I was born in Togo and lived in Benin, a small democratic country in West Africa, until age 10. I only have a few memories of my childhood there but I remember liking it. Was it because I was a kid or was it genuinely good? It didn’t really matter since my family suddenly moved to Europe.

As my two sisters, my mother and I arrived in France, my life changed drastically. So I got used to speaking with the French accent, eating french and assimilating the French culture. What’s dramatic though, is that I forgot where I came from. I forgot how to speak Fon the main local language, I forgot about my relatives in Benin and about the history and culture of the country. Between age 10 to 17, I only returned once, for a short family vacation. And as an adult, I returned in 2017 for my brother’s traditional wedding.

After getting fired from my job in 2019, I decided to go visit my mother as a way to bounce back. I had no clue this was going to be my very own “Year of Return” but with only 20 days spent in Cotonou, I started reconnecting with my home country. This testimony is very personal as I was on a quest to finding my roots. It’s also obviously biased, but I hope showing you everything I rediscovered in Benin will encourage people to see the amazing things it has to offer.

1. Innovation made in Benin

Cotonou (the economic capital city) looked nothing like what I remember from my childhood. The city is now investing in constructing infrastructures and building more roads and concrete streets. Some areas can be easily confused with western cities. The use of technology in Benin has made progress too. To get phone data, all I had to do was send a text to my operator and to move around the city, I could simply order a taxi from my phone.

These days, online businesses are flourishing through social media and talented young Beninese have more opportunities. I also saw a lot of businesses that belonged to “yovos” (white foreigners in Fon) and realized that people are investing in Benin. But what I’m proudest of is seeing the rise of entrepreneurship in the youth, and Benin’s efforts to promote tourism. We still have poverty, education, unemployment and gender inequalities, but I saw a glimpse of progress that made me consider living there.

2. The Beninese way of life

Beninese people take their time. Life as I know it in Europe is dense and stressful. In Benin, people might have less, but they seem happier. I once saw a bunch of kids create their own football field and improvise a game on the streets. The atmosphere they created was just as good as professional games. It goes to show that there is certain freedom to living there.

While staying for only 20 days, my hardest struggle was not being able to have a hot shower. That’s it! Ok maybe I couldn’t bear the sight of tiny lizards in my house. But besides that, I appreciated the simplicity of not eating processed food, spending less, going to the beach or to the market. All of that you can do in Europe, but with more complications.

There is nothing easier than buying gas in Benin without even getting out of the car.

I followed the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations where, for the first time in history, Benin eliminated the Moroccan team. The entire country went crazy about it and it gave a highlight to my trip. I even cheered the national football team (the Squirrels of Benin – I know!) my own way!

Benin’s lifestyle relies on its people, and they are pretty straightforward once you pass the polite salutations. Growing up in France, I always wondered what kind of person I’d be if I had lived in Benin. Although I’ll never know, I’m think I would have built more self-confidence. Young Beninese people I’ve met are quite direct in their talking, but also very fun, educated, open-minded and love a good debate.

3. Benin’s unique Art and crafts

Many times I roamed in the city to find beautiful street arts. That’s because since 2013, Cotonou celebrates the annual Street arts festival which gathers creatives from West Africa and France. Their goal is to make Cotonou an open-sky museum with graphs that represent the history of Africa.

The above are my own pictures of graphs I stumbled upon, but when I return to Benin, I’ll visit Cotonou central station’s street arts and the Zinsou foundation which used to be home to numerous Beninese art. It now has extended beyond the field of African art, and works to promote education, social development, and to fight against poverty.

Cotonou’s artisanal center is also a treasure of traditional handicrafts such as handmade puppets, voodoo dolls, carved wooden masks, and batiks. Tourists are welcome to observe and interact with artisans, painters, cobblers, and seamstresses in their workshops. As in any other African country, I recommend bargaining while making purchases, although the prices are reasonable for westerners.

4. Benin’s finger-licking food

Because Cotonou is located on the south (and only) coast of the gulf of Guinea, its population relies a lot on the fishing commerce, along with agriculture. Accordingly, many Beninese dishes are composed of a cooked dough based on corn, yam or other starchy food. The dough is hand made by the cooks who grind it manually with a pestle. It’s often accompanied by a sauce, vegetables and or meat. My favorite is definitely “Agoun” : the yam dough with a peanut butter sauce (see the picture above).

I appreciate eating street food in Benin and have a weak spot for grilled corn with coconut water and flesh.

5. The relaxing yet animated beaches

Cotonou is on the littoral of Benin, therefore the city has plenty of beaches. I mostly hung out at Fidjrossè bars, eating seafood and sipping on cocktails with my mother. On the weekends, the beaches get crowded with young people and families coming to enjoy the fresh air and sand activities.

Nobody swims at the beach. It is not recommended in Benin because of strong currents. In fact, many young people die from drowning in the African seas and Benin lacks infrastructure for water safety. As a poor swimmer myself, I think the population fears the strong tides water.

6. Benin’s diverse nightlife

Because I hung out with my cousin who grew up in Cotonou and knows a lot of people, I didn’t have to research where to go. We spent a lot of time at the Home Residence hotel’s amazing rooftop bar. It’s the place to be if you want a sight on the city and it offers all the services you can expect from a European bar. Although it’s on the expensive side, it’s a great lounge and restaurant to chill with friends or as a couple. In the Haie Vive, there are multiple bars and clubs to spend the night at. The area is mostly inhabited by Yovos and it’s also where they hang out.

Like everyone else, Beninese people enjoy fun, partying and drinking. Music is an essential part of the beninese lifestyle, so they hang out at “maquis”, their local bars where they can chill and sip La Béninoise, the national beer. I only ate at a few of them but will definitely try out more places in the future.

7. Life outside of Cotonou

I remember going on a class trip to Ganvié when I was a kid and being terrified of the water. How could an entire town live, sleep and work on stilts? Going back with my mother, I loved every second of my time there. The town, also called the “African Venice” is surprising on all levels. But I learnt to go easy with the photos, the locals don’t like that.

I also quickly went to Porto-Novo (the cultural capital of Benin), to attend an event, but I didn’t have the chance to visit the city. Next time, if Covid-19 allows me, I’ll head to the city’s museum, check out lake Nokoué, Gogotinkpon, the Pendjari national Park and more. I can’t get over how diverse and rich Benin’s sights and culture are.

8. My roots and Benin’s cultural heritage

I admit I didn’t know much about the story of Benin. I remembered very little from primary school. So my trip to Ouidah, a few kilometers away from Cotonou, was good occasion to learn more about my home country.

The Door of No Return

I visited the Door of No Return, a symbol to the Slave Trade. On that very beach, millions of Africans were deported and enslaved. They were chained, forced to leave their country and sent to Europe and the Americas to work and be treated as an inferior species, simply because of the color of their skin. While standing in front of the door, I got very emotional thinking that despite (or because of) history, racism is still alive and well.

I also found out later that my father’s family had always lived in Ouidah. It’s difficult to check on my roots, but chances are I’m a slave descendant. I had never thought of that before because my father isn’t part of my life. So I just couldn’t know. This whole thing got me thinking that maybe, just maybe I should reach out to him to learn more about my ancestors.

I didn’t visit the Temple of Pythons because I am very uncomfortable with snakes. The place is the symbol of Ouidah’s history and literally vows a cult to royal pythons. When I return to Benin I’ll definitely go, especially now that I know they’re non-venomous snakes.

The voodoo legacy of Benin

Beninese people have different religions but Voodoo or Vodoun (meaning Spirit in Fon) is the states’ religion. When I arrived in Benin, I was advised not to take anything from people’s hands, or pick up money from the floor, but rather pray for God’s protection. I don’t know if it’s mostly superstition, but I have a hard time convincing myself that all Beninese people are wrong to believe in it. After all, I don’t live there, they do and probably know better.

Voodoo used to scare me because I didn’t understand it and its perception in the world is very negative. But in Benin, everybody seems to believe in it and I’ve decided to get more educated on the topic. Ouidah is one of the best places to witness voodoo rites and talk to its adept, so I’ll have to try next time I visit.

The African hairstyling know-how

African hair requires special treatment and in Benin, it’s easy to spot hairdresser’s salons. I really appreciate the beauty culture in Benin and enjoyed getting my hair done by professionals. They have exceptional savoir-faire in shaping kinky hair at a very fair price. I was relieved because I could let other people take care of it without stressing out. In Europe, I had too many failed experiences. So for us black women who travel, it’s worth mentioning, right?

Hot water never forgets it was once cold.

African proverb which means you must know where you come from in order to find out where to go.

To conclude on my experience as a child of Benin living in Europe, reconnecting with my home country was the best decision I’ve made in decades. I wasn’t trying to, but it really boosted my confidence and showed me new perspectives at a time of my life where I was stuck. I made it an opportunity to bond again with my mother and my cousin, and seeing relatives I had never met before!

My European lifestyle made me skeptical about having fun and enjoying my time in Benin. But in the end I gained much more than my trip to India for instance, because I felt a personal connection to the country. Getting to know my roots is psychologically enriching and I know I speak on behalf of African children in Europe who have troubles figuring out their identity.

We can build an even better Africa if African children reinvest in their home country. And from what I saw in Benin, we’re definitely on the right track! Because we’re all children of Africa, perhaps it’s time to return. What will you visit first in Benin?

The Author / L'Auteure

Jane

I’m a twenty-something french-african digital marketer passionate with travel, video games, technology. I write about my experience as a woman, as a black woman, as a woman at work, as a black woman at work, as a black woman who travels… Well, I think you get it, and I hope you can relate to my stories because I write to empower and inspire other women to share theirs.

See author's posts