So I am back from the "voyage d'etude" to Togo and Benin with some really sympathetic students, my good friend Sewa Serge Sousthene Agbodjan-Prince and nice fellow citizens from Austria even beyond my age. Time to do some blogging.
Filed under "practical information", the homepage of the historical museum of Abomey, Benin, cautions the foreigner: "In some areas of the town, secret societies called Zangbèto are in charge of security from midnight to 5 a.m.: do not go out without identity papers after midnight, or else go out with an initiate."
Zangbèto is a Vodun that acts as the nightwatchman in Benin. Whilst other Vodun incorporate in female mediums, Zangbèto - like the Egungun, the spirits of the ancestors - are represented by persons covered by a "mask". Zangbèto has the shape of a haystack. On the upper left one can find a picture of a Zangbèto I have taken September 08, 2008. On that day, I have also taken some photographs of one Zangbèto walking on the water in that small village near Ouidah, Benin:
In Benin (and in Togo), the belief is widespread, that there is no person under the mask, but that the empty construction is empowered by a spirit (one person told me, the initiates were using the spirits of the newly deceased to do the job). There are explanations galore, like my favourite one from a catholic lay person in Lomé, who told me, that in fact there was a person under the mask, but one could not see it due to a spell of the priests of Zangbèto. Be that as it may, a nightwatchman regarded as a spirit seems to be more effective than a human being fulfilling that task. Zangbèto initiates at the "Tam Tam Zangbeto" will therefore try to prove the "no person under it"-theory.
After going through tough negotiations we could convince an informant in Ouidah to get some Zangbèto inititates in just another small village nearby to do a Tam Tam for us (we also had to take measures to ensure that at least half of the money spent would go to the villagers, who did the work and a GREAT job).
The ones ready to believe will see the two clips I post here as evidence. The others will have their explanations. At least, the Zangbèto initiates are a bunch of GREAT illussionists.
Question: Is there a human being under the mask or is it a spirit?
Go to the poll after having watched the two Zangbètos I have filmed on September 12, 2009. The first one shows an astonishing sense of balance. At the starting point of the clip one can also take a look under the mask and see, that there is nothing to be found (as it seems) but a bundle of cloth.
Filed under "practical information", the homepage of the historical museum of Abomey, Benin, cautions the foreigner: "In some areas of the town, secret societies called Zangbèto are in charge of security from midnight to 5 a.m.: do not go out without identity papers after midnight, or else go out with an initiate."
Zangbèto is a Vodun that acts as the nightwatchman in Benin. Whilst other Vodun incorporate in female mediums, Zangbèto - like the Egungun, the spirits of the ancestors - are represented by persons covered by a "mask". Zangbèto has the shape of a haystack. On the upper left one can find a picture of a Zangbèto I have taken September 08, 2008. On that day, I have also taken some photographs of one Zangbèto walking on the water in that small village near Ouidah, Benin:
In Benin (and in Togo), the belief is widespread, that there is no person under the mask, but that the empty construction is empowered by a spirit (one person told me, the initiates were using the spirits of the newly deceased to do the job). There are explanations galore, like my favourite one from a catholic lay person in Lomé, who told me, that in fact there was a person under the mask, but one could not see it due to a spell of the priests of Zangbèto. Be that as it may, a nightwatchman regarded as a spirit seems to be more effective than a human being fulfilling that task. Zangbèto initiates at the "Tam Tam Zangbeto" will therefore try to prove the "no person under it"-theory.After going through tough negotiations we could convince an informant in Ouidah to get some Zangbèto inititates in just another small village nearby to do a Tam Tam for us (we also had to take measures to ensure that at least half of the money spent would go to the villagers, who did the work and a GREAT job).
The ones ready to believe will see the two clips I post here as evidence. The others will have their explanations. At least, the Zangbèto initiates are a bunch of GREAT illussionists.
Question: Is there a human being under the mask or is it a spirit?
Go to the poll after having watched the two Zangbètos I have filmed on September 12, 2009. The first one shows an astonishing sense of balance. At the starting point of the clip one can also take a look under the mask and see, that there is nothing to be found (as it seems) but a bundle of cloth.
The second one features an undefinable bundle of whatever it may be, and the mask is placed on it. Shortly after that, the thing begins to move and starts its dance. This is in real time, without any cutting. I am looking forward to reading some sophisticated explanations!
What is the moving force in Zangbèto cult??? Vote at the bottom of the page.
What is the moving force in Zangbèto cult??? Vote at the bottom of the page.
It was interesting watching the Zangbeto maskd dance and I kept doubting if someone was under the mask but when it was lifted and I saw the inside, there was nothing inside, this made me to believe that it was magical.
ReplyDeleteOnly explanation I can proffer is that the person is camaflouged in rags or whatever material is used to construct the zangbeto and graps ahold of the frame upon the instruction of the guides just prior to the reveal(guides always talk to the mask and knock it prior to the lifting for the big reveal).
ReplyDeleteYour explanation seems to simply satisfy the desire to find an explanation. Watch many of the videos more carefully. Many who were eyewitnesses to the Zangbeto dances were convinced that no human being was inside any of the masks.
DeleteUnreal man...I don't believe in ghosts but this is something else...very cool
ReplyDeleteGod is supernatural he also states we are not dealing with just human beings ,thier are definitely spirits what kind ,well we all have our opinions
ReplyDeleteGod is supernatural he also states we are not dealing with just human beings ,thier are definitely spirits what kind ,well we all have our opinions
ReplyDeleteGod is supernatural he also states we are not dealing with just human beings ,thier are definitely spirits what kind ,well we all have our opinions
ReplyDeleteJust like many magic tricks that bank on the use of hidden compartments and very skilled contortionists.
ReplyDeletethere will be a man hiding in the walls. i have researched on this. the moves are totally human. in one of the video you can see feet of the man when he lifts that thing up. watch several videos on youtube and read their comments.
ReplyDeleteI have watched several of this video on Youtube. They have cast doubt on my position that such supernatural powers are faked by men.
ReplyDeleteWHAT ABOUT WHEN ZANGBETO LEVELS IT SELF OVER AND OVER FLAT ..NO ONE CAN DO THAT WITHOUT US VIEWERS SEEING THEM LUMPED WITHIN IT WHEN ZANBETO DOWN OR WHEN ZANGBETO TURN SIDE WAYS TO ROLL. 🤔
ReplyDeleteThere appears to be the shadow of a man beneath in the first video.
ReplyDeleteSpiritual forces exist in real time. They have the power to move themselves and things outside of themselves, They do not have to explain anything because they simply are. They don't need to convince anyone about themselves because they neither exist for anyone either.
ReplyDeleteNão há fraude alguma, em centenas de vídeos dá ver claramente que de fato não existe pessoa embaixo das palhas. Pode ter Zangbetos Falsos? Sim, deve ter fraudes, mas negar os verdadeiros não dá, e os Pseudocéticos ficam Loucos! Em algumas gravações (como esta AQUI de 2016), o Zangbeto fica de lado e até de ponta cabeça, deixando claro que NÃO TEM NINGUÉM DENTRO DA ARMAÇÃO, ela se mexe por força da alma semi-materializada, veja por si mesmo(a): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ygRe0p2udA
ReplyDeleteMy analysis is that a small size person is the performer. He wears about the same material as the tent which being triangular has enough space, at the top for the performer to hide when the tent is lifted open, or at the outer edge of the bottom when the top is removed to expose the central space. All the loose material provides good blending cover and makes it difficult to spot the performer.
ReplyDeleteAnd as the performer dances by swirling around any footprints would be erased in the process.
I applaud the excellent scheme of this Zangbeto voodoo, indeed it is a great attraction. Congratulations.