Vodou in Benin

The Republic of Benin, West Africa, is the home of the Vodun religion. In their overwhelming majority, the Beninese people, despite past and current assaults against Vodun, whether overtly or covertly, have remained steadfast in their indefectible support of their ancestral Vodun religion. Benin and Vodun make a natural combination. In fact, Vodun and the Republic of Benin (formerly [Page 691]Republic of Dahomey) are inseparable. Vodun is a word in the Fongbe language, one of the languages spoken in Benin. The word Vodun means “spirit” and is used to denote both African deities (Vodun lebt: all deities, all divinities or gods) and the worship of the deities (Vodun sin sen: the belief in and worship of Vodun). The meaning of Vodun is beyond the various representations or emblems that we may see because Vodun is, in fact, the invisible spiritual force that inhabits those representations. In view of this, the Fonnu (the Fon people) call Vodun by many names. Vodun is referred to as Nubudo (a principle that cannot be explicated, a force whose point of departure is not perceptible). Another name for Vodun is Nugongon (a concept whose meaning is deep). The Fon people also call Vodun by the name Nujiwu (a thrilling principle that must be revered, a spiritual force that is beyond anyone's genie). Yèbwé or Vodun Yèbwé (Yè: “silhouette, spirit”; and bwé: “sun, purity”; hence, pure spirituality) is another name by which the Fonnu call Vodun. Finally, the Fon people call Vodun by yet another name, Hun (“blood, source of life”). As a matter of fact, the Vodunsi (the Vodun adept or initiated follower of the Vodun religion) is also called Yèbwési or Hunsi. Likewise, Hunkpamè or Hunxwé is another appellation for the Vodun convent or Vodunkpamè.