As with many cities with aging infrastructure, Benin’s Porto-Novo has been exploring plans to revitalize its historic architecture. This type of historic preservation is a tricky business, however, as the restoration of these buildings also showcases the colonialism and slavery that brought them into being. Each building – many of their facades worn and crumbling from neglect – is a window into the complex history of Benin, a West African country on the Gulf of Guinea, home to about 12 million people. Like many parts of coastal West Africa, modern Benin was forged by the violent globalization of the slave trade, which left profound cultural influences on both sides of the Atlantic. And in recent years, as the government and private groups have pushed to renovate the city, it’s put a spotlight on the area’s heritage – including difficult, often controversial chapters related to slavery and colonialism, imprinted on each Afro-Brazilian building.
SOURCE: THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR
More Stories
A Great Recognition for the Work of Female Peace Builders in Cameroon
Could An Online Gathering Solve South Africa’s Putin Problem?
Calls For African Countries to Create Champions in Key Sectors
Times Higher Education Impact Ranks University of Johannesburg as on Track to Reach SDGs
Ghana’s Appetite for Hand-me-downs Ends Up in Crucial Waterways
Lilongwe is Taking a Closer Look at Who is Granted Asylum
Tanzania and Australia Forge Closer Ties in the Mining and Energy Industries
Kenyans Bemoan Plans to Raise Taxes
Building a Dynamic Ecosystem of Innovative Entrepreneurs and Startups in Libya
What Happened to Cause Musicians to Leave Ethiopia?
Rukky Ladoja & Building a Responsible Nigerian Fashion Brand
How to Write About Africa: Collected Works’ Shows Binyavanga Wainaina’s Legacy