THE WAY OF REMEMBERING

PROGRAM OUTLINE

8 Day Travel & Study Program Itinerary

Day 1 – Sunday, March 28, 2004

Today you will depart from New York JFK International Airport at 10:00 p.m. local time on Air France Flight # AF 009 to begin a 8-day study tour to Benin and Togo. It is very important that you report at Air France ticketing and baggage counter, Terminal #1 of the airport, at least 3 hours before departure time.

A staff of Africa First, LLC, holding a placard bearing the company’s name, will be there to assist you with necessary directions and preparations for your flight.

[It is possible to arrange flights from other U.S. airports for departure to Benin at extra costs.]

Day 2 – Monday, March 29, 2004

Your flight will arrive in Charles de Gaulle International Airport, Paris, at 11:50 a.m. local time. You will connect with Air France Flight # AF 814 departing Paris at 1:30 p.m. for a non-stop flight to Cotonou International Airport, Benin, arriving there at 6:50 p.m. local time.

On arrival, staff of African Agency for Tourism, agents for Africa First, LLC, will meet and assist you through immigration and customs checkpoints. A welcoming party will be at the airport to greet you with African folklores, drumming and dancing.

You will embark an air-conditioned luxurious bus, which will transfer you to Benin Marina Hotel (4 star) for check-in. After refreshment, you will have a welcome dinner and witness an African ballet dance. Retire to your room to rest for the night. D. 

Day 3 – Tuesday, March 30, 2004

After early morning continental breakfast, go to the Vivo Ballroom in the hotel for orientation and a half-day of lectures and a film show highlighting on history, slavery, religion and culture under the theme “THE WAY OF REMEMBERING: RITES-RITUALS AND SYMBOLISM”. Today’s program [subject to change] will fully prepare you to understand every aspect of this study tour.  Overnight at the hotel.  (B.L.)

Day 4 – Wednesday, March 31, 2004

After a continental breakfast, you will embark an air-conditioned luxurious bus to Ouidah. This town is very important in the history of the African Diaspora because it served as a central depot for the slave trade, which spanned four centuries between West Africa, Europe, Brazil, the USA and the Caribbean.

Voodoo religion was born in the Republic of Benin. And it remains the official religion of this West African nation. Every year, the Government of Benin and the Association for The Promotion of Traditional Medicine (PROMETRA) jointly organize traditional ceremonies in the observance of voodoo religion national holiday on the 10^th day of January.

It is from the shores of Ouidah, that many years ago, millions of Africans were, under inhumane conditions, sold and transported, across the treacherous seas, into slavery. African slaves survived the evil effects of slavery because of spirituality.  Because of their ancestral beliefs and reliance on spirituality, Africans and people of the African Diaspora continue to exist as a people in spite of the irreversible difficulties slavery has brought upon them.

This beach is one of the many that began the tragic journey of the Middle Passage. This beautiful beach is now quiet and the home of PROMETRA's Diaspora Bridge Project entitled, “The Door of Return” (La Porte de Retour). As one travels to this beach, we drive down the earth-paved street, Route of the Slaves, lined with individual statues that depict the history of African culture. At the end of this road, The Republic of Benin has built a monument, “Gate of No Return”, depicting a global symbol of the atrocities of slavery and the hope of the future.

We begin our ceremonial participation with welcoming rituals performed in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean.  We will then participate in the official Opening Welcome Ceremony, where we will meet and hear presentations given by the Republic of Benin, National Culte du Voudun, UNESCO and visiting dignitaries. Following these presentations, we will walk to the welcoming statue, "Mother Africa Welcomes Her Returning Children". This statue portrays the children of the world's Diaspora returning from the sea, back to the arms of Mother Africa.

We will then walk through The Door of Return to enter the grounds of this Diaspora commune. This gate symbolizes a large, open, welcoming door, inviting one to enter. The invitation is for all of the world's people to enter - as all people evolved from the birthplace of man, Africa. One approaches a large, carved column statute, which symbolizes and depicts the commonness and humanity of all peoples. It is here where we ask you to forget your occupation and your station in life, and become simply one human being in the family of man. This is the only true way to undertake this important and life-changing journey.

This land is special in many ways - its history of slavery, its richness in agriculture, its home to the African kingdoms of Dahomey and of the Hulwa people. This specific commune is also the home of a small voodoo shrine honoring one of the forty-one voodoo spirits. We begin by paying our respects to this spirit and his shrine. We will participate in a short ceremony and ritual that will be led by a local Voodoo priest. It is usual for one to provide an offering to the spirits to ask for their blessings and guidance. These offerings can be food, candles, powder or one of the sacred fluids (water, milk, blood). This ceremony will include an animal sacrifice. Sacrifice is a very important part of this system of spirituality and we invite you to understand its sacredness.

We then continue our day's journey by visiting The Museum of The Door of Return - a museum recently built to honor the slavery period of African history and to celebrate the life of the generations of those who survived its atrocities. This will be a participatory experience in which we invite you to share the experiences of slavery - from the breasts of Africa to the shores of the western world. The journey one travels, is from the bondage to the breaking of the chains. You enter the museum passing bronze sculptures of enslaved Africans breaking free of their chains.

These statutes are the work of Nigerian artist, Benjamin Mafort of Lagos. The last room of this museum is dedicated to the ancestors of those who visit us from distant shores. We want to welcome all back home, especially our ancestors who are unable to return physically. Please bring with you a small memento of your departed ancestors (a photo, piece of clothing, letter, favorite object) that we will ask you to place in this museum. A small ceremony to welcome them back to their homeland provides a bridge for them. This room will soon be full of the names and mementos of thousands of ancestors of the Diaspora whose souls will rest peacefully here.

The afternoon at the "Door of Return" concludes with time for reflection, a short visit to the river or beach, and participation in the ceremonial fire ritual, which will be the closing event of our day.

In order to avoid interruption in the performance and observance of the various ceremonies, a light lunch will be served at some point at the beach. You will then return to Benin Marina Hotel for an overnight. (B.L).

Day 5 – Thursday, April 1, 2004

After early morning continental breakfast, you will depart on an air-conditioned bus for a memorable educational trip to the Republic of Togo. Your destination is Kpakossou Temple, Aklakou, where you will participate in voodoo rites and ceremonies, to be performed by the Hounongan, Aklakou Voodoo High Priest. The rites and ceremonies will include singing, drumming and dancing. You will have lunch during the trip before returning to Benin Marin Hotel for overnight.  (B.L.)

Day 6 – Friday, April 2, 2004

After a very early morning continental breakfast, depart for Grand Popo, for an exciting experience of a lifetime.  Here, you will experience the mystical powers of ten (10) different Zangbeto groups, in the demonstration and experimentations of the link between the soul of man and the soul of the environment. These energy excises will enable participants to understand that life is series of cycles from birth to death and beyond.

After lunch, you will travel by an air-conditioned bus to Vedoko, in Cotonou, to participate in an evening Voodoo Mass Worship.  This spiritual service begins with an offering of libation of milk, eggs and water at the entrance of the church house.  The congregation sits on benches like in any other church sanctuary.

The church followers sing and dance; some of them fall into trance and reveal secrets and mysteries of the past and the future. 

Hounongan Guindehou, the high priest of the church, will preach the sermon and offer communion of kola nuts to the congregation during this service.

The rituals in this church are the ancient heritage of our ancestors, and they reveal the triumph of dignity and justice over evil. You will return to Benin Marina Hotel for overnight.  (B.L.)

Day 7 – Saturday, April 3, 2004

After a continental breakfast, depart to Sahoue Doutou to experience the National Culte of Voodoo in Benin. You will see a variety of voodoo shrines and witness rituals and ceremonies of this ancient African religious practice. The ceremonies will include singing, drumming, dancing and meditation at the grave of Soussa Guedehoungue, the first President of the National Community of the Voodoo Cult in Benin. You will have lunch before returning to Benin Marina Hotel for overnight. (B.L.)

Day 8 - Sunday, April 4, 2004

Today is for packing and preparation to return home.  You will check out of your room at 12 o'clock in the afternoon.  When you check out, your luggage will be stored in a secured room in the hotel.  You will be given access to a special room for refreshment.  It is therefore a day at leisure for last minute shopping at the Arts Center and the Dantokpa Market (one of the largest in West Africa).

Prometra’s representatives will have a short intellectual exchange with participants at the Vivo Ballroom of the hotel to reflect on the impressions and gains of this study tour. This will be followed by an early afternoon farewell lunch, an African naming ceremony and award of certificates.  The rest of the day to yourself.

At 8 p.m. local time, you will be transferred to the airport and provided assistance, to embark Air France Flight # AF 813, which will depart Cotonou at 11:15 p.m. local time to Charles de Gaulle Airport, Paris. Your flight will arrive on April 5, 2004 at 06:25 am local time.

You will then connect with Air France Flight # AF 022 which departs Paris at 08:25 local time for JFK International Airport, arriving in New York at 10:20 p.m. local time.

End of program.