Benin. The role of spiritual values.

Practices The contribution of tradi-tional religious beliefs to nature protection, however, is not limited to the creation of sacred groves or similar forms of ex-situ conservation. Spiritual values play an im-portant role in directing resource use to sus-tainable, ecologically-sound, and efficient practices. 

For instance, the so-called totems or interdits are a set of taboos that keep adepts of different cults from using animal and plant products. Taboo plants species with threat status in Benin and in West Africa include the toddy palm (Borassus aethiopum), the iroko tree (Milicia excelsa), and the candlewood tree (Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloides). 

The burning of wood from the silk cotton tree (Ceiba pentandra) and the red kapok tree (Bombax costatum) is also forbidden. Other species, albeit not endangered, offer important ecosystem services and forms of use that might pose a threat at the community level (such as extraction for lumber) are controlled by the interdits. Belief has it, that by disobeying taboos, adepts break the fragile equilibrium which their Orishas help them maintain. As a consequence, sinners will experience ill-health, misfortune, and even death shortly afterwards. In addition to products, ecosystem service processes benefit from religious beliefs. 

The njangsa (Ricinodendron heudelotii), a taboo species, has recently been assessed as one of the trees with both the highest carbon sequestration potential and fallow improve-ment of cash crop tree plantations in West Africa. 

The 'brother of iroko' (Antiaris toxicaria) and the African border tree (Newbouldia laevis) have also proven important for the latter purpose. 


Another notable example of the above is the local cult for bees, or Nonon. The formation of a new colony in the village is regarded by adepts of this Orisha as an omen, which can only be interpreted by oracle priests if the colony is left undisturbed to permanently install itself or to leave. Incidentally, bee keeping is one of the main sources of income for the community and one of the moving forces in the on-going reforestation project of the area. 

Benin is the only country in the world that recognizes Vodoun or Orisha, an ancient animist cult of West Africa, as one of its official religions. A popular joke says that the country's population is 30% Catholic, 20% Muslim, and 100% Vodoun. This statement reflects on the wide range of supernatural origins attributed to phenomena which are difficult to explain. Such is the case of diseases whose tra-ditional treatment involves in a combination of herbal remedies and spiritual ceremonies. Nonetheless, African traditional religions and beliefs are still regarded with some reservation and even skepticism by researchers and scholars. 

Extensive work has been done in the fields of social and cultural anthropology, but research directed to assessing the constraints and potentials of traditional spiritual values for resource use, ecosystem services and, ultimately, conser-vation has been insufficient.