Voodoo helps protect endangered mangroves in Benin

DW (English)

Ancient voodoo traditions are safeguarding vital mangroves. Where laws failed, belief in Zangbeto — a night watchman spirit — is helping the fight against climate change.

Transcript

00:00In Bene, ancient spiritual guardians have stepped in where earthly laws have

00:10failed. Zangreto, voodoo night watchmen, are both respected and feared by the

00:17local population. Authorities there have long struggled to protect the

00:21endangered mangrove forests here at Lake Aheme, which are threatened by

00:27overfishing, deforestation, pollution and climate change. Now they have help from

00:34the other world. Zangreto are a traditional police force. Their purpose is to protect

00:45communities. The mangroves in our area are sacred forests. We protect them by

00:50putting a Zangreto fetish here. It watches over the mangroves on behalf of the local

00:56community.

00:57If you go near the mangroves to cut them down, the fetish will denounce you and Zangreto will

01:03catch you. And if he catches you, you have to give a sheep, a pig, palm oil, 50,000 CFA

01:11francs.

01:12palm wine and other things, or you risk losing your life. A belief system with a powerful effect,

01:34EcoBene, an NGO that has been working with local communities for over two decades, supports this

01:41partnership between heritage and conservation. Laws to protect mangroves were poorly enforced,

01:47but with the help of Zangreto, villagers have created a 24-7 spiritual surveillance system that

01:54no one dares to defy.

01:55It allows us to better preserve these ecosystems and provide a habitat for all the wildlife here.

02:08There are birds and monkeys, and it's suitable for fish, crabs, shrimps, and so on, too. All

02:16these species can find enough space here to grow and reproduce.

02:23For the locals, protecting the mangroves helps protect their livelihoods.

02:28The action that has been taken will allow fish to multiply peacefully and allow us to survive,

02:38too.

02:39When the men go fishing, and I do my beats by collecting oysters, it all helps our family

02:45to live better.

02:50The Zangbeto tradition at Lake Ahime is not just conservation. It's spiritual climate action,

02:59merging indigenous knowledge with environmental protection to save ecosystems, strengthen

03:05communities, and inspire people to rethink how to protect nature. While the spirits are watching,

03:12the mangroves here are thriving.

Category

Transcript

Be the first to comment

Recommended