Benin
Secret Societies

The adepts dig a hole of about 80 cm. in the very hard ground that a priest consecrates with palm oil, kola nuts and gin, then delimiting the opening with a circle of flour.

A bamboo pole about 15 meters long is then inserted and fixed in this hole, on which an initiate goes up by climbing with bare hands and feet, reaching the top in an instant, where it will remain hung for a long time with the strength of the fingers alone.

After maintaining this position for what seems like an interminable time, the boy lifts himself up and sticks the pole in the center of his stomach, seeking balance while the muscles of the abdomen adapt to the tip of the pole to support all his weight.

Then, very concentrated, he begins to create ever wider oscillations on the long bamboo, until his body, supported only by the muscles of his belly without the help of his hands and feet, literally flies in the air, drawing huge arches in the sky. If the bamboo does not break, the ceremony will be successful.

You can find the full version of this report on:
OASIS – Environmental culture magazine – n. 201