Story of African Zangbeto Dance: Unique Tradition or Witchcraft?

T he empty object in the above picture can talk, dance, or even walk on water without arms or face. Shocking! Right? Well, this is the African Zangbeto Dance which is very popular in the Ogu/ Voodoo culture of Africa. The man seen in the picture is a mediator who can communicate with both the spirit inside the Zangbeto and the people of the community.

Whenever we hear the word “Voodoo”, we generally associate it with witchcraft, but it is a religion followed by almost 30 lakh people in West African countries especially in Ghana, Nigeria, and Benin.

“Voodoo is one of the oldest religious practices. It got negative publicity because of the colonizers who were scared of their African slaves practicing Voodoo. Though some Voodoo practices can be harmful, it is generally practiced for the betterment of the community by worshipping the ancestors” – said a Voodoo practitioner.

Some of the Voodoo practices are also reflected in many popular movies like The Black Panther of Avengers and the Pirates of the Caribbean which have done great at the box office.

You must be confused, why am I talking about Voodoo, when this blog is actually about the African Zangbeto? Well, that is because without Voodoo there is no Zangbeto.

“Zangbeto” literally means “night watchman” or the “men of the night”. They are known to be the primary police force of the Voodoo community, who not only guard them at night but also maintain law and order. These Zangbetos may appear as mere conical structures made of colorful threads but can do wonders when possessed by the spirits of the ancestors.

Thus, the African Zangbetos are supernatural-possessed beings valued as gods by many and the African magic dance performed by these Zangbetos guarantees the protection of the village against evil spirits and malicious people. The African Zangbeta Dance mostly consists of spinning movements which symbolizes the cleansing of the village.

To know more about the African Zangbeto Dance, let’s first go back to the origins and know the story of the African Zangbeto Dance.

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Story of African Zangbeto Dance

The Story of African Zangbeto Dance suggests that it emerged out of necessity as a traditional military organization responsible for defending these coastal towns from all the external/ internal forces. Apart from acting as a protector, the African Zangbeto was also an arm of the traditional ruling institution that maintained law and order in the region. 

But, in today’s times, the African Zangbeto Dance can only be seen during major Zangbeto festivals across the country.

But, this story of African Zangbeto Dance does not specify what’s inside this structure. Well, these structures are empty! 

If it’s empty, how does it do all the police work and the dancing? According to the followers of Voodoo culture, this African Voodoo dance performed by the Zangbetos is actually done by the spirits of “night watchmen” who make them do all the work.

Does that mean that spirits exist? There are several forms of African Voodoo dance and the African Zangbeto dance is just one of them. This African Magic Dance is beyond human understanding and defies science.

Now that we have learned about the origins and the story of African Zangbeto Dance, let’s learn more about these unusual dancing structures.

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Structure and Features African Zangbeto 

During the African Zangbeto Dance, this holy costume is worn/ inhabited by the spirits of the night. Sometimes, the spirit also demands a costume to be made of bamboo and banana threads, which signifies a bad omen or an angry spirit. If a spirit dressed in this costume and performed the African magic dance, then it symbolizes destruction and creates the impression of darkness as per the Voodoo culture. 

Features of African Zangbeto

• Colorful threads – The Zangbeto costume is decorated with colorful threads which are dyed using special herbs available naturally. These colors are highly symbolic and add an element of beauty to the African Zangbeto Dance. The colors signify various aspects of life like red – strength, green – fertility, yellow – progress, purple – pain, brown – sacrifice, and the blend of all signifies maturity. 
• Attachments – The Adrican Zangbeto costumes are sometimes attached with several attachments depending on the purpose/ occasion. Normal decorative items include braids, horns, pearls, decorative jewelry, headgear, scarves, etc. When the Zangbeto wants to communicate with the people of the community then a decorative mask is attached on top which appears to the face.
• Gender – One of the most interesting features of an African Zangbeto or as we can say “the spirit of night” is that it is often portrayed to be gender neutral. The Voodoo community believes that human strength does not reside in males or females, but a harmonious co-existence of both can do wonders. As you read further you will know how some Zangbetos also give birth to smaller Zangbetos and also have warrior-like spirits. The gender of African Zangbeto is very mysterious as it works both as male and female. Thus, it is a common belief that these “ancestral spirits” are gender-neutral.

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Types of African Zangbeto

1. Zaholu

As Zaholu emerges from the sea, it is generally spotted in the coastal areas or riverbanks during midnight around the festival time. Zaholu disappears from the public 3 days before it appears again in front of the public during festivals.

2. Ataho

One of the most popular magic tricks of Ataho is even if you burn the Zangbeto costume possessed by the spirit of Ataho, it will continue dancing until it burns down completely and turns into ash. If another Zangbeto costume is placed above the ash it will immediately turn into a living Zangbeto and continue dancing with its graceful movements.

Another magic trick involves giving birth to a smaller Zangbeto. Mind-blowing, Isn’t it? This act of giving birth represents the blessing of the ancestors that they give to the land to increase productivity. The birth of the smaller Zangbeto means that the ancestors themselves have come down to earth to bless the people.

3. Oho Yin-Yin Ataho

The Oho Yin-Yin Ataho symbolizes youth because of its quickness, agility, and lack of complications. This spirit not only possesses strength, agility, and power but can also transfer these qualities to the community.

4. Ohosi

In cultural terms, the names ending with “Si” are generally feminine. Despite all the warrior-like masculine qualities, the name of this Zangbeto spirit is feminine, and also wears braids like that of a female. These feminine and masculine qualities prove that the spirits are gender-neutral.

How Does The African Zangbeto Help The Community Today?

A few years ago, the mangroves along the coasts of Benin had shrunk massively due to excessive and illegal fishing activities. In the following Zangbeto festivals, the deity/ spirit of the ancestors spoke in the form of Zangbeto and stated that “No one will cut/cause any harm to the mangroves. If anyone found guilty, they will be punished and face the wrath of the deity. They will also be charged a fine of 1,20,000 Franc”.

After listening to the deity, several small versions of the African Zangbeto were installed on the edges of the mangroves by the locals. This actually worked and there was significant growth in the mangrove forest area.

Conclusion

As far as the African Zangbeto Dance is concerned, there are several places on Earth that defy science and are beyond human understanding and this is just one of them. It is astonishing how spirits can do wonders and make an empty object dance.

Witnessing this extraordinary act has now been added to my bucket list as it has generated immense curiosity in my mind, regarding the Voodoo culture. So, when are you planning to go and witness the African Zangbeto Dance?