Thousand attend annual Mask Festival in Benin's capital, Porto-Novo

Africanews (in English)

Thousand attend annual Mask Festival in Benin's capital, Porto-Novo  The vibrant cultural event celebrates ancestral spirits, heritage, and traditional identity.  READ MORE : http://www.africanews.com/2025/08/04/thousand-attend-annual-mask-festival-in-benins-capital-porto-novo  Subscribe on our Dailymotion channel and receive all the latest news from the continent.    Africanews is available in English and French.  Website : www.africanews.com  Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/africanews.channel/  Twitter : https://twitter.com/africanews

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00:00The annual mask festival showcasing Benin's rich cultural heritage.

00:07Thousands gathered in streets across the capital Portonovo over the weekend

00:12to see performers re-enact age-old stories passed down through the generations.

00:17It's because this represents our culture.

00:22It's what defines us as the people of Benin.

00:25We're perhaps one of the few African countries that are proud to keep our culture.

00:29Compared to other countries that think that Benin is just about sorcery.

00:35This is our identity and that's why we're here.

00:38And we're proud to come and show the world that this is part of us.

00:42And we're proud to be Beninis.

00:49Worn by performers, there are many different kinds of elaborate wooden masks and costumes,

00:54each with their own story, role and spiritual significance.

01:07It's sure that the mask festival reinforces Benin's touristic appeal.

01:12Because the President, in his vision, wants to make tourism an economic driver for the country.

01:19He wanted different cultural events to be staggered over the year.

01:25So we have Voodoo Days in January and we have the mask festival during the summer holidays.

01:32The mask festival aims to reposition Benin for tourism.

01:38But as this is a unique cultural event, the mask festival is not just for Benin, but in fact it's for all of Africa.

01:51It's very, very important because it's our identity.

01:56And it's our identity that is in the process of being forgotten.

02:01Accompanied by singing, drumming and dancing, it's a colourful and vibrant festival, drawing visitors from the region and beyond.

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