Benin Traditions

Benin is a small country on the west coast of Africa. In pre-colonial times, Benin was home to one of the great medieval African kingdoms called Dahomey. Even after independence from French rule, Benin still has strong French influence, French being the population’s official language. This small country is a tropical and sub-saharan nation and is home to many unique cultural traditions. Despite all of the struggles of the past and current challenges facing Benin, the small country is thriving with its uniquely rich culture.

In Benin independence day is an important celebration: Independence Day is a national holiday in Benin. Celebrations on this day take place on grand scale throughout the country. National leaders deliver speeches reflecting

Currently, Benin has a democratic government with an elected legislative body and president, which both serve five-year terms. The slavery that came from colonization also has had a harsh negative effect on Benin’s development. After slave trade was abolished, there were few resources left prepared for Benin to trade within the global economy.So, the country shifted to relying upon its agriculture. The end of slave trade in the Nineteenth Century left Benin with many scars, along with the other African states; most of them were battered and most Africans were left with their traditional ways of life completely disrupted due to living in fear for so long. European attitude towards Africans changed as well, having forgotten that Africans were humans too. Benin’s social caste system also has its roots in the precolonial kingdoms. Although the power of traditional rulers was broken by colonization, the social status of Benin is still partially determined by a person’s family roots along with wealth. Despite all of the harsh negative impacts of colonization and slavery, Benin pushes on and a country, facing problems as they come along. As a man named Huzaifah Mahmood says in an article he wrote:

While slavery and colonialism has had its impact on the country, their destructive forces have not held the test of time. The country is, by my definition of the word, experiencing development. The people understand what it means to be free, and exercise their constitutional right to vote. While of course there is much more that needs to be done in order to qualify Benin as a developed nation, they are moving in the right direction.