A diverse and quality craft
Gourds. Handicrafts in Benin are first and foremost gourds, which can be found in many different forms. Once dried and emptied, these gourds are worked into spoons, containers of all sizes, a variety of instruments and even attractive, brightly-decorated lampshades. The Beninese call these original lamps "veilleuses". These gourds can be found all over the country, notably along the paved road in Grand-Popo or at the Marché des Arts (the former Centre de Promotion de l'Artisanat - CPA), which has moved along the rails opposite the Bourse du Travail, a few dozen metres towards Camp Ghezo. Here, craftsmen make a wide range of items: wax and leather objects, masks, pottery, jewelry, appliquéd fabrics..
Appliqué fabrics belonged to the art of the court, in the days 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 using the lost-wax method, are also inspired by the art of the Abomey royal court. The bas-reliefs sculpted on the walls of royal palaces, such as those of the Abomey palace, which are classified as a World Heritage site by UNESCO, are another traditional craft.
Benin bronzes come from the kingdom of Benin, which was located... in present-day Nigeria. Today, these very rare sculptures, dating from the 16th century to the early 19th century, can only be found in museums, and in Benin, bronze work is generally limited to pieces forged by Bariba horsemen, such as bits and stirrups.
Pottery is a craft practiced in the Atacora region. In the Lokossa region, women bake beautiful earthenware pieces, the most striking being plates and canaries.
Wood carvings , on the other hand, are inspired by the voodoo cult and depict fetishes.
Musical instruments, tam-tams, zithers... are made all over Benin, but the small town of Adjara is the specialist in iroko wood djembe.
Bags and bracelets are mostly made by the Peuls and Bariba with raffia. However, many jewels, necklaces and bracelets in terracotta or painted glass are not Beninese, but come from other countries in the sub-region, as do many other handicrafts sold throughout the country.
As for masks, particularly Guélédé, they are almost always cult objects that are rarely discarded by today's societies... But you can find on the markets objects of more recent manufacture or that have never been used. In the North-East region, craftsmen make beautiful clay pipes, which can be found at the Boukoumbé market, and leather accessories, sold at the Natitingou market.
Outside of market days, it's well worth a visit to the craftsmen's quarters, to see the workshops of sculptors, weavers, goldsmiths, blacksmiths, etc., present in most towns. You'll be able to pick up all kinds of objects and see the craftsmen at work.
Enough to fill your dressing room!
The fabric trade is dominated by Lebanese, Indians and Beninese businesswomen, the famous "Mama-Benz". Imported fabrics are generally wax and tchivi, which are most often used to make loincloths. These fabrics are often printed in the Netherlands, particularly wax, which was originally printed with wax and is now manufactured industrially. But you can also find handmade fabrics from various countries in the sub-region. There are several ways to fill your dressing room on the plane home. The easiest is to go shopping in the many ready-to-wear boutiques in Cotonou. Alternatively, you can buy fabric by the metre, the easiest being at the Dantokpa market in Cotonou, before having it sewn by the country's many seamstresses and tailors (the easiest way is to give the tailor one of your garments to use as a model). It's a great way to treat yourself to made-to-measure pieces at low cost!
Many markets throughout the country
Benin's numerous markets set the pace in towns and villages. You'll find fruit and vegetables, meat and fish, as well as everyday objects, imported goods, handicrafts and - always a pleasant surprise - traditional pharmacopoeia. Trade also spills over onto the roads and tracks, where small traders sell food products. By far the largest market is the famous Dantokpa market in Cotonou. Partly covered, it occupies many streets and is divided by product type: 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 Zou department, the markets of Dassa-Zoumé and Savé stand out, and above all 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 Parakou market is very cosmopolitan, as is that of Malanville, while the Nikki market (with beautiful pottery and metal objects in particular) is dominated by the Bariba and the Peuls are very present, especially at the Kandi market.
Some beautiful works
Finally, you can invest in a few fine books to stock your library shelves on your return. Works by Beninese authors, novelists and historians, and some fine books on Benin and the sub-region in particular, can be found at the Sonaec bookshop or the Notre-Dame bookshop in Cotonou, or the Atcho bookshop in Ouidah.
