Photos

This photo shows the current King of Ouidah, Benin during an annual voodoo ceremony marking his rise to power after what is believed to be a mysterious intervention by the spirits. According to the townspeople (and the King), many years ago he had a dream in which the gods revealed to him that he was supposed to be the King of Ouidah. While discussing his dream with the King at the time, a great storm below into the sacred forest where the discussion was taking place. The man and the old King ducked to the ground for their safety, and when the storm had passed they noticed that a large tree had fallen over at the roots. Two weeks later, when they met again in the same forest to continue their discussion, another unusual storm blew in. Again, they knelt to the ground for safety, but upon rising the second time, the tree that had been blown over weeks before was now upright and whole again. The King immediately passed his crown to the man who is now the King of Ouidah, and who in this photograph sits upon his throne outside the Voodoo temple in the sacred forest of Ouidah, waiting for the ceremony honouring him to begin.