Ouidah
Department
Ouidah (pronounced wē'dä; alternative name Hweda and especially in the English-speaking world Whydah ( hwī'də ) ) is a city in the Republic of Benin. As the only port of Benin Ouidah was the center of the slave trade in the region and an active trading town. Since 1999, the city is the de facto capital of the department Atlantique, but was this not officially appointed.
The area of the municipality is 364 km ² and comprises ten districts ( arrondissements ), four urban ( Ouidah I, II, II and IV ) and six rural ( Djègbadji, Avlékété, Savi, Pahou, Gakpé and Houakpé ). Ouidah has around 80,000 inhabitants. Main occupation of the population is agriculture and the crafts, there are a few small business owners and as a single industrial operation, the British American Tobacco factory on the main road between Cotonou and Grand Popo. Mayor since 2003, Pierre C. Bathes. The city council comprises 17 members.
The actual city was already at the time of the Kingdom of Dahomey around 3.5 kilometers from the sea, so that slaves had to travel on foot before their embarkation this route.
History
Ouidah was originally called Ajuda and was the capital of the populous, prosperous kingdom saw ( Savi ).
1680 built the Portuguese in the order of the Governor of São Tomé in Ouidah a fortress which was abandoned after a few decades. In 1721 it was rebuilt under the name of São João Baptista d' Ajuda. 1727, the city of King Dossou Agadja of Dahomey was conquered. The name of Ajuda was henceforth no longer used; the Kingdom of saw was 1728.
1858 gave the Portuguese fortress of São João Baptista de the Ajuda again. 1861 gave the king of Dahomey, the fortress missionaries from France. On February 23, 1865, the Portuguese demanded back the building, so it was back to 1869, subject to the governor of São Tomé.
On August 1, 1961, held by a few Portuguese fortress of Dahomey was forcibly occupied and annexed. In 1975, the acquisition of Portugal was officially recognized.
1992 32 474 people were living in Ouidah.
Attractions
Ouidah mainly offers many cultural and historical sights. Among the main attractions include the historic museum in the reconstructed Portuguese fort of São João Baptista d' Ajuda, the Holy Forest, called the slave route from the former slave market ( Place Cha Cha ) to the beach up to the door of no return (French Porte de Non Retour ) leads. On the route, numerous statues and memorials find the slave trade. These and the gate have been set in 1992 with the financial support of UNESCO, Place Cha Cha 1999 with the financial support of the Reconstruction Loan restored to operation. Every year on January 10, will be held on beach Ouidahs take a big Voodoo Fest, where the Voodoo King performs various ceremonies. Interesting for cinephiles is also the also held annually in January Film Festival Quintessence, which ranks next to the film festival in Ouagadougou ( Burkina Faso) to the most important in West Africa.
Others
The book The Viceroy of Ouidah by British writer Bruce Chatwin plays the greater part in Ouidah at the time of the slave trade.
Personalities from Ouidah
- Angélique Kidjo, Beninese - French musician, choreographer, singer and composer