A dignitary of the Thron Kpeto Deka poses in Ouidah, on January 9, 2025 during the Voodoo Festival. Thron Kpeto Deka is a religious belief that appeared in Benin in 1800. It is represented in the form of a woman holding two large snakes in her hands. Its followers wear a white cloth tied around the hips for men and around the waist for women. (Photo by MARCO LONGARI / AFP)

An Egungun, a visible manifestation of the spirits of departed ancestors who periodically revisit the human community for remembrance, celebration, and blessings leaves a Voodoo convent in Ouidah, on January 9, 2025 during the first day of the Voodoo Festival. (Photo by MARCO LONGARI / AFP)

Two Egungun, a visible manifestation of the spirits of departed ancestors who periodically revisit the human community for remembrance, celebration, and blessings leave a Voodoo convent in Ouidah, on January 9, 2025 during the first day of the Voodoo Festival. (Photo by MARCO LONGARI / AFP)

A child looks on as an Egungun, a visible manifestation of the spirits of departed ancestors who periodically revisit the human community for remembrance, celebration, and blessings leaves a Voodoo convent in Ouidah, on January 9, 2025 during the first day of the Voodoo Festival. (Photo by MARCO LONGARI / AFP)

An Egungun, a visible manifestation of the spirits of departed ancestors who periodically revisit the human community for remembrance, celebration, and blessings leaves a Voodoo convent in Ouidah, on January 9, 2025 during the first day of the Voodoo Festival. (Photo by MARCO LONGARI / AFP)

Two Egungun, a visible manifestation of the spirits of departed ancestors who periodically revisit the human community for remembrance, celebration, and blessings leave a Voodoo convent in Ouidah, on January 9, 2025 during the first day of the Voodoo Festival. (Photo by MARCO LONGARI / AFP)

An Egungun, a visible manifestation of the spirits of departed ancestors who periodically revisit the human community for remembrance, celebration, and blessings leaves a Voodoo convent in Ouidah, on January 9, 2025 during the first day of the Voodoo Festival. (Photo by MARCO LONGARI / AFP)

An Egungun, a visible manifestation of the spirits of departed ancestors who periodically revisit the human community for remembrance, celebration, and blessings walks past a Voodoo convent in Ouidah, on January 9, 2025 during the first day of the Voodoo Festival. (Photo by MARCO LONGARI / AFP)

Dignitaries of the Thron Kpeto Deka pose in Ouidah, on January 9, 2025 during the Voodoo Festival. Thron Kpeto Deka is a religious belief that appeared in Benin in 1800. It is represented in the form of a woman holding two large snakes in her hands. Its followers wear a white cloth tied around the hips for men and around the waist for women. (Photo by MARCO LONGARI / AFP)

A Kokou initiate, a warrior god in the traditional religion of Benin, whose body is covered in vegetable red oil mixed with maize flour, sits on the floor in a trance as he is drizzled with gin during a ceremony held at the Sacred Forest in Ouidah, on January 9, 2025 during the Voodoo Festival. (Photo by MARCO LONGARI / AFP)

A Kokou initiate, a warrior god in the traditional religion of Benin, whose body is covered in vegetable red oil mixed with maize flour, dances as she is drizzled with gin during a ceremony held at the Sacred Forest in Ouidah, on January 9, 2025 during the Voodoo Festival. (Photo by MARCO LONGARI / AFP)

A Kokou initiate, a warrior god in the traditional religion of Benin, whose body is covered in vegetable red oil mixed with mais flour, dances as he is drizzled with gin during a ceremony held at the Sacred Forest in Ouidah, on January 9, 2025 during the Voodoo Festival. (Photo by MARCO LONGARI / AFP)

An Egungun, a visible manifestation of the spirits of departed ancestors who periodically revisit the human community for remembrance, celebration, and blessings leaves a Voodoo convent in Ouidah, on January 9, 2025 during the first day of the Voodoo Festival. (Photo by MARCO LONGARI / AFP)

An Egungun, a visible manifestation of the spirits of departed ancestors who periodically revisit the human community for remembrance, celebration, and blessings leaves a Voodoo convent in Ouidah, on January 9, 2025 during the first day of the Voodoo Festival. (Photo by MARCO LONGARI / AFP)

TOPSHOT - A Kokou initiate, a warrior god in the traditional religion of Benin, walks in the sacred forest in Ouidah, on January 9, 2025 during the first day of the Voodoo Festival. (Photo by OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT / AFP)

A Kokou initiate, a warrior god in the traditional religion of Benin, carries a bowl of a mixture of vegetable red oil mixed with maize flour used to cover her body in the sacred forest in Ouidah, on January 9, 2025 during the first day of the Voodoo Festival. (Photo by OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT / AFP)

A Kokou initiate, a warrior god in the traditional religion of Benin, walks in the sacred forest in Ouidah, on January 9, 2025 during the first day of the Voodoo Festival. (Photo by OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT / AFP)

A Kokou initiate, a warrior god in the traditional religion of Benin, rests after traditional dancing in the sacred forest in Ouidah, on January 9, 2025 during the first day of the Voodoo Festival. (Photo by OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT / AFP)

A Kokou initiate, a warrior god in the traditional religion of Benin, dances in the sacred forest in Ouidah, on January 9, 2025 during the first day of the Voodoo Festival. (Photo by OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT / AFP)

A Kokou initiate, a warrior god in the traditional religion of Benin, dances in the sacred forest in Ouidah, on January 9, 2025 during the first day of the Voodoo Festival. (Photo by OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT / AFP)

A Kokou initiate, a warrior god in the traditional religion of Benin, dances in the sacred forest in Ouidah, on January 9, 2025 during the first day of the Voodoo Festival. (Photo by OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT / AFP)

TOPSHOT - A Kokou initiate, a warrior god in the traditional religion of Benin, dances in the sacred forest in Ouidah, on January 9, 2025 during the first day of the Voodoo Festival. (Photo by OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT / AFP)

Traditional outfits used by Kokou initiates, warriors gods in the traditional religion of Benin, are seen drying on the floor in the sacred forest in Ouidah, on January 9, 2025 during the first day of the Voodoo Festival. (Photo by OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT / AFP)

A Kokou initiate, a warrior god in the traditional religion of Benin, dances in the sacred forest in Ouidah, on January 9, 2025 during the first day of the Voodoo Festival. (Photo by OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT / AFP)

TOPSHOT - A Kokou initiate, a warrior god in the traditional religion of Benin, covers herself with a mixture of vegetable red oil mixed with maize flour in the sacred forest in Ouidah, on January 9, 2025 during the first day of the Voodoo Festival. (Photo by OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT / AFP)

A Kokou initiate, a warrior god in the traditional religion of Benin, walks in the sacred forest in Ouidah, on January 9, 2025 during the first day of the Voodoo Festival. (Photo by OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT / AFP)

TOPSHOT - A Kokou initiate, a warrior god in the traditional religion of Benin, dances in the sacred forest in Ouidah, on January 9, 2025 during the first day of the Voodoo Festival. (Photo by OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT / AFP)

A Kokou initiate, a warrior god in the traditional religion of Benin, dances in the sacred forest in Ouidah, on January 9, 2025 during the first day of the Voodoo Festival. (Photo by OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT / AFP)

A child runs near a voodoo statue in the sacred forest in Ouidah, on January 9, 2025 during the first day of the Voodoo Festival. (Photo by OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT / AFP)

A Kokou initiate, a warrior god in the traditional religion of Benin, dances in the sacred forest in Ouidah, on January 9, 2025 during the first day of the Voodoo Festival. (Photo by OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT / AFP)

A man rests on traditional outfits used by Kokou initiates, warriors gods in the traditional religion of Benin, in the sacred forest in Ouidah, on January 9, 2025 during the first day of the Voodoo Festival. (Photo by OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT / AFP)

An Egungun, a visible manifestation of the spirits of departed ancestors who periodically revisit the human community for remembrance, celebration, and blessings dances a Voodoo convent in Ouidah, on January 9, 2025 during the first day of the Voodoo Festival. (Photo by OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT / AFP)

An Egungun, a visible manifestation of the spirits of departed ancestors who periodically revisit the human community for remembrance, celebration, and blessings is seen in Ouidah, on January 9, 2025 during the first day of the Voodoo Festival. (Photo by OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT / AFP)

An Egungun, a visible manifestation of the spirits of departed ancestors who periodically revisit the human community for remembrance, celebration, and blessings dances as musicians cheer in Ouidah, on January 9, 2025 during the first day of the Voodoo Festival. (Photo by OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT / AFP)

An Egungun, a visible manifestation of the spirits of departed ancestors who periodically revisit the human community for remembrance, celebration, and blessings dances in Ouidah, on January 9, 2025 during the first day of the Voodoo Festival. (Photo by OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT / AFP)

An Egungun, a visible manifestation of the spirits of departed ancestors who periodically revisit the human community for remembrance, celebration, and blessings walks in Ouidah, on January 9, 2025 during the first day of the Voodoo Festival. (Photo by OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT / AFP)

Dancers of the Thron Kpeto Deka walks in Ouidah, on January 9, 2025 during the Voodoo Festival. (Photo by OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT / AFP)

A woman walks near the python temple in Ouidah, on January 9, 2025 during the Voodoo Festival. (Photo by OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT / AFP)

An Egungun, a visible manifestation of the spirits of departed ancestors who periodically revisit the human community for remembrance, celebration, and blessings is ssen in Ouidah, on January 9, 2025 during the first day of the Voodoo Festival. (Photo by OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT / AFP)

TOPSHOT - An Egungun, a visible manifestation of the spirits of departed ancestors who periodically revisit the human community for remembrance, celebration, and blessings dances in Ouidah, on January 9, 2025 during the first day of the Voodoo Festival. (Photo by OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT / AFP)

A woman looks at Egungun, a visible manifestation of the spirits of departed ancestors who periodically revisit the human community for remembrance, celebration, and blessings dancing in Ouidah, on January 9, 2025 during the first day of the Voodoo Festival. (Photo by OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT / AFP)

An Egungun, a visible manifestation of the spirits of departed ancestors who periodically revisit the human community for remembrance, celebration, and blessings dances in Ouidah, on January 9, 2025 during the first day of the Voodoo Festival. (Photo by OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT / AFP)

A man catches his drum as Egungun, a visible manifestation of the spirits of departed ancestors who periodically revisit the human community for remembrance, celebration, and blessings dance in Ouidah, on January 9, 2025 during the first day of the Voodoo Festival. (Photo by OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT / AFP)

An Egungun, a visible manifestation of the spirits of departed ancestors who periodically revisit the human community for remembrance, celebration, and blessings dances in the middle of the public in Ouidah, on January 9, 2025 during the first day of the Voodoo Festival. (Photo by OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT / AFP)

An Egungun, a visible manifestation of the spirits of departed ancestors who periodically revisit the human community for remembrance, celebration, and blessings dances in the middle of the public in Ouidah, on January 9, 2025 during the first day of the Voodoo Festival. (Photo by OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT / AFP)

A dignitary of the Thron Kpeto Deka poses in Ouidah, on January 9, 2025 during the Voodoo Festival. (Photo by OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT / AFP)

A dignitary of the Thron Kpeto Deka poses in Ouidah, on January 9, 2025 during the Voodoo Festival. (Photo by OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT / AFP)

AFP presents a reportage of 34 pictures taken by photographer Olympia de Maismont at the Voodoo Festival in Ouidah on January 9, 2025. Search all these reportage images using: BENIN-CULTURE-VOODOO Search "REPORTAGE" to source all feature, magazine and photo essays (Photo by OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT / AFP)