Published
Video length: 4 min
Benin: the heat of Kaléta during the holiday season
Benin: the heat of Kaléta during the holiday season – (France 2)
Direction Cotonou, in Benin, where as the end-of-year celebrations approach, children roam the streets of the city, costumed and masked, dancing to the rhythm of percussionists. A tradition called Kaléta. Reporting.
In Benin, Christmas is an opportunity to celebrate the Kaléta tradition. Throughout the month of December, children dress up and dance in the streets. The kalétas wear multi-colored masks, and cover themselves from head to toe with torn fabrics, gloves and raffia skirts. To attract more people, they sometimes climb on stilts and are rewarded with treats or money.
Uncertain origins
The custom is dear to Marius Gnide, the founder of the Kaleta Carnival in Cotonou. “It’s a great moment, because it’s a moment that brings people together”, he explains. The origins of the tradition are uncertain. Some of her followers believe that she belongs to the voodoo cult. To become Kaléta, you must follow an initiation session, only open to boys. In Benin, many also consider Kaléta to be a popular festival, imported from Brazil at the beginning of the 19th century by former slaves.
