In Benin, Afro-descendants reclaim African and spiritual roots
By streamlining naturalization processes, Benin is establishing itself as a gateway for Afro-descendants reconnecting with their African heritage and spiritual roots in Francophone Africa.
The phenomenon echoed the spirit of Notebook of a Return to My Native Land, the 1939 poetic masterpiece by Martiniquais writer and politician Aimé Césaire. Nearly a century later, the search for identity among Afro-descendants is gaining momentum.
“They come by the thousands to visit Ouidah, a historic hub of the transatlantic slave trade in Benin,” said Jean Zossoungbo, a local tour guide in the coastal town 40 kilometers (25 miles) west of Cotonou. Many arrive for Vodun Days, an international celebration of Vodun arts, culture, and spirituality held annually in early January. The event honored traditional religions like Vodun, which venerates the forces of nature—earth, air, water, and lightning.
For Patrick Vendredy, an Afro-descendant from Haiti, visiting Africa was a childhood dream come true. “Since I was little, watching images of Africa on TV and hearing stories, I dreamed of discovering the land of my origins,” he recalled. Vendredy arrived in Cotonou in 2005, at the age of 19, through a university exchange program between Haiti and Benin. “The moment I set foot on the tarmac, I was overcome by an indescribable feeling. Our entire delegation cried—we didn’t even know why,” he says, still emotional two decades later.
“92% African”
This same desire for connection drove Mélina Seymour, a Guadeloupean writer and journalist, to visit Benin in 2020. “It was a deeply personal decision—to give my children a tangible, vibrant cultural and spiritual heritage,” she said. Her journey taught her values of humility, resilience, and creativity that continue to shape her life and business.
In June 2020, Seymour purchased a DNA ancestry kit in Quebec. By September, the results were in: “With a mix of excitement and emotion, I learned I am 92% African. My ancestors come from Nigeria (46%), Cameroon and Congo or Bantu regions (20%), Benin and Togo (19%), and Mali (7%).”
A 2024 law in Benin now allows Afro-descendants like Seymour to apply for naturalization. To qualify, applicants must be at least 18, citizens of a non-African country, and provide evidence of African ancestry. Proof can include official documents, verified testimonies, or scientific methods like DNA testing.
“For someone like me, this law is deeply significant,” Seymour said. “It’s not just about legal rights; it symbolically addresses centuries of broken family and cultural ties caused by the transatlantic slave trade. By validating DNA testing, Benin gives Afro-descendants a chance to reconnect with their roots in a precise and meaningful way.”
“Lost children”
“The desire to visit Africa, to walk the land of their ancestors, and to understand this continent is growing stronger among Afro-descendants,” said Dieudonné Gnammakou, a Beninese historian specializing in Afro-descendant diaspora history. He credited much of this interest to the pan-Africanist efforts of Ghana's first president, Kwame Nkrumah, decades ago.
Gnammakou explained that many Afro-descendants come to Africa “to reconnect with the continent, but also as ‘lost children’ searching for the homeland of their ancestors. They embark on an inner genealogical quest while seeking to understand the painful history of slavery beyond Western historical narratives.”
For some, however, the journey goes beyond identity and becomes spiritual. This was evident at the Vodun Days in Ouidah, where Afro-descendants from Brazil, Guadeloupe, Dominica, Haiti, and elsewhere gathered. Through offerings, dances, and collective ceremonies to communicate with spirits, many participated in Vodun practices for the first time. Social media captured powerful moments, with some taking initiation into Vodun during the festivities.