Sacred Forest — Attraction in Atlantique Department

Traveling is one way to explore life. Learning about the cultural values of our place of origin or where we reside gives us a closer feel to who we are and what we become. I am quite an inquisitive person who lives in a country whose major religion is the traditional worship. My quest to know more led me to what is called the “Voudoun Sacred Forest”.

In this forest represents the deities believed to provide, protect and preserve her people, the people of Ouidah. Ouidah is a town in North West Bénin Republic where snakes are worshipped. It is believed that their ancestors are snakes and it is worthy to note that they’ve lived in harmony with snakes since ‘abenicio’.

My only displeasure is the failure in maintenance of the heritage of their ancestors. This is a general problem across Africa and I hope that they’ll realize not too late that asides from preserving history, they could generate lots of revenue. Many of the sites were about to collapse. They now receive a low influx of visitors but I can say for sure that the experience was surreal. When you think Voudoun, Ouidah is the...

The Sacred Forest of Kpasse is a revered natural sanctuary located in the West African nation of Benin. This ancient forest holds deep cultural and spiritual significance for the local communities, serving as a place of worship and preservation of traditional beliefs. Within its lush greenery, you can find a diverse array of plant and animal species, and the trees themselves are considered sacred, protected from logging or harm. Visiting Kpasse offers a unique opportunity to connect with the rich spiritual heritage and biodiversity of the region. It is a very special place to visit. I have been here a few times and I always feel a unique type of energy. Besides its sacred properties, it represents how open the African culture is...

It's such a culturally rich place. You get to see the statues made for different gods and different concepts. For me, it was interesting to see that they were a number of parallels with the history (and gods) in the Yoruba culture. You can go around the forest but there are some places that are off limits, you can't go there except you're an initiate. The place could do with some better...