A diverse and quality craft
Calabashes. Handicrafts in Benin are first and foremost gourds, which can be found in various forms. Indeed, these gourds, once dried and emptied, are worked to make spoons, containers of all sizes, many instruments and even nice lampshades decorated with bright colors. The Beninese call these original lamps "night lights". These calabashes can be found all over the country, especially along the paved road in Grand-Popo. But the most beautiful (and numerous) pieces are to be found in Cotonou at the Centre de Promotion de l'Artisanat (CPA). At the time we were writing this guide to the summer of 2022, the CPA was in the process of moving and the artisans were gradually taking their place along the rails opposite the Bourse du Travail, a few dozen meters away towards Camp Ghezo. And all this little world is supposed to come back after important works in 2024. No matter where they are, the artisans make many pieces here: masks, leather objects, pottery, jewelry, applied fabrics..
The applied fabrics belonged to the art of the court, in the time of the kingdom of Dahomey. Pictograms representing the emblems of the kings of Abomey are sewn onto large pieces of fabric
The copper or brass figurines, cast with lost wax, are also inspired by the art of the royal court of Abomey. The bas-reliefs sculpted on the walls of the royal palaces, such as those of the Abomey palace which are classified as World Heritage by UNESCO, are another craft tradition
Benin bronzes come from the kingdom of Benin, which was located in what is now Nigeria. Today, these very rare sculptures, dating from the sixteenth century to the early nineteenth, can only be found in museums, and in Benin, bronze work is generally limited to pieces forged by the Bariba horsemen, such as bits and stirrups
Pottery is a craft practiced in the Atacora region. In addition, in the Lokossa region, women bake beautiful clay pieces, the most striking being plates and canaries
Wood carvings, on the other hand, inspired by the voodoo cult, represent fetishes
Musical instruments, tam-tams, zithers... are made all over Benin, but the small town of Adjara is the specialist of the djembe made of iroko wood.
Bags and bracelets are made mostly by the Fulani and the Bariba with raffia. However, many jewelry items, necklaces and bracelets made of terracotta or painted glass are not from Benin and come from other countries in the sub-region, as do many other handicrafts sold throughout the country
As for the masks, especially Guélédé, they are almost always cult objects that societies rarely discard today... But one can find on the markets objects of more recent manufacture or that have never been used. In the Northeast region, artisans make beautiful clay pipes, which can be found on the market in Boukoumbé, and leather accessories, sold on the market in Natitingou
Outside of market days, it is worthwhile to visit the artisan's quarters to see the workshops of sculptors, weavers, goldsmiths, blacksmiths, etc., which are present in most towns. You can find all kinds of objects and see the craftsmen at work
Enough to fill your dressing room!
The fabric trade is mainly held by Lebanese, Indians and Beninese businesswomen, the famous "Mama-Benz. The imported fabrics are generally wax and tchivi, which are most often used to make loincloths. These fabrics are often printed in Holland, especially wax, which was originally printed with wax and is now industrially manufactured. But you can also find on the market fabrics of artisanal manufacture, coming from different countries of the sub-region. To fill your dressing room when you get off the plane, there are several possibilities. The easiest is to go shopping in the many ready-to-wear boutiques in Cotonou. Otherwise, you can go and buy fabrics by the meter, the easiest being surely to go to the Dantokpa market in Cotonou, before going to have them sewn by the numerous seamstresses and tailors of the country (the easiest way is to give the tailor one of your clothes which will serve as a model). What to offer yourself custom-made pieces at low cost!
Many markets throughout the country
Benin has many markets that give rhythm to the life of cities and villages. One can find fruits and vegetables, meat and fish, as well as everyday objects, imported goods, handicrafts and, what always reserves amusing surprises, products of the traditional pharmacopoeia. Trade also spills over onto the roads and tracks where small merchants sell food products. The most important market by far is the famous Dantokpa market in Cotonou. Partly covered, it occupies many streets and is divided by type of product: fabrics, food, jewelry, fish, ready-to-wear, etc. The coastal region has other smaller markets, notably in Pobé (Guélédé crafts), Comé, Bopa and Ouidah. In the department of Zou, the markets of Dassa-Zoumé and Savé stand out, and especially the Houndjro market in Abomey, for its fabrics, sheets, voodoo objects, applied fabrics, etc. In Atacora, the markets of Natitingou and Djougou (jewelry) play an important role for the region. Finally, in Borgou, the large market of Parakou is very cosmopolitan, as is that of Malanville, while the market of Nikki (with beautiful pottery and metal objects in particular) is dominated by the Bariba and the Peuls are very present on the market of Kandi especially.
Some beautiful works
Finally, you can invest in a few beautiful books to put on the shelves of your library when you return. Works by Beninese authors, novelists or historians, and some beautiful books on Benin and the sub-region in particular, can be found at the Sonaec bookstore or at the Notre-Dame bookstore in Cotonou.
