Relics, such as skulls, hold profound significance in various cultures worldwide. These tangible links to our ancestors maintain their memory and forge a connection between the living and the dead. Among the Fon ethnic group of Benin, the veneration of skull relics is a deeply rooted practice that continues to this day.
The Significance of Skull Relics
Skull relics are not uncommon in certain ancient communities, including the Dayaks of Borneo, the Sepik region of Papua New Guinea, and various tribes in Africa, such as the Tiv of Nigeria, the Kota of Gabon, and the Fon of Benin. These skulls are often meticulously modeled, coated in thick layers of clay, and sometimes adorned with diverse materials like red Abrus seeds.
The Fon Tradition
According to a local Fon source (a Vodun priest named Gambada), these relics were primarily used by the Ada people for divination rituals. During the 1970s, the then-President Kérékou banned the use of these relics, forcing their owners to conceal or bury them, as possession or use could result in imprisonment.
The Ritual Significance
The Fon skull relics held profound ritual significance, particularly in matters of marital fidelity. On the first day of marriage, couples would visit a fetish priest, who might recommend that they pass naked before an altar where one of these skulls was placed, then kneel and pray. If either spouse were to betray their promise of loyalty, they would be punished by the ancestors, falling gravely ill or even succumbing to madness.
However, if the unfaithful party acknowledged their transgression, they could return to the altar, accompanied by an elder, to seek the ancestors’ forgiveness and the appropriate purification ceremony, which often led to divorce, barring the unfaithful individual from remarrying.
The Fon skull relics are a testament to the enduring cultural practices and beliefs of this African ethnic group. These tangible links to the past hold deep spiritual significance, serving as a means of communication with the ancestors and a vessel for the preservation of cherished traditions. Despite the challenges posed by societal changes, the Fon people’s reverence for these relics continues to thrive, ensuring the perpetuation of their rich cultural heritage.
