. I followed a fanfarecortege(jazz funeral) and visited a temple writhing with pythons dedicated to the snake god Dan. From the sand dunes of Mauritania to the currents of River Senegal, to the Lions of the Beninese savannah to the spirits of the forests of Gabon, this series explores the origin, the nature and the survival of deep links between several populations in West Africa and their habitat.Each episode takes us to discover an emblematic landscape: the river (Senegal), the desert (Mauritania), the forest (Gabon) and the savannah (Benin). As he paraded through a crowd, some people collapsed, shaking like fever-pitched evangelists on American TV. It was a defining and joyous moment.
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