Bénin : Ouémé, le fleuve qui relie les vivants et les dieux – Documentaire voyage – SBS

Bénin : Ouémé, le fleuve qui relie les vivants et les dieux – Documentaire voyage – SBS

In Benin, the Ouémé River is more than 500km long / give another
info to keep the 500km on the map But before you embark
with me… You must first ask for the protection of the Voodoo spirits! No one can do anything against you. We are supermen. Then don’t forget one essential thing, a basin!
François with basin, women shout And then you just have to let yourself be
carried along the road of red gold I understood the principle,
but I’m going to stop there.. And listen to the
vibrant floating masses Celestial and
evangelical Christians Ganvié. Women’s song Don’t forget, the current is never wrong If there are many surprises,
there is only one thing that is certain At the end, it is the sea François plateau entrance + arrival village I did not find a map precise enough
to tell me where the source of the Ouémé was. But from what I understand, it’s
around that area, on the Taneka Mountains, so I’m gaining altitude.
Normally a source is high up. Zoom in on Mount Taneka, unrolling the Ouémé River
to its mouth in the Gulf of Guinea. My quest is to go down the Ouémé River, a
mythical and wild river over 500km, from Mount Taneka to Cotonou,
where it flows into the Gulf of Benin. In the meantime, the source of the
Ouémé remains well hidden. I see thatched roofs there,
I see the beginnings of a village. Hello sir. It’s okay, it’s okay. I’m looking for the village chief,
come on, I’ll take you! Here we go François meets the pipe-smoking dignitaries Oh Hello Sir, François
And I’m Yootola We are the wise men of the village. the village wise men? What does it take to be the village elder?
Here it is a question of appointment, when the old one dies another is installed.
But you have to belong to the same family. Is this where we’re talking about here?
Yes, it’s the talking tree, ha there you go. Thank you very much, how old are you?
I am 80 years old. Wow, does everyone smoke that or is it just the bosses?
Normally it’s only for dignitaries, but you can still try! You want ? Go ahead, I’d like to, yes. What is this? Ha, you’re hiding that, is it tobacco?
Yes it’s tobacco I love the hiding place in the hat. François coughs
I see that you are not afraid to receive all the energy that I have
! But I can’t give you this pipe. If I give it to you, you will become a high
dignitary, and you will have to settle in Taneka! I would like to… Borote… I would gladly stay
but I have to find the source of the river. The source of the Ouémé River is not an
isolated place. Everyone knows that the longest river in Benin has its source
right here, in the Taneka Beri region. And is it far from here or not?
No, it’s not far. I’ll take you there, it’s easier. Thank you very much Hello Madam, do you want me to
help you? Ha but it’s not very heavy, it’s okay.  Slowly Slowly. Where do I put this over there? I feel like it’s very
precious. I don’t want to spill any. I’m looking for the beginning of the river.
It’s here! Is this it?
Yes ! I didn’t expect that at all. I
was expecting some kind of small stream. According to our knowledge, this
river started here, crossing several villages, including
Bétérou, and then going to the sea. What I understand well is that you dug
a well, but the river flows underneath, is that it? That’s
it. This water is beautiful. Can I drink it?
Yes ! It’s like mineral water!! It’s good ?
We drink this one all the time and it’s good! Are you sure?
Yes ! I’ll drink and you ‘ll see! Wait, I’m going to drink and you’re going to drink, I see that it makes you more dynamic.
Very strong. Too good. Perfect, I’ll take the same strength.
It’s really great! She’s good! I like to drink
the first drops of the river. I wish you a good trip, François, good
health, and that your journey is crowned with success. Thank you for stopping by!
Goodbye! Bitchila And then before finding something
that floats, it could take a while I think.. Departure moped François
My first boat will therefore be a moped, a zem, here it
means “take me quickly”! It is the most used means of transport in Benin,
enough to save me kilometers, while the Ouémé, still a river,
transforms into a wide river. Oh yes, I see the water, I see the water! Are there any boats here? Ouch, ouch, ouch! But what is it? I’m getting
attacked by things, I don’t know what they are. Good morning ! What’s itchy?
Ants, is that it? That’s what stings me so much! Are you going to take a boat trip?
Yes Do you accept a teammate to help you?
Yes, my canoe is right here. Do you have a canoe here? She is beautiful. Here we go!
Here we go It feels so
good to take a boat! With David and his canoe, I
finally begin my descent of the magical Ouémé. David and François in a canoe And you’re going far, David, to fish there?
No, I’m going very close . Okay. Do you go out like this every day?
Yes every day ha that’s right the white dots are they birds?
Yes yes, they are birds! It’s crazy, look they
‘re flying away! What kind of birds are there?
This is Adowi. Adowi? They look like little herons.
If you kill one, you go to prison. It is forbidden. This protected bird is more
than a bird, it is like the spirit of a king. Is this a reincarnation?
Yes yes, it’s beautiful, isn’t it? Is this a reincarnation? Of the king?
Yes yes, it’s beautiful, isn’t it? It’s like there are
spirits everywhere and then they have their powers and they are protected. Hello, I hear something!
They are in front of here. Ha I saw there! I don’t know whether to be
afraid or fascinated. We might not get
too close, I don’t know. What do you think about it?
I’m scared… so if you’re scared, I’m not going. They
look at us strangely. One of them dived. I don’t know if he comes here.
No, no, he’s not coming. I don’t know if I prefer to see them
on the water or underwater, I don’t know which is more reassuring. When they
are underwater is it dangerous or not? It’s dangerous, yes. In , a
hippo killed a fisherman here. Oh yeah? Because he
got too close? They didn’t know there was a baby, and they went too close and
the hippos broke the canoe. Oh yes, the mother defends her little one.
Yes yes When there are babies, we must not
prevent them from doing what they have to do, for example eating. We must not
get in their way, do you see hippos every day?
Yes, every day. Why do they stay in this area? Because today they are
protected animals. Before, our grandparents killed them to eat them. But now
we are not allowed to touch them. and sometimes they go out?
Yes, they come out at night. They come to eat grass and then they
return to the water around 6:00 in the morning. And when they go out, do they
always go to the same place? Because we are not far from the villages?
They rarely approach villages. Even when they come near, we are
not allowed to approach them. So they come here to eat, they come to graze
at night in the dark and during the day they are calm in the water, in the cool. That’s right.
The life of a hippopotamus is actually cool… that’s hippo poop. It’s all
dry. You can make a fire with this. It’s all dry. You can
make a fire with that, right? You can even make charms with it.
Oh yes. I let myself glide on the waters of the Ouémé,
where men and animals coexist peacefully . I must leave David. My next
stop awaits me, the small town of Bohicon. I was expecting a
bustling city, but this morning Bohicon looks like a sleepy little village. Can I sit here?
No problem. Does that bother you?
No not at all. What’s your name ?
Theo. Hello François, how are you? Yes, so far so good, I think there
aren’t many people. It’s Sunday morning, so
practically everyone is at church. Oh yeah? So, how is your day today?
There I planned to go and meet someone who we call the Boconon.
When you are facing difficulties, or you want to seek
advice, you will consult him. How do you say?
Boconon What exactly is boconon? The Boconon is the person who is
able to put you in touch with the invisible world. He is an individual
who has learned the language of spirits. Oh yes… Théo tells me that this strange world
of voodoo spirits, this animist cult, is practiced by the vast
majority of Beninese. A way to connect with the
invisible forces of nature or ancestors. Market
Everything here is for voodoo. It doesn’t have
a charge yet, it’s when you take the statuette, when you do rituals,
that you give it a sacred character. And you’re going to take all that yourself?
Yes, I’ll take all of that, I’ll take some gourds too. What is all
this… Bats, foxes, monkeys, chameleons…
For example, the chameleon with this, soap, perfume, we mix
all this together and wash ourselves with it. All right. I make a mixture, put it
in my soap and brush it on myself. It brings luck. It’s like medicine
Yes it’s like medicine, a modernized pharmacy Okay For Théo, it’s time
to go find his boconon.. Arrived at Boconon
We’re there, it looks like a school.
It is also a school, it is the school of life in fact. This is not
a school where you put tables in and we sit down. You come to take lessons,
right on the floor. As we are much more in the oral tradition where you discuss. We
‘ll have to take our shoes off. Yes, hello, sir. Greetings. I realize that a voodoo consultation,
to begin with, is a strange geomancy. It doesn’t seem to have good
news. Theo, you asked a question, it doesn’t seem like good news…
it’s not that there isn’t good news, it’s that there are a lot of recommendations. There are many prerequisites before I can
complete the project I want to undertake. But a romantic or professional project?
professional. First of all, I will need the support of certain entities,
including a family member who is no longer with us. And some deities too
and I need their help. So I have to do rituals
and offerings for these entities. Okay, but do you have to ask a question?
You should ask a closed question, yes or no. If I asked him if the woman of my heart will love
me all my life, he could give me an indication?
Yes And can I ask the question yes or no?
Yes, you can ask him the question. Can I ask him?
You can have a consultation if you want. But there are also conditions around it. Just because
you stay there doesn’t mean the yes will happen… And here I am, also involved
in this consultation. But the biggest thing remains to be done: Open a
space for dialogue with the spirits, to implore their intercession, and for them to
respond as best they can to my questions. Food for the spirits Why do we give them food?
Because it is considered that the deities eat as we eat.
We give them food and drink, it’s our pleasure. So what we
ask of them in return, they can give us. I’m not sure I
heard the answer to my question… But what matters is not to upset
(offend?) all these invisible forces. And it says enemies stay away, right?
Enemies can do nothing against me because I am already under the protection
of the deities. What can ill-intentioned people do against me, nothing at
all. So no one can do anything against you. We are supermen. I love it, I feel pumped up! That’s
it. That’s the goal of Pumped Up! Pier Hello Gentlemen! I’m doing well ?
I entrust it to you. Thank you very much Théo, thank you very much.
I wish you a wonderful journey, now you are well protected, the spirits are assisting
you, nothing can happen to you. nothing can happen to me. Bye
! That’s a beautiful boat. I resume my journey towards Ouinhi
MAP Ouinhi, in the Zou department. The sea is still more than 200km away, and yet, here on Lake Agonvè, I feel
like I’m already there. This is the lake, right? And when there is a flood, does it swell?
Yes, it’s impressive. And in the
very dry season, it decreases. It’s decreasing. Here in August, the Ouémé
will swell again after the rains. It will swell again after the rains.
Because the river has so little slope that when it floods, it overflows,
creating this kind of landscape. It’s already big..It’s just water that
swells like that, that spreads and spreads.. After this gigantic lake, the Ouémé ends up
finding its bed and its dried-up banks. 5/ Ouinhi – The
river sand extractors with Rita navigation + arrival towards extractors
We are in the dry season, the water can rise to the top of the trees. Even more than herbs?
Yes And it goes over and into the
fields? It is a very capricious river. Between the river and us, it’s a great
story. We cultivate our fields on the outskirts, corn, beans, peanuts. But
during the flood, the water devastates everything and destroys our fields. So during the dry season,
we have no choice, we take sand from the river. In fact, the Ouémé
takes us and we also take sand from it in return ? And where exactly do you get the sand?
we just take it there! Sand diving Hello. Do you fill everything in?
No, just one box. Can I come with you?
Yes François who dives Ha but we have to go to the bottom..We
have to go and scrape at the bottom. You have twice as many as me! How many canoes do you do in a day?
In a day we do at least 20-25. 15 when you haven’t worked well Between 15 and 25… And then what happens to this sand?
We don’t know what they do with it… Okay. The answer is a little further along the
banks. The Ouémé, until then very calm, now has an unusual agitation in store for me. François arrives, is it a hive? All the women are there
loading sand into basins. Hello. Where does this sand go,
where do you take it? Up there? It’s heavy. It’s okay I can’t do it .
Thank you very much! How do you do it…I didn’t even manage to climb the hill… Well done…
It’s difficult in fact Yes, it is difficult. I’ll take it a little lighter… what’s your name?
My name is Rita. Rita? How long has
the construction site been there? It’s been 10 years. Apart from the
fields, there was nothing here. So the river gives the work, yes. Come on, it’s better now! Counting the basins There is something I don’t understand Rita, who counts the basins?
Is it the lady who counts who is watching? But they
can’t count everything, there are too many people!
This is how we monitor. Ha incredible.. Every time you pass,
you have your basin and they throw a stone at you. You count everyone. And
every time he walks past and you put a stone.
a pebble Okay, that’s very organized.
That’s 10. So the stick is 10, 20, so
28, incredible. How many basins do you wash in a day?
I make more than 100 basins and 100 trips. It’s huge. So,
at most during the day, how much do you earn?
around CFA. CFA francs. That’s 5 euros. That’s the big boss, because if she
‘s nice, she’ll add some stones for you. Come on, don’t be idle. For 5 euros a day, the incessant ballet
of the women of Ouinhi is dizzying. They migrate the sand from
Ouémé to other horizons.. Towards truck Hello Gentlemen
For you it is not full I take the beach. You are strong. Where does the sand go?
It goes pretty much everywhere anyway… And what do we do with the sand?
It is for building. I see that the sand used to
build Benin no longer comes from the beaches and the sea. It is this
Ouémé River that has taken over. And I wonder how much longer
it will be able to supply cement to the cities… Navigation François + wooden boat Hello Gentlemen, This load is beautiful, it’s
very soft. Ha there is fire inside. Ha yeah. What are you making for dinner?
Sauce and batter Corn dough, I am very
impressed with this kitchen! What is this wood used for? Is this for construction?
Yes, we have already paid for the wood and we are going to sell it. where are you taking him?
Are we going to Ganvié Ganvié?
Yes, how long does it take to get there?
At least 3 days 3 days…Have a good trip!
THANKS ! Ganvié is the final stage of my journey.
And obviously by boat, it’s worth it. Ganvié is the penultimate stage of my
journey. And obviously by boat, it’s worth it. After a long day in a canoe, MAP of the
Ouémé valley + Adjohoun Anamé (near Dangbo) I finally enter the Ouémé valley, the most impressive
agricultural valley in the world, after that of the Nile. 7/ Palm oil with Aquavy
in Adjohoun Anamè (near Dangbo) On the river I have the impression that there is
a building that looks like a building that could be from the
colonial era, which is just up high, to monitor the comings and goings on the
river, in my opinion, it is not there by chance… In the 19th century, this valley was
a paradise for French settlers during the protectorate period. The lands of
Ouémé were jealously guarded, because much wealth was concentrated here…which is
still there today. Good morning Madam. Do you live here?
Aquav yes I live here. What is your first name?
Aquavy, I’m François, nice to meet you.
my friend François! But what did you come
looking for here near the river? Maybe little moments like this.. God sent you here
to meet then. I don’t hear any noise from the village. What are people doing at this time?
You would hear them if we were on the other side of the river. They work in the
fields there. Come, I’ll take you to see if you want, thank you very much. Perfect, one of the riches of the river is the whole life
of Aquavy and his family: it’s the palm tree! In the palm grove Hello sir! What are you doing?
I’m going to climb a palm tree. Aquavy, is that your husband?
Yes. What is your name?
Toudonou the right length, the axe
on the shoulder..And off we go Toudonou who climbs
It seems simple, but it is not at all When I go down, I will
let you try, you will understand… I can already see that it is hard,
I do not need to try. You’re afraid we’ll get hit on the
head. Ha, is that what we have to drop? Phew, how heavy is this thing? I
thought they were coconuts, but no, they are fruits interspersed with
bigger thorns. What is it called? palm nut diets. palm nut bunches, palm nuts… How long does it take to grow?
The tree takes 5 years to grow. And from 5 years old, the tree begins to produce bunches. And if we
give fertilizer to these trees, a single bunch can completely fill this basin. But with
us, everything is natural, there is no fertilizer… François who climbs,
friend François, at work. There you go, that’s it.
Friend François, You are going to fall… I understand the principle but I will
stop there. I think I’ll stop there. The tree is too tall, we need
a small tree. I’m not very efficient.. And there, how do you know that it’s
good to be picked up then? At first it’s black and then when it ripens
it turns red. And sometimes it is the birds that come to eat and drop the
nuts. And so who announce that it is necessary to harvest We talk a lot about
palm oil, but I did not know what the fruit of palm oil looked like I am curious to see what becomes of these
little nuts, because for me, palm oil rhymes with deforestation and intensive farming…
But here, with Aquavy, I see that everything seems handmade, 100% artisanal hence the expression you break my nuts. Can I open one?
Yes of course Oh yes it’s white inside, it looks like
a little coconut. It’s funny. Towards the
Aquavy River, how do you manage without hands?
Well, like that! Too strong You have an incredible balance The river is never very far, I even have
the impression that it will have an essential role.. molasses in canoe
by putting this molasses of beans in the canoe and in
the water, the oil will rise to the surface because it is lighter.
Then you just have to take it. Nothing is lost in the palm tree.
The shell is used as fuel, the nuts are sold at the market and
the red oil…Aquavy uses it absolutely everywhere: in his cooking, for his
soap…and even apparently in his prayers! Give my friend François plenty of
courage for the rest of his journey. I continue my navigation, heading for
Ganvié, the long-awaited stage before the sea. But suddenly the river shows me
a whole new face, grandiose, as if infinite. So much so that I
already think I’m at the mouthpiece. And yet… Navigation Albert + François Lac Nokoué
There you go! It’s the great Lake Nokoué. Oh yes, okay. Oh yeah, it’s getting wider
there. And there it is the water of the Ouémé still, but it is a lake which is made with what, salt water or fresh water?
salt water now. During flooding the water is salty but during
receding waters the water is not salty. All right. So it’s the river that wins?
Yes yes I would really have liked to sail longer
on this real fake inland sea, but a giant pier
appears on the horizon. This is the obligatory rallying point
towards a legendary last stopover. Ganvié, floating village, are you going to Ganvié?
No, Ganvié is the other boat! Can I come up?
Of course. Come on, get in, hello madam. It’s braid time.
I’ll keep myself busy while I wait to leave! Ganvieèèè!! Here we go! Ganvié please I’m looking everywhere, but
suddenly I’m not so sure anymore… Ganvié, it’s definitely over there. Is Ganvié there? All right. After half an hour of sailing, at the end of the
lake, the first floating houses finally appear. MAP Ganvié
Ganvié is legendary, it is the largest lakeside town in West Africa. Arrival Ganvié
It’s a huge city in fact! What’s going on. Are we changing boats? Ganvié is only accessible
by canoe. It seems that here, some people only set foot on
dry land as adults. What’s your name?
My name is Bienvenu. My name is François.
The lady sells things. So there are no shops then?
Here we don’t have enough shops, but all the activities are
done in the canoes. Okay, good morning, Madam. Huge, you have to make your
way between the boats and the water lilies. Is this the market? Is it every day? Is it market every day?
It’s crazy, I’m arriving right in the market. Ha I’m going to have a little coffee. This is going to
be the best coffee of my life I think What is it , it has herbs in it.
What is coffee? Ha, it’s hot… What’s this running water?
There is the borehole, that is where we find the water to drink.
It comes from a source, it’s natural. Before, it gushed out, but now there is
a motor that runs and filters the water. And so the whole village comes to queue up here. And it’s free?
No, it’s not free. A 100-litre container costs 50 CFA francs, but it’s not
expensive. The cheapest thing here is water. Luckily there is this.
These are the woods that allow us to build houses.
It’s like the wood store Okay Meet runners Bravo! What is this team?
This is Achi Tito Magba’s club. Is this a club?
It’s a canoe racing club Fitting
You’re going to wear this do you want me to try it on?
Oh yes, try it, just to see. It fits perfectly. it’s
just my size, it’s perfect, it’s pretty
You’re so handsome so handsome?
You’re going to try it, you’ll see… Paddle training,
here, take this paddle, like this, like this?
Yes You do it like this Yes
H and then like this. And we stretch Go ahead, 1,2,3, 1,2,3 The synchronized paddle was just a
warm-up…The serious stuff begins. I’m shown the finish line, it
‘ll be the next fishing net, right over there! Is the race starting with two per boat? Two by two, it’s
hot potato.. Célestin I’m counting on you! Here we go! Great, it’s over! Bravo. But you let me go ahead, you
saw me clearly, then when I was burned out, poof… Sailing with Bienvenu takes
the pressure off. And I wonder what life might be like here.. At Bienvenu
This is my home This is your home?
This is my shared home. Gently. Perfect. It’s beautiful..
It’s nice. Hello children.
They are my little brothers. Really? And who is behind it?
This is my sister. All the houses are made the same here.
Yes How do you fix the stakes to the bottom of the mud?
We have fishermen going into the water. And who have antlers and they do like that.
And it will go into the shallows which are down below. And the mud that is around, will surround
the wood. And at some point, it gets tough! Okay, wood made from mud
makes a kind of solid construction. It doesn’t move
It doesn’t move anymore Never Never What does it teach you
to live so close to the water? It gives me a lot of open doors.
A water man who lives in water has a lot of luck. And all the doors
of happiness open. We are happy. Water makes you happy
Perfectly happy, because water gives you good warmth.

With the friends of Bienvenu How many inhabitants are there here? A lot, right?
We are at least 35,000 inhabitants since 35,000 inhabitants?
The workforce is growing. Men and women have
no distractions. Excuse me very much, but the phenomenon of sexuality is
increasing and we are having a lot of children. Okay
In each family, there are 3 canoes, that’s an obligation. One for the children to
go to school, one for the mother to go to the market, and one for the father to go fishing.
We have 3 canoe movements to make. So every house, every home 3 boats.
3 boats. It is an obligation. One for fishing, one for going to
school, one for selling fish. B one to go and sell the
fish, it is an obligation Hotel
Falling asleep in the heart of Ganvié is to imagine its creation more than 3 centuries ago, to
protect oneself from the raids of the slave traders. The warriors were forbidden to venture
onto the waters and approach these houses. I feel the sentinel city enveloping me tonight, the one that still protects Bienvenu and his family,
the last people of Ouémé before the sea. In the morning,
In the early morning, Bienvenu comes to remind me that today
is Sunday, and Sunday is sacred! Hello Welcome
Hello Mr. François How are you? I’m
doing very well Do you want some coffee
Yes I’ll have some So on Sundays do people rest a little?
On Sundays, people rest at home. And there are some people
who go to mass, from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. There are 2 mass services then? We have heavenly churches and we
also have evangelical churches. celestial and
evangelical churches. Isn’t it the same? No, it’s not the same thing. It’s the same god,
but everyone has their own opinion on choosing their church. And what did you choose for example?
I am an evangelist. Do you mind if I come with you?
Yes, if you want Yes, I’m curious, I’d like to see Hello, ha, it’s the lady who sold me the coffee!
Yes, good morning coffee! This is the celestial church, these are the
ones who wear the white boubou But it’s Celestial, is it Catholic?
No, it’s different from Catholic But it’s still Christian
Yes, it’s still Christian Celestial Church It’s very, very big
It’s the biggest celestial church in Ganvié Why are they in white? Do we know
the symbolism of the color white? The prophet Moses was in white, so they
chose to pay homage to him in white. They are beautiful
They are so beautiful I learn with Bienvenu that the Célestes is the second Christian community
in Benin. More than a million followers in the country! In Ganvié, they sing and
pray for 4 hours every Sunday, I’m getting really good at it. There are churches everywhere, in fact,
how many churches are there in Ganvié? There are many. The Celestials, there
are 11 of them. 11 celestials?
And there are countless evangelicals… They are everywhere, it’s incredible. Evangelists Church
That’s where there are canoes, that’s my church. where there are the ladies in
yellow? This is your church. Yes, here are the evangelists. I see you’re moving there.
We’re dancing, we’re getting carried away, we’re moving like that. Isn’t that forbidden?
No, it’s not forbidden for people here, I have the impression
that they also believe in spirits, divinities and God and Christ?
Yes, for some, in the morning we are on God, and in the evening we are on Voodoo. a bit of both though.
A bit of both, though. It depends on your faith… but for you, is it just the Church?
but for me it’s just the Church. I leave the mesmerizing church of
Bienvenu, nourished by the energy of this unique floating village in the world. Go to Cotonou! I must sail to the
last leg of my journey. We can see the buildings there.. It was great, thank you very much Welcome. See you
soon, goodbye! Thank you, bye-bye. An unmissable meeting awaits
me in Cotonou: the sea. First, I have to recover from a shock:
moving from the isolated countryside of Ouémé to the overflowing energy of the economic capital
of Benin. I have one last crossing to make though…

Traffic I’m staying with you! Pardon.
It’s still hot though. Cotonou is a vibrant,
modern metropolis, straddling the river…which is also, in its last few metres,
shaken by the flow of the tides!
You’re not going that way? They’re
all going the wrong way.. Hello, I just want to
go right there, to the sea. Thank you very much. Ha, that’s very deep. It’s not stable at all When the boat is full of
fish it’s a little more stable It’s surfing
I accelerate when the wind blows hard! Got it ! We’re getting closer, the sea is there, isn’t it?
Is the sea there? Come on Ouémé, the Ouémé with a thousand
faces, thank you for the trip, I present to you the sea, do your
business well, get married and thank you very much! Even if we know how to rock
families of hippopotamuses so well, that we have embraced since the dawn
of time, the spirits of Voodoo, even if we offer our banks
to the purveyors of sand, and our current to the transport of
red gold…At the end is the sea.

Le fleuve Ouémé serpente du nord au sud du Bénin, traversant forêts, villages et croyances, avant de rejoindre la mer dans une ultime offrande à l’océan. Une plongée rare dans le cœur spirituel de l’Afrique de l’Ouest.

✋Les plus belles destinations, c’est ici 👉 https://bit.ly/2Vlfz9o 👈 Abonnez vous ! 🙏

Au fil de ses 500 km, le fleuve Ouémé irrigue bien plus que des terres : il nourrit les cultures, les mythes et les âmes. Ce documentaire nous entraîne depuis les zones forestières du nord jusqu’aux rives marécageuses du sud, à la rencontre d’un Bénin fluvial, profond, et encore largement méconnu.

Sur ses berges, les pirogues glissent entre les esprits et les silures géants, les enfants jouent avec les crocodiles, les pêcheurs parlent aux ancêtres, et les villages vivent au rythme du vaudou, entre rituels, offrandes et cérémonies au bord de l’eau.

À travers les récits des habitants, les scènes du quotidien et les croyances ancrées dans la terre et dans l’eau, le fleuve devient une figure centrale, presque divine. Là où l’eau ralentit, la mémoire se prolonge. Et au bout, c’est la mer.

00:00 – Naissance du fleuve Ouémé
07:00 – Enfants, crocodiles et légendes du fleuve
14:00 – Rituels vaudous au bord de l’Ouémé
21:00 – Rencontre avec les pêcheurs et prêtres animistes
29:00 – Les masques et les fêtes fluviales
32:00 – Ouémé maritime : passage vers l’océan
35:00 – L’estuaire, entre mangrove et spiritualité
38:00 – Derniers instants : là où le fleuve touche la mer

#Bénin #fleuveOuémé #afriquedelouest

Au bout c’est la mer – le fleue ouémé
Un film de Christelle Leroux, Stéphane Jobert
Droits réservés Step By Step Productions