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Adventures with Kingsley Holgate - 'The Invisible Gun'

Adventures with Kingsley Holgate - 'The Invisible Gun'

Author: Kingsley Holgate
Date: 2017-03-31

We find ourselves standing under a creepy-looking statue made from bits of metal and stuck with nails in the Kpasse Sacred Forest. "This one's very interesting," says Emanuel Sandou. "It's known as Tchakatou - the Invisible Gun." Popularised by Hollywood, it's the dark side of Voodoo he's talking about. "If you know the full name of your enemy and certain incantations, Tchakatou can kill them from afar."

Emanuel tells us about a strange thing that happened: "In the early 90s, President Nicephore Soglo fell seriously ill; poison was suspected. Medical specialists in France couldn't cure him but Voodoo priests identified he'd been struck down by a Voodoo spell and they saved his life. It was he who declared Voodoo an official religion in Benin and gave his blessing to Ouidah's annual Voodoo Festival." The entrance to the Sacred Forest is flanked by leopard statues - the emblem of the royal house of Kpasse, symbolising power. Legend has it that Kpasse, a 14thcentury chief in the Dahomey Kingdom transformed himself into a tree in order to hide from his enemies and so founded the town of Ouidah. An ancient Iroko tree still marks the spot and believers leave offerings by its roots. Statues depicting many Voodoo divinities are scattered about the forest: there's Legba, the wide-eyed, horned god of protection and bringer of new life, sitting on a traditional stool with his hands on his knees. There are the male and female gods of thunder & lightening, Aidohwedo - the rainbow god depicted as a snake eating its tail (also the god of continuity and wealth) and Sakpata - the deity of smallpox who cures epidemics. "See this one - he's Tohossou, a three-headed Dwaarve god of lagoons and water." "Dwaarve " I ask, thinking Emanuel has broken into French again. "Yes, Dwaarve you know - small people We like them and have many in Benin." Oh - dwarfs!

Standing here, my mind drifts back to our Outside Edge expedition a decade ago when in three Land Rovers, we'd tracked the outline of Africa. Here in this same sacred place, with a group of Land Rover journalists and Ross Holgate sick as a dog with malaria, to the accompaniment of drums, singing and dancing, his Majesty the Voodoo King Mito Daho Mindji Kpassenon had - along with Nobel Peace Laureates Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu and many others - endorsed our scroll of Peace and Goodwill with these words: "I do appreciate what you are doing for peace and malaria. We Voodoo people thank you for this great work."

Out of the Sacred Forest - we struggle to find parking for our Disco; the heat bounces off the streets jam-packed with Voodoo devotees. "But you must get a badge," says Emmanuel. I gather he means some sort of permission. In an ancient building our passport details are slowly entered into a ledger and 1,500 West African francs (CFAs) later, we are in possession of an 'Atorisation' issued by 'Le Chef Spirituel Suprême Vodoun Hwendo - Dada Daagbo Hounon Hounan II', which grandly states in French that we are allowed to observe and photograph the greatest Voodoo Festival in Africa.

Will keep you posted.