Thinking About Initiation: Spiritual Education and Cultural Identity in Benin

Hounyoton Hospice Bienvenu; Ahouandjinou Raymond-Bernard; Bani Hamadou; Odoubourou Angèle Bénédicte

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ash.20251101.11

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Thinking About Initiation: Spiritual Education and Cultural Identity in Benin

Hounyoton Hospice Bienvenu^*

, Ahouandjinou Raymond-Bernard

, Bani Hamadou

, Odoubourou Angèle Bénédicte

Published in Advances in Sciences and Humanities (Volume 11, Issue 1)

Received: 10 December 2024 Accepted: 10 January 2025 Published: 24 January 2025

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Abstract

This article, based on an in-depth ethnographic study, highlights the essential role of initiation rites, such as Chakpanna, Ochoumaré, Monlou, Oro and Hunzizon...etc., in identity-building and social cohesion in Benin, drawing on participant observations and testimonials from social actors to demonstrate that they constitute a comprehensive traditional educational process. The study underlines the importance of transmitting ancestral knowledge, respect for tradition, solidarity and courage, which are essential to social cohesion and the preservation of Benin's cultural heritage, while exploring the interactions between the traditional education of initiation rites, informal family education and formal modern education, as well as the challenges posed by modernity. The study underlines the need for constructive dialogue between traditional authorities, government institutions and civil society to balance tradition and evolution, thus ensuring the transmission of initiation rites to future generations, while opening up promising research prospects, including comparative studies with other African cultures to better understand the diversity of these rites and their role in identity building in a changing world.

Published in	Advances in Sciences and Humanities (Volume 11, Issue 1)
DOI	10.11648/j.ash.20251101.11
Page(s)	1-10
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Rites of Initiation, Traditional Education, Spiritual Education, Cultural Identity, Social Cohesion, Modernity

References

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[2]	Cazeneuve, J. (1971). Sociology of Rite. Presses Universities de France.
[3]	Diop, C. A. (1981). Civilization or Barbarism: Essay on the Problematics of the Anthropology of Black Africa. Présence Africaine.
[4]	Douglas, M. (1966). Purity and Danger: An Analysis of Concepts of Pollution and Taboo. Routledge & Kegan Paul.
[5]	Durkheim, É. (1912). The Elementary Forms of Religious Life. Félix Alcan.
[6]	Geertz, C. (1973). The Interpretation of Cultures: Selected Essays. Basic Books.
[7]	Guéhi, B. T. (2021). African Cultures and Citizenship Education: Crossed Perspectives. Editions Universitaires de Côte d'Ivoire.
[8]	Hounyoton, H. B. (2017). The Vidomɛgɔnat: Socialization and Child Protection in Benin from the Origins to the Present Day. Editions Monde Global, Collection Essais Sociologie/Anthropologie.
[9]	Labarrière, P-J. (1981). The Religious Man and His Experiences of the Sacred. Fayard.
[10]	Lévi-Strauss, C. (1958). Structural Anthropology. Plon.
[11]	Lévi-Strauss, C. (1962). The Savage Thought. Plon.
[12]	Malinowski, B. (1948). Magic, Science and Religion and Other Essays. Glencoe, IL: The Free Press.
[13]	Mauss, M. (1925). Essay on the Gift: Form and Reason for Exchange in Archaic Societies. L'Année Sociologique, 1, 30-186.
[14]	Ngugi wa Thiong'o. (1965). The River Between. Nairobi: Heinemann.
[15]	Ngugi wa Thiong'o. (2022). Decolonizing the Mind: The Politics of Language in African Literature. East African Educational Publishers.
[16]	Olivier de Sardan, J.-P. (1995). Anthropology and Development: An Approach through Social Practices. Karthala.
[17]	Rocher, G. (1968). Introduction to General Sociology. HMH.
[18]	Turner, V. (1969). The Ritual Process: Structure and Anti-Structure. Aldine Publishing Company.
[19]	Van Gennep, A. (1909). Rites of passage. Émile Nourry.
[20]	Wach, J. (1955). Sociology of Religion. University of Chicago Press.
[21]	Wach, J. (1978). The Comparative Study of Religions. Columbia University Press.

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APA Style

Bienvenu, H. H., Raymond-Bernard, A., Hamadou, B., Bénédicte, O. A. (2025). Thinking About Initiation: Spiritual Education and Cultural Identity in Benin. Advances in Sciences and Humanities, 11(1), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ash.20251101.11

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ACS Style

Bienvenu, H. H.; Raymond-Bernard, A.; Hamadou, B.; Bénédicte, O. A. Thinking About Initiation: Spiritual Education and Cultural Identity in Benin. Adv. Sci. Humanit. 2025, 11(1), 1-10. doi: 10.11648/j.ash.20251101.11

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AMA Style

Bienvenu HH, Raymond-Bernard A, Hamadou B, Bénédicte OA. Thinking About Initiation: Spiritual Education and Cultural Identity in Benin. Adv Sci Humanit. 2025;11(1):1-10. doi: 10.11648/j.ash.20251101.11

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@article{10.11648/j.ash.20251101.11,
  author = {Hounyoton Hospice Bienvenu and Ahouandjinou Raymond-Bernard and Bani Hamadou and Odoubourou Angèle Bénédicte},
  title = {Thinking About Initiation: Spiritual Education and Cultural Identity in Benin
},
  journal = {Advances in Sciences and Humanities},
  volume = {11},
  number = {1},
  pages = {1-10},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ash.20251101.11},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ash.20251101.11},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ash.20251101.11},
  abstract = {This article, based on an in-depth ethnographic study, highlights the essential role of initiation rites, such as Chakpanna, Ochoumaré, Monlou, Oro and Hunzizon...etc., in identity-building and social cohesion in Benin, drawing on participant observations and testimonials from social actors to demonstrate that they constitute a comprehensive traditional educational process. The study underlines the importance of transmitting ancestral knowledge, respect for tradition, solidarity and courage, which are essential to social cohesion and the preservation of Benin's cultural heritage, while exploring the interactions between the traditional education of initiation rites, informal family education and formal modern education, as well as the challenges posed by modernity. The study underlines the need for constructive dialogue between traditional authorities, government institutions and civil society to balance tradition and evolution, thus ensuring the transmission of initiation rites to future generations, while opening up promising research prospects, including comparative studies with other African cultures to better understand the diversity of these rites and their role in identity building in a changing world.
},
 year = {2025}
}

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T1  - Thinking About Initiation: Spiritual Education and Cultural Identity in Benin

AU  - Hounyoton Hospice Bienvenu
AU  - Ahouandjinou Raymond-Bernard
AU  - Bani Hamadou
AU  - Odoubourou Angèle Bénédicte
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DO  - 10.11648/j.ash.20251101.11
T2  - Advances in Sciences and Humanities
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JO  - Advances in Sciences and Humanities
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Author Information

Hounyoton Hospice Bienvenu

Research Unit in Sociology of Organizations, Management and Engineering of Sports, National Institute of Youth, Physical Education and Sport, University of Abomey-Calavi, Porto-Novo, Benin

Contact Email

http://orcid.org/0009-0000-6010-8185
Ahouandjinou Raymond-Bernard

Center for Studies and Research in Education and Social Interventions for Development, National Institute of Youth, Physical Education and Sport, University of Abomey-Calavi, Porto-Novo, Benin

Contact Email

http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7648-3200
Bani Hamadou

Social Psychology and Animation Research Unit, Community Development, Multidisciplinary Doctoral School in Physical Education, Sport and Human Development, University of Abomey-Calavi, Porto-Novo, Benin

Contact Email

http://orcid.org/0009-0000-4100-791X
Odoubourou Angèle Bénédicte

Socio-Anthropology, Faculty of Letters, Arts, and Human Sciences, University of Parakou, Parakou, Benin

Contact Email

http://orcid.org/0009-0002-9978-4337

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APA Style

Bienvenu, H. H., Raymond-Bernard, A., Hamadou, B., Bénédicte, O. A. (2025). Thinking About Initiation: Spiritual Education and Cultural Identity in Benin. Advances in Sciences and Humanities, 11(1), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ash.20251101.11

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ACS Style

Bienvenu, H. H.; Raymond-Bernard, A.; Hamadou, B.; Bénédicte, O. A. Thinking About Initiation: Spiritual Education and Cultural Identity in Benin. Adv. Sci. Humanit. 2025, 11(1), 1-10. doi: 10.11648/j.ash.20251101.11

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AMA Style

Bienvenu HH, Raymond-Bernard A, Hamadou B, Bénédicte OA. Thinking About Initiation: Spiritual Education and Cultural Identity in Benin. Adv Sci Humanit. 2025;11(1):1-10. doi: 10.11648/j.ash.20251101.11

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.ash.20251101.11,
  author = {Hounyoton Hospice Bienvenu and Ahouandjinou Raymond-Bernard and Bani Hamadou and Odoubourou Angèle Bénédicte},
  title = {Thinking About Initiation: Spiritual Education and Cultural Identity in Benin
},
  journal = {Advances in Sciences and Humanities},
  volume = {11},
  number = {1},
  pages = {1-10},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ash.20251101.11},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ash.20251101.11},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ash.20251101.11},
  abstract = {This article, based on an in-depth ethnographic study, highlights the essential role of initiation rites, such as Chakpanna, Ochoumaré, Monlou, Oro and Hunzizon...etc., in identity-building and social cohesion in Benin, drawing on participant observations and testimonials from social actors to demonstrate that they constitute a comprehensive traditional educational process. The study underlines the importance of transmitting ancestral knowledge, respect for tradition, solidarity and courage, which are essential to social cohesion and the preservation of Benin's cultural heritage, while exploring the interactions between the traditional education of initiation rites, informal family education and formal modern education, as well as the challenges posed by modernity. The study underlines the need for constructive dialogue between traditional authorities, government institutions and civil society to balance tradition and evolution, thus ensuring the transmission of initiation rites to future generations, while opening up promising research prospects, including comparative studies with other African cultures to better understand the diversity of these rites and their role in identity building in a changing world.
},
 year = {2025}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Thinking About Initiation: Spiritual Education and Cultural Identity in Benin

AU  - Hounyoton Hospice Bienvenu
AU  - Ahouandjinou Raymond-Bernard
AU  - Bani Hamadou
AU  - Odoubourou Angèle Bénédicte
Y1  - 2025/01/24
PY  - 2025
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ash.20251101.11
DO  - 10.11648/j.ash.20251101.11
T2  - Advances in Sciences and Humanities
JF  - Advances in Sciences and Humanities
JO  - Advances in Sciences and Humanities
SP  - 1
EP  - 10
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2472-0984
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ash.20251101.11
AB  - This article, based on an in-depth ethnographic study, highlights the essential role of initiation rites, such as Chakpanna, Ochoumaré, Monlou, Oro and Hunzizon...etc., in identity-building and social cohesion in Benin, drawing on participant observations and testimonials from social actors to demonstrate that they constitute a comprehensive traditional educational process. The study underlines the importance of transmitting ancestral knowledge, respect for tradition, solidarity and courage, which are essential to social cohesion and the preservation of Benin's cultural heritage, while exploring the interactions between the traditional education of initiation rites, informal family education and formal modern education, as well as the challenges posed by modernity. The study underlines the need for constructive dialogue between traditional authorities, government institutions and civil society to balance tradition and evolution, thus ensuring the transmission of initiation rites to future generations, while opening up promising research prospects, including comparative studies with other African cultures to better understand the diversity of these rites and their role in identity building in a changing world.

VL  - 11
IS  - 1
ER  -

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