Benin’s capital, Porto Novo, was abuzz over the weekend with the debut of a new festival dedicated to traditional masks, aimed at showcasing the country’s rich cultural heritage and attracting visitors.
The three-day Porto Novo Mask Festival drew participants from across Benin as well as from neighboring Togo and Burkina Faso. The event was a vibrant celebration, featuring masked figures and costumes rarely seen outside their regions.
The main street came alive with traditional music, acrobatics, and stilt-walkers towering on eight-meter (26-foot) poles. The festival, introduced to replace the Porto Novo International Festival usually held in January, showcased both secular and religious masks.
Voodoo, or Vodun, is a significant part of Benin’s cultural landscape, honoring gods, natural spirits, and ancestors.
One attendee, Vodun religious leader Severin Alode, expressed his excitement, saying, “I’m deeply moved by the variety of masks I’ve never seen before. This is truly a first.”
Highlights of the festival included the towering Gonouko masks from Porto Novo and appearances by Zangbeto, traditional Vodun guardians of the night. The rare Hounve mask was also on display, with Vodun dignitary Adanklounon Ado Setondji noting that “our ancestors kept the Hounve hidden, but now it’s time to share it with the public.”
Zangbeto masks parade during the grand procession of traditional masks in Porto-Novo on August 4, 2024. (Photo by Yanick Folly / AFP)
Before the festival, rituals focused on resolving social issues and addressing infertility took place away from the public eye.
Ayaba Collete Dossou, a member of the national Vodun rites committee, praised the festival for showcasing “the beauty and wealth of our culture.” Porto Novo’s mayor, Charlemagne Yankoty, highlighted that the event “puts Porto Novo in the spotlight” and will enhance Benin’s cultural heritage.
This year, the Beninese government has also revamped its famous Voodoo festival to boost tourism. President Patrice Talon has emphasized the economic importance of Vodun, hoping it will attract more visitors and educate them about its practices.
The Porto Novo Mask Festival appears to be fulfilling these goals, with visitors like Frederica Nzamba, who returned to Benin after 16 years abroad, calling it a “source of pride” and a valuable opportunity to reconnect with her heritage.
