Ouidah and the Memory of Slavery: A Journey Through the Slave Route in Benin

Ouidah and the Memory of Slavery: A Journey Through the Slave Route in Benin

The city of Ouidah, in Benin, is the stage for a fascinating and complex exploration of the memory of slavery through an iconic monument: the Slave Route. This memorial path, inaugurated in 1993, stretches over three kilometers and represents a commemorative space dedicated to the history of the slave trade, both Atlantic and sub-Saharan. Since its opening, this site has evolved into a place where different memories, both familiar and collective, meet and sometimes clash.

The Genesis of a Place of Memory

The history of the Slave Route begins in a complex historical and political context. After French colonization, which ended in 1960, Benin saw the emergence of a national memory around slavery in the 1980s. This process was marked by the creation of various monuments and memorial sites, of which the Slave Route is a major example. Designed by the Beninese state, this path has become a symbol of recognition and commemoration of the sufferings endured by millions of Africans torn from their land.

A Fabric of Interwoven Memories

Over the years, the Slave Route has integrated multiple memories, sometimes resonating, sometimes dissonant with the official discourse. Monuments have multiplied along this route, each bringing its own interpretation of the past. These initiatives, whether individual or collective, have enriched the memorial landscape, saturating it with varied narratives and meanings.

A Semiological and Ethnographic Study

Initiated in 2015, an in-depth study employed tools from architecture and social geography to map these new uses and analyze the spatial transformations of the site. The socio-ethnographic approach, including participant observations and interviews, revealed the multiple narrative and plastic layers that now compose the Slave Route.

Memorial Contestations

The Slave Route is not only a space of commemoration but also a ground for contestation. Memories confront each other here, each seeking to assert itself, to be recognized. This phenomenon reflects the complexity and richness of the memories of slavery in Benin, as well as the tensions that can arise. This site, both a place of reflection and of claim, testifies to the living dynamics of collective memories and their capacity to evolve.

In conclusion, the Slave Route in Ouidah is much more than a mere historical monument. It is a vibrant space of memory and a mirror of the struggles for recognition and reappropriation of the past. This study offers us a precious window into how the memories of slavery continue to influence contemporary Beninese society.

Academic Reference & Citation

If you wish to cite this research work in an academic context, please use the following reference:

Rossila Goussanou. The "Slave Route" of Ouidah (Benin): A Space for Negotiating Collective Memories of the Slave Trades and Slavery. Cahiers Mémoire et Politique, 2018, 5, pp.111-129. ⟨10.25518/2295-0311.201⟩. ⟨hal-01826345⟩

Summary and adaptation proposed by Ouidah Origins.

Related Pillars & Further Reading

Explore on Ouidah Origins: La Route des Esclaves · La Porte du Non-Retour · L'Arbre de l'Oubli

External sources:

• UNESCO Slave Route Project
• Slave Voyages Database