The Untold Truth Of Benin City - Grunge On a high, I headed north to Abomey the next day. I entered the now modest Abomey palace of King Benhanzin II, kowtowing at his feet so my forehead brushed the ground. The Gate of No Return in Ouidah, Benin (Shutterstock). After the Mass Bishop Kelly accompanied the funeral to the cemetery where he blessed the grave and led the prayers of Christian Burial. The Voodoo spiritual world consists of Mahou, the supreme being and about 100 divinities - or Voodoos - who represent different phenomena, such as war and blacksmiths (Gou), illness, healing and earth (Sakpata), storms, lightning and justice (Heviosso) or water (Mami Wata). As reported by The Guardian, the walls were largely destroyed during the Benin Punitive Expedition of 1897, and no known trace of the walls remain in the modern Benin City. I was ready to converse with the spirit god Dankoli. 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. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Rituals, related to the Benin cosmic view form an intrinsic part of life. 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. 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. The book also alleges, "There is little doubt that human sacrifices were an integral part of the Benin state religion from the very early days.". Two bulky 'monsters' galloped into the arena sending people scattering into a banana grove. Amid the British Punitive Expedition, Commander R. H. Bacon disputed reports that Benin was a productive, modern, and civilized city. It has none of the negative connotations it has in the West and many of those who are officially Christian or Muslim also incorporate some Voodoo elements into their beliefs, especially in times of crisis. Benin's constitution provides for freedom of religion which is also respected by the government. I would like to say thanks once again. 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. Google Arts and Culture reports Queen Iden was, and is, considered a hero for the sacrifice she made for the betterment of Benin city. The term has been applied to traditional African religions.. Stay tuned for more research and stories from the program. "If you see their eyes, you will die!" The artwork was displayed in galleries and used to decorate homes and public buildings. communication is possible between the material world and the spirit-world under certain Benin, one of the principal historic kingdoms of the western African forest region (fl. Suddenly an ageing lady, head lolling on her neck, pulled down her top and started beating her breasts. "White man,' growled a deep baritone voice, before moving on. 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. 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. Water, quartz and cowry shells were also heaped on the cast beads. Voodoo Day is a public holiday and there is a national Voodoo museum. As part of the healing process, some healers use touch while others will have their hands a few inches away from the clients body or will simply sit opposite their client. Black Past reports Benin City is once again thriving. Materials & Size It is a pendant mask made of elephant ivory, iron, and copper alloy. Its brass smiths and bronze casters excelled at making naturalistic heads, bas-reliefs, and other sculptures. 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. Ewuare was succeeded by a line of strong obas, chief of whom were Ozolua the Conqueror (c. 1481c. From the 15th through the 18th century Benin carried on an active trade in ivory, palm oil, and pepper with Portuguese and Dutch traders, for whom it served as a link with tribes in the interior of western Africa. Across Africa, the practice of divination is a way of knowing that is widely used and . Benin City. Define spiritualist. The subject of Brians sudden death so far from home was scarcely ever mentioned over the years. Vodun which means spirit in the Ewe and Fon language is widely practiced by many West African countries mostly in the southern and central regions of Benin. Under these obas Benin became a highly organized state. Ewuare also rebuilt the capital (present-day Benin City), endowing it with great walls and moats. Roman Catholicism is by far the largest religious group in Benin and is followed closely by Islam and Vodun. The palace, which is centrally situated at the heart of the city, was erected by . Latest Testimonials. There are 10+ professionals named "Spiritual Healer", who use LinkedIn to exchange information, ideas, and opportunities. "I'd thoroughly recommend the Route des Esclaves (The Slave Route). Religious Beliefs In Benin - WorldAtlas The Guardian reports one home, which is called Chief Enogie Aikoriogie's house, is believed to be the only known structure to survive the Punitive Expedition. Benin: A Country Armed With Powerful Spirituality - YouTube Anyhow this was not my real inspiration for visiting Benin, a peaceful democratic West African minnow squeezed between Nigeria and Togo. Various chronic, recurring, or nagging conditions can be healed or greatly relieved by the more subtle processes of spiritual healing. Some simply scared the crowd. Prior to the year 900, the location of today's Benin City was a dense and inhospitable rainforest. Real changes may unfold in your life during the weeks after your sessions. I won't reveal what I wished for. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Culturally diverse, Benin's people follow a diverse mix of Christian, Muslim and West African traditional beliefs. According to Koffi Thomas Akossi, a diviner in Ouidah, Benin, a diviner is like a guide. Spiritual music, lyrics, and videos from Benin City, NG on ReverbNation I wandered the city's caramel-coloured, sandy streets, noting sumptuous architectural landmarks such as the Portuguese Fort built in 1721 to administer slave transportations, and Afro-Brazilian mansions of emancipated slaves returning from the Americas. On the initial visit the place was overgrown with tall grass and it was impossible to recognise any graves. Almost exactly fifty-six years since his father was buried in Benin City, Nigeria, Brian McCormack, Jr. fulfilled a dream and stood at the grave and talked to the father that he never met. About 17% of the population of Benin practices West African Vodun. McCawille in the cemetery on Wednesday, 10th March, to which all those local people who had helped in finding the grave were invited. It is unclear how common human sacrifice was in Benin City, and as reported by Vanguard, current Obas have denied it was ever part of the culture. Iya,as it is popularly called by Binis, is the largest man-made earthworks in the world. largely similar to how they were in the material world, although without any physical In a shady woodland glade before the charred tree-stump fetish, adorned with jawbones, I hammered a wooden peg into the gooey shrine. 135 views, 6 likes, 0 loves, 2 comments, 2 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Living Faith Church, GRA. The walls around the perimeter of the kingdom were also surrounded by deep moats, which provided Benin with another degree of protection, The Guardian reports Benin's walls were "four times longer than the Great Wall of China, and consumed a hundred times more material than the Great Pyramid of Cheops," and reportedly took the Edo people an "estimated 150 million hours" to complete. Stay tuned for more research and stories from the program. My reading was not particularly flattering. In addition to being the fourth-largest city in Nigeria, Benin is the largest city in Edo state. was then in Rome receiving his faculties as the Local Ordinary of Benin City. The population of Benin is approximately 10.8 million people with their official dialect being French. A persons condition after death is directly related to the moral quality of his human existence. Some Egungun whirled like dervishes, green, silver and yellow capes creating spinning circles. Chatwin's narrative of bloodthirsty African kings, slavery, and French and Portuguese ambitions, is enthralling. Protestantism and other Non-Catholic Christians in Benin account for 16% of the population. It was the crowning moment in a miraculous spiritual adventure. Spiritualism absorbed many of the assumptions of the Magnetist movement but maintained that healings were the result of spirit influence rather than magnetic power. But a crushing defeat to the French in 1892 saw most Dahomian palaces razed and the empire destroyed. A person's condition after death is directly related to the moral quality of his human existence. However its rich, and somewhat unusual, past, remains an intriguing part of its legacy. 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 10+ "Spiritual Healer" profiles | LinkedIn An Introduction to Fa Divination of Benin - Smithsonian Folklife Festival Spiritual music, lyrics, and videos from Benin City, NG on ReverbNation We passed coachloads of white-robed Christians fresh from celebrating the apparition of the Virgin Mary at Dassa-Zoume. Remi, a local guide, showed me the marketplace where slavers bartered 15 male Africans for one cannon. No solid information emerged. People here do not stick needles into dolls to cause misfortune to their enemies, as you see in some Western films - this image may have arisen from the icons of a particular god which a priest may have in their shrine. Blood and divinity are linked concepts in Vodun, and the process of animal sacrifice is seen as a way to nourish both vodun and ancestral spirits, and as a way to share ase through the human consumption of the animal. 6 talking about this. 13th-19th century). On a side street in Mgomilite district, crowds assembled by an abandoned petroleum tanker. "If your wish comes true," reminded Pascal, the Voodoo attendant, "you must return to sacrifice two chickens to Dankoli.". "Of course," he responded. They also sometimes ask for offerings, such as a chicken or a sheep, which is then sacrificed to the divinity, or some alcohol is poured onto the floor. While we spoke, local television showed a wild-eyed man carrying a slaughtered goat's head in his mouth by its severed neck ligaments. For those who have lost their faith in traditional Christianity, spiritualists have offered a new religion based not on an ancient tradition but on facts that apparently can be observed by anyone. In addition to being the fourth-largest city in Nigeria, Benin is the largest city in Edo state. Spiritual healing aims to give a person total healing. Meeting a Beninese king is a real highlight and not difficult to arrange: bring something to toast him and present a gratuity of about US$25-50. However, today's Benin City remains one of Nigeria's most prosperous centers of trade. 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. Fr. The History of Queen Mother Idia of Benin | DailyArt Magazine spiritualist in benin city Initially, spiritualist gatherings were concerned with demonstrating and investigating mental phenomena such as clairvoyance, telepathy, and the reception of messages from spirits. In addition to being notably straight, the roads were built with ditches and outlets that carried stormwater away from the city. As he paraded through a crowd, some people collapsed, shaking like fever-pitched evangelists on American TV. The audience hall in the palace in Benin City, in present-day Nigeria, was a space made to wow. Later that afternoon, Yvette and I travelled byzemidjan(motorbike-taxi) to Manikpe Tolapata temple, ten minutes outside Porto Novo. Larger gatherings were held for public demonstrations of spirit contact and psychic phenomena. Animals are often sacrificed in order to bring good luck. spiritualist synonyms, spiritualist pronunciation, spiritualist translation, English dictionary definition of spiritualist. Joseph Omesa (later Monsignor) replaced him. In present-day Benin and Nigeria, Dahomey, a Fon kingdom founded in the seventeenth century, and Oyo, a Yoruba kingdom founded in the fourteenth century, were rival states. 1504; the son of Ewuare) and Esigie (early to mid-16th century; the son of Ozolua), who enjoyed good relations with the Portuguese and sent ambassadors to their king. 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. Elsewhere, I learnt that Glele's harem once overflowed with 4,000 brides - remarkably his libido and heart held out for 31 years of rule. The Bah' Faith was first established in Nigeria in the 1940s. Chasing a screaming, scattering crowd was a creature maybe 7metreshigh, a masqueraded figure, totally black and oddly tubular. The Roman Catholic Christians in Benin have 900 women and men in religious order and 440 priests. 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. Religious leaders suggested a human sacrifice would help restore order to the kingdom. shouted Remi above the cacophony. As Pope Benedict XVI visits Benin, widely seen as the home of Voodoo, Virgile Ahissou from BBC Afrique explains the reality behind what is often a misunderstood religion. Historians believe residents often dressed in bright colors, primarily blue, green, and yellow. First National Spiritual Assembly of Nigeria, 1970. 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. - Greater sense of connection to the Universe, - Stress-relief, such as lightening burdens. However, they realized they still needed a leader. During the expedition, Benin was decimated and burned to the ground. Porto Novo's ceremonial king no longer resides inside Honme's maze of red-earthen compounds. In an 8-point paper presentation of the Benin Dialogue Group and Oba Ewuare II Foundation by Ambassador Martins Uhomoibhi, a former Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the . - Spirit beings are aware of and interested in the lives of people in the material world, especially those they have temporarily left behind in the material world. In The Slave Trade, Depopulation and Human Sacrifice in Benin History, author James D. Graham recounts Commander Bacon's impression of Benin City. I'd come to see two surviving Unesco-listed Dahomian palaces: the 19th-century mud-walled palaces of Kings Ghezo and Glele, both packed with wonderfully macabre artefacts. As reported by BBC, their newly formed kingdom, Igodomigodo, was ruled by kings who were called Ogisos, or "rulers of the sky.". Recommended The Imagery of Power on Benin Bronze Plaques - Smarthistory I walked around late every evening hoping to witness them, but I never did. The work you done on evil spirit it's unbelievable. In October 1953 Brian McCormack, a native of Castlebar, Co. Mayo, entered the Colonial Service and took up employment as an agricultural engineer in Mid-West Nigeria. "He's back," whispered Yvette. Keeping with tradition, the palace is situated in the center of the city. A dancer at Benin Voodoo Festival (Shutterstock). All but the last two have gone to their eternal reward. Religion and the spiritual realm Art and politics Rites of passage Masquerade basics Art and the individual . Those for whom materialistic ways of thinking have precluded belief in a life after death have been given a new hope of immortality. Juju - Wikipedia Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Kowtowing proved a little harder on the way out. See the complete profile on LinkedIn and discover Spiritual's connections and jobs at similar companies. 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 lost all my hopes getting rid of this . In a local compound where ripening calabash fruits aped basketballs, Remi wangled me into a family ceremony of ancestor worship: Egungun. R.I.P. the actual grave was located. In term s of administration , the spiritual leader/General overseers that have administered the church till date are: Most Snr. Contemporary Fa divination usually involves a divining chain, called an akplekan or an opele, after the seeds out of which it is made. 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. Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria. 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. St. Sings | ReverbNation Beneath an archway on the shoreline, designed to symbolise 'The Gates of No Return', I watched the pummelling Atlantic surf churn grey with sediment and contemplated the terrified thoughts of captured Africans being paddled out to waiting slave galleons bobbing on the horizon. Privileged regalia. Nearby, the hefty wooden doors of a curious-looking building shaped like an enormous haystack the lodge of the god Zangbeto were closed too. Spiritual music, lyrics, and videos from Benin-City, NG on ReverbNation For more information about spiritual healing in Benin, please feel free to contact our friendly team of experts today! In a trance, they laughed and howled as priests blessed a pot of water. In a cupboard-sized room, crammed with potions, the medium Casmin Fabiyi fingered his Fa beads (threads of eight wooden disks) like a rosary. The spiritual world of Benin peoples is densely populated with spirits and ancestors. Spirituality - The Collective Black People Movement (CBPM) It also profited greatly from the slave trade. His son Esigie controlled Benin City, while another son, Arhuaran, was based in the equally important city of Udo about twenty miles away. In 2016, the population of Benin City was estimated to be 1,500,000. Brian began his quest for information about the whereabouts of the grave by contacting the Colonial Office in London. King Ghezo's intricately carved throne rests upon four skulls of rival chiefs while beyond all taste (amid fine Portuguese silks and British cut-glass decanters) is a royal flywhisk assembled from a human cranium attached to a horsetail. At one stage he was told by one of the local church members that he was engaged in an impossible task. Stick-bearers tried to stop the Egunguns' robes inauspiciously touching the living. See more information about the objects on Learning Lab. Thanks to the kindness and co-operation of the Chief Executive of the Hospitals Management Board, Dr. M. A. Osumah, and the Secretary, Mr Ofure Oriafor, the grave was located. In the tiny West African nation of Benin, Voodoo remains the state religion. As reported by Black Past, Benin City still has an Oba, who fulfills a traditional cultural role and participates in local and federal governmental proceedings. Read about our approach to external linking. Brian served the Mass mindful of the fact that his father Brian, Sr. had also served Mass every day on board the ship, the Aureol, which had brought him to Nigeria in the company of many Irish missionaries. Dr Susan Oduwa voodoo and herbal temple | Bnin - Facebook Its numerous craftsmen were organized into guilds, and the kingdom became famous for its ivory and wood carvers. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions. It was registered on 19 Jul 2016 and it's current status is unknown. Sometimes, the meat is prepared and consumed by the bokonon and his client. Mr Yaseen, a spiritualist with the highest level of Knowledge. Progress was slow and largely unproductive. The client purchases ingredients as determined by the diviner, and the diviner prepares and executes the sacrifice, accompanied by sung and chanted prayer. Handcrafted voodoo statues for sale at the Benin Voodoo festival, near Ouidah (Shutterstock). Benin City is situated on a branch of the Benin River and lies along the main highways from Lagos to the eastern states. However, my next destination, Chatwin's occult capital Ouidah, promised something a little morenoire. I would like to say thanks once again. The reality of Voodoo in Benin - BBC News Before the Mass Brian placed a laminated photo of his father and a card from his mother on the grave. Not only did Benin City have an incredible network of walls, but the entire city was also built using fractal design. A core belief of spiritualism is that individuals survive the deaths of their bodies by ascending into a spirit existence. Her tomb is still displayed near the Oba market in Benin City. They regularly gathered together to create artwork, visit galleries, and have lively debates. It remains an important source of palm kernels, palm oil, and lumber. In addition, Brians cousin, who had spent some time in Kenya, advised Brian to contact the Society of African Missions (SMA) in Cork City. In 1843, English Methodists began in Benin spreading among the Gun people from the coastal region. The chain consists of eight linked seed halves and is shaped like a U. The diviner, called bokonon in Fongbe and babalawo in Yoruba, throws the chains to the ground, where they turn up in one of the 256 possible formations. A core belief of spiritualism is that individuals survive the deaths of their bodies by ascending into a spirit existence. A musty odour reeks from dehydrated bits of crocodile snouts, hippos' feet, pigs' penises, whole chameleons, pangolins, and (look away pet-lovers) cat and dog heads. 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. It was spooky. Josh Liberty | ReverbNation I'd fallen completely under her spell. The kingdoms prosperity declined with the suppression of the slave trade, and, as its territorial extent shrank, Benins leaders increasingly relied on supernatural rituals and large-scale human sacrifices to protect the state from further territorial encroachment. The work you done on evil spirit it's unbelievable. - When people are ill, it is common for them to say that they are low in energy; conversely when people are healthy, we talk about them bursting with energy. Benin City's family homes were also built using fractal design. Peter McCawille, SMA, was working in Benin City. With the appointment of their first Oba, the Igodomigodo Kingdom became the Benin Kingdom and, as reported by BBC, grew to become the Benin Empire. 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. 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. Tel: 0044 2079 939 017. He hails from Obrumudu-Oghara Ethiope West Local . It was designed to be worn suspended on the chest or hips during important ceremonies by the two large side hoops framing the face. These images, drawn from collections across the Smithsonian, explore the material culture of Fa divination and its natural and international connections. The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user. In Benin, Fa is predominantly associated with two ethnic groups, the Fon and the Yoruba. The Magnetists had specialized in spiritual healing and the public demonstration of magnetic phenomena (which included hypnotism). Read about our approach to external linking. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Email: bestresult786@yahoo.co.uk. Instead, the main altar (bereft of human skulls) was a dribbling accumulation of wax and oil that reminded me of a cheesy table-decoration in an Italian restaurant. The Guardian reports the king's court was in the direct center of Benin City.

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