00:00 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:02 Where would you like to go for vacation?
00:05 Asia, Europe, or America?
00:07 I know that is a sad place ringing
00:10 in the minds of African youth.
00:12 But wait a minute.
00:13 There are so many beautiful places in Africa, most
00:17 especially here in Benin Republic.
00:20 The hidden gem of West Africa, Benin Republic.
00:24 Despite its small size, the nation
00:25 boasts a wealth of natural resources, culture,
00:28 and breathtaking sights.
00:31 The vibrant city of Ouida, the cradle of voodoo,
00:34 the water village of Ganve, the African Venice,
00:38 the mesmerizing graffiti walls in Kotonou,
00:41 but first, the majestic Amazon statue in Kotonou.
00:45 Here we are at a Place de l'Amazon, in English,
00:49 the statue, Amazon Square.
00:51 And this image is a representation
00:54 of the female warrior of the Oman kingdom.
00:58 It is a group of female warrior led by Queen Tasi Hangbe.
01:03 Queen Hangbe, the ruler of the old kingdom of Dahomey,
01:06 possessed two remarkable qualities, a female army
01:09 and regal authority.
01:11 Her gallant female warriors instilled fear
01:13 in their opponents due to their exceptional skills
01:16 in wielding the machete.
01:17 These fierce warriors served as an inspiration
01:20 and were depicted in two Hollywood blockbusters,
01:23 The Black Panther and The Woman King.
01:26 And is put here to inspire men and women of Dahomey
01:30 and the current Benin too.
01:31 Other than hosting brave warriors,
01:36 Kotonou also has the longest graffiti wall
01:38 that vividly narrates the captivating history,
01:41 rich culture and cherished traditions
01:43 of this remarkable nation.
01:45 From Kotonou, it's about a 20 minutes boat ride
01:50 to the captivating Ganve floating village.
01:53 This unique village is home to over 20,000 people
01:56 who ingeniously construct their colorful
01:58 wooden houses on water.
02:00 Can you imagine the experience of living in a place
02:02 where everything happens on water?
02:04 Eric, how is life here while growing up?
02:09 The life here is essentially from fishing at first.
02:14 Here, the men go to fishing and the women sell fish.
02:19 When we are born here, the first thing is to learn
02:23 how to swim.
02:25 And after you know how to swim,
02:27 you learn how to drive boats.
02:29 We also want to drive a boat, but not just any boat.
02:33 We are trying out the hydro keke, a water bicycle
02:36 that is perhaps not so practical,
02:38 but a fun way to get around.
02:41 Wow, are you guys enjoying this, man?
02:45 With over 400,000 square meters of water
02:49 in the Southern part of Benin Republic,
02:51 this country has great potential for water sports.
02:54 From the hydro keke recreation center,
02:57 we travel about 35 kilometers to Uida,
03:00 spiritual capital of the Wodan religion.
03:03 Finally, we are here at the Temple of Python.
03:07 Literally, Temple of Python.
03:09 Look at the church.
03:10 You have the Roman Catholic Church,
03:12 established in 1909 by colonizers.
03:17 And you now also have the Temple of Python,
03:20 or Temple of Python.
03:21 And they both coexist together?
03:22 And they both coexist together to show,
03:24 to symbolize, I mean, religious tolerance.
03:27 So what are the things that we're going to see inside
03:29 when we get in?
03:30 First of all, you will see the Python.
03:32 Python here represents a totem for some family
03:34 in Uida here.
03:36 There are totems, so they are worshipped
03:37 like a normal god for them.
03:40 So they are protected and they are worshipped.
03:42 It's so cool.
03:43 I can feel the movement.
03:46 I can feel the movement.
03:47 Can we remove this thing very fast?
03:49 No, it's okay.
03:51 It's okay.
03:52 Wow, thank you very much.
03:55 So.
03:56 I don't need to hold it.
03:57 This city is home to countless gods and goddesses,
04:00 and it proudly hosts an incredible
04:02 annual international Wodan conference,
04:05 complete with the mesmerizing Egungun Masquerade Festival
04:08 that celebrates the spirits of the ancestors.
04:12 It is sunset here in Benin Republic.
04:14 Thank you for watching DW The 77%.
04:17 (upbeat music)
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