OUIDAH, BENIN — As Benin marked the memory of victims of the transatlantic slave trade and their liberation this past Sunday, Ouidah became a place for deep reflection.
The descendants of the Africans who were taken from their land came from all around the world, such as New Orleans, New York, Haiti and Ghana, to trace their roots. People participated in the march, holding banners in memory of their ancestors and stopping for silent reflection near the sea.
Speaking about her experience of participating in such a memorial event, Cuban-Haitian woman Beatrice Sylvestre said: “We can never forget. We have to always, continually remember that this was a monstrous thing. At least we have time for reflection and to remember this great atrocity.”
The diaspora members were greeted with warm hospitality by the organisers and locals. As a committee member, Christophe Chodaton highlighted the importance of gathering to give homage to the ancestors. In connection with the spirituality and the physicality of the homecoming experience, Modeste Zinsou, who is a guide at the sacred Python Temple, says: “This is about returning to the source, returning home… We also give them rituals and ceremonies to make this return even more physical than ever before.”
This followed the introduction of an important law in Benin in 2024 that enables the children of deportees from sub-Saharan Africa to gain Beninese nationality. The ceremony involved signing citizenship agreements.
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