Safari-time

My brother's visit to Benin offered the perfect excuse to finally go to Park Pendjari.  Phenomenal.  Rainy season is the off season for the park--animals are supposed to be harder to spot since there isn't a central water hole everyone is crowding around.  However, this means that the area is gorgeous and green-- and that we basically had the place to ourselves.  We spent 2 1/2 days on top of a SUV trying to spot animals, and saw most everything we were hoping to, minus the big cats.  Total cost of the 72 hour expedition (with food, hotel, driver, etc.) was about $165 a person.  Not too shabby.  Photos come from me, Erik, and Stephanie's camera.

Day 1... the crew, ready to go

setting out

family of babboons by the water hole

huge termite mounds everywhere we went

Our first elephant!  Munchin on some tree for lunch

How we spent the 3 days

Waterbuck; also known as "horse antelope"

Babboon crossing.  They were always travelling in big groups

Swimming in the waterfalls near our hotel after a long day on the road

this older monkey was apparently sick, but let us get really close!

With our guide, Bernard

Family of 5!!

Trunk action

the smaller monkeys would usually run off and hide in the trees but we got a quick picture of this one

Deer crossing during a rain break

Babboon clan... making their escape

Scampering away

Out at the park first thing to better our chances...

and saw a herd of water buffalo!

They wouldn't stick around us for long...

Yeah... the mornings were a bit chilly

More babboons.  This group was really close to the car.

The closest we got to an elephant!  This dude was eating a tree near our car.  Here he's showin' off them dumbo ears

love this picture.  looks like he's laughing for us

One of many cool trees.

The ever attractive Hembre duo

Our hut for the stay

OK so we didn't actually see lions... but we did see some lion tracks in the mud!

At the entrance: Ouesse commune close mates; safari pose!

Animal themed jumping pic.  Goodbye Pendjari!!

The Coronation of a King

One of my first weekends after moving to Parakou I was invited to Péréré to participate in the festivities for the coronation of the new village king.  Ryan, a former Peace Corps volunteer, has been living in this village for 14 years now--a small, rural Bariba community that he has become a part of.  After being placed in Péréré for his service, his work partner unexpectedly died, leaving behind a home full of children that needed caring for.  Since then, Ryan has taken in 10-15 kids (I can't remember the exact number) and has been putting them all through school and acting as the father they are all missing.  He is an incredibly gracious host and made the weekend incredible for the 6 of us who came out.

Saturday was spent touring the town, playing with the mobs of children excited about seeing new white people, and visiting the village elders and king-to-be as they perform all of their pre-coronation rituals.  The entire village was celebrating, so everywhere we went there were huts filled with families and friends and music playing in the streets.

Sunday was the big celebration.  The morning started off with parades coming in from all the nearby villages.  Groups of women would march in behind drum troops, stopping every now and again to dance, in the center would be a few with basins on their heads filled with gifts for the new king and topped with bizarre decorations--baby dolls, inflatable Santa Clauses, photos of deceased relatives, rubber ducks, etc.  All the women of Péréré were out making food and dancing to the drums.  Later in morning, the village kings made their entrance on their elaborately dressed horses to march through town, ending at the king's hut.  All the dancing and drumming troops ended up there, setting down their gifts in a row.  A young boy sat in the middle and was publicly washed by women as he prepared to take the old name of the new king.  Becoming the king, he leaves his old identity behind--passing along the name to a younger relative-- and accepting his new identity as chief.

The photos are a peek into the weekend's festivities.  Such an incredible experience and glance at traditional Bariba culture.  All photo credits go out to Eric Newton