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Description

The sacred forest of Zannuji is located in the village of Zannuji, district of Zè-Centre, in the municipality of Zè, belonging to the Atlantic department of Benin Republic.

The indigenous Aïzo communities, consider the village of Zannuji and the sacred forest to be their ancestral home, since they were the first residents of the region. They still live there till this day, but alongside other people who are not the ancestors of the region. The Zè-Centre district has a population of 16,903 (8,310 men and 8,593 women). The main livelihood of the local community is agricultural production, with a strong emphasis on pineapple production. Zè is part of the largest pineapple-growing area in Benin, and Benin is one of the world's leading pineapple-producing countries.

Aizo is named after AÏ-AZONON, which means "the earth that spits fire". The sacred forest of Zannuji is located in a village that was created by the split of the ancient village of Waga, in 685.

History and ancestry

The oldest ancestor of the Aïzo community is a man named DONOU ZOGUIGUI who emerged from the earth thanks to a mysterious volcanic phenomenon. Then one morning, the earth, as if in a hurry to give birth, opened up and let out a fire, from which emerged a man of unusual appearance. He was as mysterious as the phenomenon that brought him to life. This was the birth of DONOU ZOGUIGUI. This giant man emerged from the earth with fire that shot out in all directions, solidifying into rocky mounds. These mounds are still visible today. DONOU ZOGUIGUI also had enormous feet, whose footprints can still be seen at an occult site called ZANNOUZOUNME (in the sacred forest of Donou). His size and build earned him the nickname MEWEDO AFO YENOU. DONOU ZOGUIGUI later married a woman who was brought to him by a river on a raft (Zan- Kplakpla). With her, DONOU founded the first AÏ-AZONON dynasty (now called Zè), whose descendants are the HOUILINOU GBETO DOKOUNNON.

A long time later, in the same region where DONOU ZOGUIGUI was born, a great rain fell one day. From this rain another man came down from the sky. He was nicknamed TOGBO DJIHOUN and his descendants are the DEHOUINOU. A few years later, a third man emerged from the trunk of an Iroko (fetish tree). The descendants of this third man are the ALIKONNOU or LOKOMENOU. In contrast to reports that the peoples of southern Benin originated from TADO and some from OYO, the Aizo people were in fact the first occupants of Zè, in the sacred forest known as Zannuji. They are thought to have originally come from the AÏ-AZONON dynasty: the land that spits fire. They were the most frequent immigrants to the Lama regions (ALLADA zone). They erected a throne and founded a kingdom. The land was very fertile and rich, with many powerful kings and other chiefs over the years.

Around the 17th century, a man called DONOU DOMASSE made his appearance. His name means "a descendant of DONOU, whose word cannot be challenged". This meant that none of his decisions could be challenged. He held sway over AÏ-AZONON, the commune of Zè, and was distinguished by his incomparable strength and extreme severity. He was the object of envy for many, and therefore also had many enemies. King DONOU DOMASSE, the 216th king, was killed by a man from DANHOMEY, called DAKO, who after this act was nicknamed DAKO DONOU: which means DAKO killed DONOU (the king). This led to the establishment of chieftaincies and kings in the AÏ-AZONON region, but these were little-known kings, as the very throne of the Aï-AZONON kingdom (now the kingdom of Zè) had lost all importance and was of little interest to anyone. The AÏ-AZONON royal dynasty had no king until 1953, when King TOGBEDJI DONOU was enthroned and reigned until 1983, ushering in a new era for the kingdom of Zè.

To this day, the sacred forest of Zannoudji remains a very sacred place in the AÏZO tradition. It is also very attractive, scenic and an area of important cultural legacy. It is in this forest that most of the traditional AÏZO ceremonies and rituals take place, such as enthronement, libation, purification, invocation of divinities and blessings. This place existed long before the Danhomey kingdom. Indeed, it was DAKO DONOU who founded the kingdom of DANHOMEY. And it was DAKO who, after killing King DONOU DOMASSE, took the name "DAKO DONOU". So we can easily understand that the kingdom of Aï-Azonon really existed well before the kingdom of DANHOMEY.

Establishment

Inter-ministerial decree no. 0121 / MEHU / MDGLAAT / SGM / DGFRN /SA 16/11/2012 define the conditions for the sustainable management of the sacred forest in the Republic of Benin. This decree is the foundation on which the process of official recognition by the municipality is now underway. This legal act of recognition at municipal level will secure the land around this resource.

Preservation

The site's main objective is to conserve its ancestral legacy (as a monument) and the biodiversity it contains. There is not yet a sustainable mechanism or adequate practical arrangements for measuring conservation impacts. However, the news is that monitoring provided by the Royal Court limits infringements that are likely to degrade the ecosystem. The site is one of the last remnants of forest in the region where wildlife can still be observed. Therefore, conservation of the Zannuji sacred forest affects not only the inhabitants of the Zannuji villages but the whole district and city.

Céphalophe de Walter (Philantomba walteri)

25 bird species have been observed (2019 inventory, carried out by Anaïs) in this ICCA. Mammals include the Walter's duiker, a species that is endemic to Benin and Togo. The ecosystem has a rich biodiversity that is still to discover.

The site also provides recreational benefits, welcoming all who wish to learn more about its history and biodiversity. Like all other forests, the site contributes to carbon sequestration. This particular forest also hosts royal rituals and is used for medicinal plant research, which is an important use of plants for many Africans. The local population living near the forest is able to have access to certain medicinal species on special request.

Management and governance

The community is actively working to strengthen the existing system of governance and support for site improvement, in order to raise its profile with national and international partners. The NGO CREDI has carried out a wildlife inventory using camera traps to better assess the state of wildlife on the site, while linking awareness-raising to conservation activities. The Royal Court headed by the King (His Majesty) collaborates with local and communal authorities on issues relating to the sustainable management of the site's natural resources. The boundaries of the sacred area have been documented by means of a topographical survey, which is attached to the development and simplified management plan.

Is there any government support or legislation to help management?

Decree n°2017- 331 of July 06, 2017 defines the categorization of Protected Areas in the Republic of Benin according to the World Conservation Union (IUCN) nomenclature. Inter-ministerial Order n° 0121 / MEHU / MDGLAAT / SGM / DGFRN / SA 16/11/2012 sets out the conditions for the sustainable management of the sacred forest in the Republic of Benin.

What are the threats and problems facing the Zannuji sacred forest?

• Lack of legal recognition of the forest
• Lack of firewalls to limit agricultural invasion
• Vegetation fires that infiltrate the forest
• Lack of support to ensure conservation and sustainable development of the forest
• Lack of a policy to support the local population in undertaking environmentally-friendly activities, etc.

What attempts are being made to overcome them?

• Installing photographic traps to better appreciate and assess wildlife biodiversity in ICCA
• Promoting ecotourism
• Supporting the local population in promoting income-generating activities through beekeeping
• Forest replanting with local species

Have any awards been received?

Not yet

What future activities are planned?

• update the simplified development and management plan for the Zannuji sacred forest ;
• organize and promote eco-tourism;
• establish legal recognition of the forest to facilitate its registration in the ICCA Registery and the WDPA:
• organize income-generating events that respect the forest;
• build the capacity of management teams.

What lessons have we learned so far?

• Natural heritage must be preserved
• Cultural heritage must be valued and preserved
• Communities must be encouraged to support conservation

This case study was originally published by UNEP-WCMC in 07/24. The content was provided by the custodians of this ICCA. The ICCA has been self-declared and has been through a peer-review process to verify its status. More details on this process can be found here. The contents of this website do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of UN Environment Programme or WCMC.