Origins of the Vodoun Religion:
A Closer Look At Dahomey’s Claim

At last, we arrive at the heart of what might perhaps be one of the most enduring and unchallenged claims surrounding the true origins of the Vodoun religion. That being the former West African Kingdom of Dahomey, now present-day Benin. Although on the decline, Dahomey was one of the most predominate warrior kingdoms still standing when European merchants arrived. They were lured by Dahomey's competitive claim of being the major center of commerce for the slave trade. During this turbulent period, Dahomey was struggling through a long, bitter and costly war which resulted in it paying tributary to the Oyo Empire in Nigeria. Both kingdoms were entangled in a fierce, cutthroat battle for global expanision and hegemony in the West African region.

Both kingdoms had also amassed huge spoils of land, natural resources, gold, prisoners of war and an enormous surplus of slaves. However, being financially devastated and pressured by the Oyo empire's constant demand to increase the amount of its tributary, Dahomey, under King Agaja, was forced to intensify its unprovoked raids upon the neighboring villages. This he ordered for the sole purpose of selling the innocent captives off as slaves to the Europeans for profit. Dahomey's long and enduring relationship with Europe also made it the sole "mecca" of choice for western anthropologists and other researchers.

 In conjunction with sparse archaeologicaldata, Dahomey’s oral history was the most relied upon by European scholars in reconstructing and documenting its ancient past. However this “history” was often recounted by the powerful ruling aristocracy of royal kings. Specifically, by their uemuhos, the official court story tellers, or the king’s scribes, or by family and servants. Much as in America, when chronicling the history of the Native Americans or of Slavery, it is the victors' verison of this history that has been repeatedly recounted and universally disserrinated in Western academia and in the world. Conversely, the claims made of Vodoun’s origins beginning through Dahomey’s royal lineage of divine kings,
is the only version made available to the world as the "true and official account". . . But, is it? 

However, beneath this carefully tailored substratum, lies a completely different account of Vodoun’s earlier origins and its ancestral founders in the region that would later be known as Dahomey/Benin. These completely divergent accounts claim to tell the real story of how the lineages of the royal kings actually originated.
These suppressed histories consists mainly of ancient lore told by the often forgotten majority “common folk,” including the neighboring clans, the decimated villagers whom were victims of the slave raids, and by the servant families who were present during the early development of Dahomey. It is their accounts whose ancestors had either witnessed, or were the victims, or were directly active in the building of Dahomey’s empire. Stories by women priestesses's whispered in secret that they had passed down to their heirs throughout the generations. Important data that has rarely or has never been considered by western scholars when the history of Dahomey and its alleged founding royal kings are recounted.
Lending credence and credibility to the common people as they themselves have witnessed it, is critical if obtaining a more comprehensive and universal account of Vodoun’s origins, and the true origins of its legitimate founding ancestors and its political and cultural history is to be fully understood.
It is left to the reader to decide if the common people either lied or had simply misunderstood these accounts; or if the royal scribes’ might have actually over embellished or out-right invented the official claims concerning the origins of the Vodoun religion being founded by a royal line of Fon kings.

In continuing with Dahomey’s “official version” from the kings court, Dakou-Donou, along with his four sons and their families, eventually migrated southeast, founding the first kingdom of Allada. Dakou-Donou, allegedly accomplished this feat by purchasing an extensive plot of land from the original local inhabitants and erecting a large residence. Wanting to expand his empire for his sons, Dakou-Donou again requested more land from the local village chief known as Agrigom. When Agrigom refused, Dakou-Donou was said to have murdered the chief, and ordered that his body be entombed beneath the soil where Dakou-Donou then is said to have built his second residence atop of it.

It is important as this history unfolds, not to overlook the critical need to discover just who were the original local inhabitants of whom the local village chief known as Agrigom ruled; and whose ancestors occupied for centuries, the regions that would later be known as Dahomey. It is in discovering their identity that will reveal the key to whether or not Dahomey’s kings claims to divine Vodou royalty will be disputed, according to the accounts provided by the common and indigenous folk.

One brother, Agasu, headed eastward and founded Allada, twenty miles north of Cotonou, and the other son departed and migrated south, and founded the kingdom of Hogbonou at Porto Novo.

The above is the “official royal account of how Dahomey was founded. This account was invented more than 80+ years later, during the reign of King Agaja (who ruled from 1708 to 1740),and Tegbésu, who ruled from 1740 to
1774. Again, do not lose sight of the (now) second murdered village chief named “Dan.” Both names: “Dan” and “Agrigom” are names from the Adangme speaking peoples from south-eastern Ghana, who were the early settlers into what would later be known as “Dahomey.” It was those groups, along with the Ewe and other Gbe groups who were the Vodoun clans in the region for at least S00 years before Houégbaja arrived.

Futher, “Dan” (or “Da”) is also the name for the sacred rainbow serpent (vodou) spirit “Damballa,” within the Adangme and Ewe Vodoun pantheon. As a rule, nobility are usually named after the totemic deity of whom their ancestors are claimed to descend. It is clear in the above case, that both
murdered local chiefs were descendants of the ancient serpent worshipping clans who settled centuries ago in to that region.

Finally, as the “unofficial account” begins, do not lose sight that Houégbaja himself did not build the royal palace. It is safe to assume that the murdered Dan’s family and what remained of the raided villagers were enslaved to build his palace upon where their father and elder now lain.

Lastly, we must pose the question: exactly what were the circumstance which caused Dakou-Donou’s two
sons to bitterly rift apart? The answer and motive to their rift can be found in the "unofficial account"  of Dahomey’s claims to the royal Vodou throne as recounted by the local common people.

As stated previously, the “official account” of Dahomey’s royal lineage to the Vodoun throne was invented some 80+ years later, during the rule of both King Agaja and Tegbêsu. Included in their “official account” was the traditional mythical tale that extended legitimacy to their claims of royal lineage. More importantly, contained within this tale was an attempt to offer some credible explanation concerning the mysterious bitter fight and rift between the two brothers. Below is the king’s “official” account:

It is said that Aligbonu, a Tado princess, was walking thru the forest, and encountered a leopard, who proceeded to copulate with her. From this encounter, she became pregnant,and soon a son was born, whom she named Agasu. However, when Agasu came of age, he was accused of being illegitimate and denied succession to the Tado throne by his brothers. A scuffle ensued, resulting in Agasu and his family and supporters fleeing Tado to Allada. Some remained in Allada, while Dakou-Donou, and Ganyehesu eventually founding and becoming rulers of Abomey, and later others heading south to found Porto Novo. As a result, all Dahomean kings starting with Houégbaja, (Wegbaja) who descend from this bloodline are called Agassuvis, establishing their legitimacy to the dynastic patriarchal throne.

Notwithstanding Vodoun's 10,000+ year history, the account (above) provided by the Dahomean kings own royal scribes regarding their mythical origins, clearly states that they are the children of the leopard clan, who subsequently invaded Adja-Tado, and expanded their territory to include what is now present day Benin.
More critically, upon even closer examination of the (above) mythical tale of their divine origins, we actually learn that the Dahomean kings claim "divine" descent beginning with Dakou-Donou's son, Houégbaja (Wegbaja). It states that it is he who descends from the leopard bloodline, and are called "Agassuvis." This claim in spite of the fact that it was not Houégbaja who is recounted in the above tale as being the sacred child born by the royal princess, Aligbonu and the leopard. It was Agasu, who is not biologically related to neither Dakou-Donou, or any of his sons. In fact, princess Aligbonu and her divine son, Agasu, are never even mentioned in the current history recounting the founding of ancient Dahomey and the alleged "divine" origins of its kings. What could possibly explain their mysterious absence?

(above) Indigenous inhabitants of what is now Benin.
Tado Princess, Aligbonu and her divine son Agasu are never mentioned in the current history recounting the founding of ancient Dahomey; yet Dahomean kings claim their divine legitimacy through her bloodline. Princess Aligbonu and the Adangme Vodoun clans were indigenous to Ghana and Togo prior to the Fon's invasion into the region.

According to Harvard professor of Art History and Archaeology, Dr. Suzanne Preston Blier, The mythical claim how Dahomey acquired its name from the "belly of Dan" by murdering the local village chief, who was killed b Houégbaja, (Wegbaja) is a myth. This mythical account, she discovered, actually has to do with Houégbaja usurping of the throne from Agasu, the true local heir. This royal crime is directly related to the "feud" between [Agasu] and his brothers that caused them to flee and erect their own kingdoms in Allada (founded by Agasu) ar Porto Novo.
It appears that Houégbaja, the biological son of Dakou-Donou, married the princess. When she mysteriously die (some say she was poisoned), Houégbaja and Agasu's brother fought to prevent Houégbaja from unlawfully seizin the throne from the rightful heir, Agasu. A fight ensued in which Houégbaja, perhaps with the aid of the military seized power, forcing Agasu and his brother to flee. This account is consistent with the fact that both Allada, th city that Agasu founded, and Quidah/Whydah, (Gléhoué) founded by his brother, were not originally a part of th initial Dahomean empire. However, both cities were eventually seized (1720's) and forced to pay tributary.
In summary, the feud between Houégbaja and Agasu's brother, was actually a fight between the local family princess Aligbonu's over Houégbaja's unauthorized usurpation of her matrilineal son [Agasu's] divine right to h throne. Additionally, all the local people who were forced to keep silent knew that Agasu was the biological ar legitimate heir of princess Aligbonu. Therefore, the "official" version of the two brothers venturing out int uninhabited and uncharted lands to found their kingdoms simultaneously, is purely mythical. Western historiar completely omitted, or did not find it relevant to detail the enormous spiritual significance of this horrendous dee and ultimate cover-up regarding this matriarchal history; if it mattered to them at all.
Conversely, as Blier has so poignantly pointed out, "western historians have paid little to no attention to the Kpojitos (leopard royal mothers), who are evidence of a much older, powerful, matriarchal substratum, whose matrilineal successions were usurped, and their history pushed behind the thrones of the politically and militarily more powerful dynastic Dahomean (Fon) kings."

In sorting through this complicated history, it should not be denied that the Fon possessed an extensive panthed of deities of their own. However, the indigenous Ewe and Gbe clans who proceeded and whose villages wer raided; and they enslaved or sold to Europeans by the Fon, worshiped the Vodou deities. The most important these were Aholu, (healing and pestilence), Da, the Loko (ancient ancestors), Tohossou and a host of other these deities were not initially indigenous to the Fon. They (Dahomeans, Fon) a people of the leopard, original harbored great contempt for the Serpent (boa, python) and its worshipers. It was in Ouidah and in Togo where th serpent worshipers and their tradition finally settled, after their migration from Ketu in the early 1300-1400s. The Fon, originally held them, their Mami religion and the sacred python in great contempt.
This prejudice was demonstrated in 1726, during the reign of Agaja, (third king of Dahomey). In his efforts to capture the Savi province, he had attempted to invade Ouidah, but was strategically prohibited from doing so to the great python Dañ-gbe. Dañ-gbe acted as a bridge, and would not allow Agaja's army to cross. However finally, under Dahomean general, Guadja Truda, he and his men crossed through another swamp, captured the python, cursed and disemboweled it, and then cooked and consumed it.
It was not until decades later, that the Dahomean kings, systematically allowed the worship of Mami and the serpent vodou deities and included many of its priests and diviners on staff, in as much as they believed it would enhance their own personal political and especially military power. Amongst the Fon locals, Dang-be's [Da] worship spread like wildfire, especially after blood pacts, sacred marriages and the civil unions and inter-ethnic intermarriages of totemic sibs were allowed to proliferate.
However, what should be of interest to the Diaspora and others, is that it was many of these Wassa Guede groups and their descendants whom the "dynastic" kings of Dahomey were constantly at war, because of the theft of the royal throne establishing an exclusive patriarchal ruling caste. Further, that it was these (Wasa/Guin/Guedeiv) royal lineages and their local descendants who were the first to be sold into slavery. Equally significant, is that it was also these groups who were the local clans of the old Yeveh (ancient ancestral Vodoun lineages, i.e., Mami, Heviosso, Aholu (Sakpata), Tohossou, Loko, etc., which pre-dates the Dahomean Kingdom, and who were slowly allowed to re-establish their worship once Dahomey's hegemony in the region wa assured. It was particularly the priests of Aholu, Mami, the Loko and others, who were at constant war with the Dahomean kings, which caused them [these priests] to be sold into slavery.
Such fear did the Dahomean kings maintain toward these clans and their priests, that they, nor their vodou were allowed to enter into the kingdom and erect shrines to them (Aholu). The Dahomean kings arrogantly claiming that "there can only be one king" in the kingdom which was of course themselves. In fact, it was under the reign of th third king, Agaja, that so many of these royal priests of Aholu and Mami were sold into slavery, almost decimating their entire lineages. Herskovits tells us:

...There were too many plots against the monarchy instigated by the Sagbata [Aholu/Sakpata] gods and by the gods of the rivers and the silk -cotton trees [Loko]... So many of the vodoun and their followers were sold into slavery, that today no one is left who knows how to worship the ancient gods of the rivers, and the silk-cotton trees, and these [spirits] are restless and harass the Dahomeans.

Because the Dahomean kings were given no peace, Aholu's shrines were eventually allowed into the Kingdom after he (Aholu) felled three Dahomean kings with smallpox. Nonetheless, the majority of Aholu's priesthood, along with the priesthood of the other many major vodou deities were already sold in to slavery to Brazil, the Carribeans and North America.
As a testament to Mami, Mama Tchamba and the Vodoun today, Benin (old Dahomey), is the only African nation that proudly claims Vodoun, an indigenous African, (non-colonial) spiritual, mystical and philosophical system worship, as its national religion. Today, it can also boast some of the most powerful priests and sorcerers in Wes Africa. However, its claims as being the "home, originator" or that it's chiefs are the "popes" and "kings" of all the Vodoun etc. are purely political, and has no legitimate historical bases. In many cases, their claims may be economically motivated. Especially in light of the fact that it is in a position to capitalize on the fact that the claims are constantly being repeated by uninformed Western journalists and others; thus churning a profitable tourist industry during its annual Vodou celebrations typically held in January of each year.
In spite of this, in many areas around Togo, and Ghana the religion, cosmogony, and mystical philosophy of th Ewe is still indigenously more related with the Ga-Adangbe and the Guin groups, than it is with their cousins, the Fon of Dahomey. Politically, these groups are loosely confederated, having their own Awoamefias, clan chiefs peculiar to their particular ethnic group, totem, lineages, language and culture.
What has been shared is simply more pertinent information, indicating a critical need to not view "Vodoun" nor worshipers monolithically. Recognizing that there are important ethnological, historical, cultural, and cosmologic distinctions and spiritual considerations that must be made concerning the various traditions in West Africa, f which the generic term "Vodoun/Vodou/Voodoo" is applied. Sorting through the politics, decades of misinformatic and hype, renders it less difficult to look toward other important locations such as Senegal, Ghana, southwes Nigeria, Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali, Togo and a host of other African nations. All of these ancient lands are critical the historical, migratory mix of the African ancestral experience. Knowledge is power, and the more that one objectively learns of the history of a particular region, especially if it centers on seeking the right locations of the traditions of their ancestors, the more able one is to intelligently discern ones environment as they seek out that in which they search.

References

This work is copyrighted and is a summary taken from :
Mama Zogbe (Hunter-Hindrew), Mami Wata: Africa's Ancient God/dess Unveiled.
2nd Edition. New York: MWHS, 2005.
1. A jayi, J.F. and Espie, I. "Thousand Years of West African History" (Ibadan : Ibadan University Press, 1967).
2. Akyea, O .E. "Ewe." New York (The Rosen Group, 1988).
3.Asamoa, A .K. "The Ewe of South-Eastern Ghana and Togo: On the eve of colonialism." (Ghana: Tema Press. 1986).
4. Ayivi Gamélé. Togo Destination. High Commissioner for Tourism. Republic of Togo, 1982.
5. Bastide. R. African Civilizations in the New World. New York: Harper Torchbooks, 1971.
6. Blier, Suzanne Preston. The Path of the Leopard: Motherhood and Majesty in Early Danhomé. Journal o f African History. 36.(1995) pp. 391-417.
7.Concerning Negro Sorcery in the United States. Journal of American Folk-Lore. October-December 1890. Vol. IILV. No. XL. p.282-287.
8. Decalo, Samuel. "Historical Dictionary of Dahomey" (Metuchen, N.J: The
Scarecrow Press, 1976).
9. Brown, Robert, JN R. Poseidon. London: Longmans Green, and Co., 1872.
10. Ellis, A .B. "Ewe- Speaking Peoples of the Slave Coast of West Africa" (Chicago: Benin Press, 1965). 12. Fontenot, Wond a. L. "Secret Doctors: Enthnomedicine of African Americans." (Westport: Bergin & Garvey,199 4).
13. Hazoumé, P. "Doguicimi. The First Dahomean Novel" (Washington, DC: Three Continents Press, 1990). 14. Herskovits, M .J. and Hersovits, F.S. "An Outline of Dahomean Religious Belief." (Wisconsin: The American Anthropological Association, 1933).
15. Hyatt M. H. "Hoodoo-Conjuration-Witchcraft-Rootwork." (Illinois : A lama E gan Hyatt Foundation, 1 973), Vols. I-V.
16. Manoukian, Madeline. "The Ewe-Speaking People of Togland and the Gold Coast". London: International African Institute,1952.
17. Newbell, Puck et. N. "Folk Beliefs of the Southern Negro". S.C.: Chapel Hill, 1922.
18. Maupoil, Bernard. "La Geomancie L'ancienne Côte des Esclaves." (Paris: L'universit, de Paris, 1943). 19. Pliya, J. "Histoire Dahomey Afrique Occidental" (Moulineaux: France, 1970).
20. "Slave Society on the Southern Plantation." The Journal of Negro History. Vol. VII-January, 1922-No.1. 21. Newell, William, W. "Reports of Voodoo Worship in Hayti and Louisiana." Journal of American Folk-lore, 41-47, 1888.