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MACRO-CULTURE OF THE FON OF BÉNIN
Andrew Gordon
Cosmology The Fon do not appear to spend much time or energy speculating about the way the world is structured. The are much more concerned with doing what is necessary to keep their world, and that of their families, going. Thus, they follow the traditions of the ancestors and perform the prescribed ceremonies without a well-defined cosmology. Whenever I asked people to describe to me their cosmogeny or cosmology, they would either give me a version of the biblical Creation story or simply tell me that God created the world and that He created the vodouns. Now, they say, God keeps the world going. One 64-year old man told me that I would need to speak with someone who is old to hear the stories that the ancestors told about the creation of the world and how the world is structured. When I asked what happens to a person who has died, they would begin to give me details of the funeral procedures themselves. It appears that it is mostly the religious practitioners who have a well-defined cosmogeny or cosmology. From the practices and beliefs of the people, though, one can reconstruct a general idea of the cosmology of the people. It seems that the world is generally hostile toward man. Thus, he must obtain the power he needs to overcome this hostile environment. This generally comes in the form of submitting to those who are higher in the hierarchical structure, appeasing the spirits of the dead, and appealing to the vodouns for their aid. The spirit of one who dies becomes a "ghost," an evil spirit. The sole desire of this spirit is to find a home in the place of the dead. But he must continue to exist in the world of the living until his relatives perform the necessary rites to transport him to the place of the dead. Thus, if the family delays too long, the spirit will begin to torment the people, going so far as killing some of the family members. There is an annual ceremony to honor the spirits of the ancestors. This is done to avert their wrath and gain their favor. The spirits of powerful personages are especially important. For example, if someone was a powerful healer when living, his spirit can be invoked to obtain healings. His family will place a metal symbol representing this person in a hut specially constructed to house these symbols, and will make sacrifices to the spirits represented by these symbols. The people have a wide range of gods from which to seek power. Mawu is regarded as too distant, or too impotent, to help each person directly, so he has delegated this authority to the vodouns. A few of these vodouns, such are worshipped on some form by most of the people. Cultural Variability Stable v. Unstable Fon culture is extremely stable. Although there have been enormous changes in the world in the past century, the basic structure and lifestyle within Fon society has changed very little. The changes in government - from the kingdom to colonialization to socialism to democracy - have had minimal effect on the structure of Fon society, especially at the village level. Some Western products have become widely available, but are primarily looked upon as improved versions items which were formerly produced locally. Western education and employment structures have produced an intellectual class and an urban middle class, but again, this has had minimal effect in the villages. THE FON OF BÉNIN
Culture Report Predictable vs. Unpredictable It appears that only the evangelical Christian churches are causing a bit of instability. Predictable vs. Unpredictable Not only is the society stable, but it is predictable. Each person knows his place in the society. Rules of proper behavior are The limitsor within the family and community are very narrow. Deviations from these limits bring shame upon the individual or family and/or are punished. Thus, people are not likely to stray from the norm (at least, not openly). In their relations with the "spiritual" world, the people know what is expected of them. The actions of the spirits may in some ways be "unpredictable," especially considering the multiplicity of spirits and "gods," and sorcery can be used unexpectedly against someone. But there are normal channels through which a person can determine what went wrong and how to restore normality.
Culteral Complexity It appears that Fon culture is a high context culture. The majority of the "rules for getting by in life" seem to be implicit rather than explicit. People, when asked why they do or believe certain things often are at a loss to give a reason. It's the way their ancestors did it, and they do it the same way now.
Cultural Hostility Toward Outsiders Like most or all cultures, the Fon have a measure of ethnocentricity, especially in the area of their traditions. However, there seems to be little hostility toward outsiders. Foreigners are received well in a village - especially, of course, if it is expected that these foreigners will improve the living conditions of the villagers. Newcomers are expected to preserve the harmony in a village. They will not be allowed to disrupt the society. Often, wives are sought in other parts of Benin and brought back to Fon villages. I am tol or surrounding countriesd that they are treated no different than native Fon women. Men seek work in other parts of the country, particularly the north, with no apparent misgivings about potential hostilities due to ethnic differences. Toward Change The Fon appear to be open to material change. Roads, schools, wells, and electricity are sought after. However, such changes have actually had minimal effect on the quality of life of most people. Even new churches are welcomed - at least insofar as these churches don't call for a turning aways from the traditional religion, particularly the family ancestral cults. Thus, superficial change is welcomed, but change in the area of traditional worship is resisted. Fon culture appears to be, for the most part, independent of other cultures. It has borrowed religious cults and ideas from other cultures, but these have always been adapted to their own religion.
Financially, as Support So far, devaluation has forces people to do without some things, but does not seem to have greatly affected the "quality of life" of the vast majority of the people, who were poor to begin with. International aid programs have helped to dig wells, improve agriculture, and build and maintain schools. These projects have had a positive effect on those communities in which have been implemented. Various items are imported from other countries, but they are not of great consequence. terd Thus, the Fon depend to a very limited extent on other cultures, and there is virtually no dependence of other cultures upon the Fon.
Cosmogeny/Cosmology There are various types of "soul." After a woman has been pregnant for 6 months or so, divination will be performed to determine which has formed the baby: one of the fetishes, or a joto, which is the spirit of an ancestor long dead. If it is a fetish, the child will be given to that fetish, and he will enter into the coven of that fetish when the time comes. If it is a joto, the diviner will determine which one. It is thought that this joto will inhabit the child.
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