Stilt villages were built in Lake Nokwe where people in the old days tried to escape enslavement by the Kings of Dahomey. The Dahomey believed a terrible demon lived in the lake, and their ruthless warriors dared not set foot in its waters. The Tofinu had finally found their peace, and were determined to hang on to it.Funny things was when I went to Abomey-the former capital of the ancient kingdom of Dahomey, the law of Dahomey at the Royal palace stated that no one should sell their own people as slave!!! Shamed on the King for selling their Own people!! Everyone should know that although European are responsible of the brutal Slave Trade, but that would never be possible if no LOCAL people betrayed and sold their own People!!
I went to Abomey-Calavi at around 10am from Cotonou by Semi-John(motocycle) and it’s a fun 45 mins ride. When I arrived at the ticket office, I met up with 2 polish travelers:) Lucky me that I have 2 people to share with me for the price of a pirogue tour!!! The whole Pirogue journey lasted for around 3 hours and the cost is around $8/person without a guide. The weather was supposed to be very hot during noon but it’s very cloudy when I got there so it’s actually nice to be on a pirogue:)
This is the only human settlement in the world with bamboo houses built on stilts and it’s really amazing to be there:)
There is NO platform/boardwalk or anything for you to walk in between houses, everything have to be done on a pirogue!
Even little girl and boy know how to ride a pirogue!
There’s a grand Marche(big market) in the middle of the lagoon!! and people sell everything over there!
If you are interested, there’s 2 hotels for you to stay there. I have checked them out, they got basic toilet facilities and beds! For me, I will never survive:P
But maybe you can try having fresh fish for lunch over there. Fishing is their main industry!
But once again, I hope they will learn later-it’s better for fishes to grow then to kill them when they are little. Over-fishing is a main problem in Africa! They never let the fishes to grow or multiply! Sad Sad Sad! I really hope one day I will see a change in Africa!
Dearest Tammy,
Good for you for telling things as it is! Yes, shame on those Kings for trading off their own people as slaves for money. It is easy to blame it on the Europeans but the fact is that without their consent (or forced by those Kings and rulers…) there would never have been a slave trade.
Oh gosh, that lake must be a terrible fountain for all sorts of disease as it is one open sewage system. No thank you, I would not be able to stay there! Nor eat there as they can’t have any clean water either. There is no water purification system in sight for good drinking water. Oh my!
Know what you are doing and stay safe; healthwise and otherwise.
Hugs to you,
Mariette
Oh I agree! praying for Africa!!!
Jennifer Peterson recently posted..My favorite
great, interesting pictures
and I love, love this wax print fabrics everywhere, but in the end they almost borderlands of Ghana 
fantastic! <3
Greetings from Berlin
http://www.clothierin.blogspot.com
Hi Tammy I hope you are doing well! Cool to see an update from you! kisses chris
Aw I hope they learn about the fish issue too!
xo, Yi-chia
Always Maylee