Stories

Notes from the road

Short pieces by our team and friends. The country, told properly.

What the records in Ouidah can and cannot tell you
Return · 8 min read

What the records in Ouidah can and cannot tell you

A researcher on the limits of the paper trail, and why a DNA match to the Bight of Benin is a beginning, not an answer.

September 12, 2026
A market that floats: a morning on Lake Nokoué
Lagoons · 5 min read

A market that floats: a morning on Lake Nokoué

Ganvié before the tour boats, when the fishermen are out and the water is the colour of tea.

August 28, 2026
Why the lions of Pendjari matter to all of West Africa
Wildlife · 6 min read

Why the lions of Pendjari matter to all of West Africa

Fewer than 500 West African lions survive. Most of them live in one park complex, and Benin holds a third of it.

July 30, 2026
How to behave at a Vodun ceremony
Vodun · 4 min read

How to behave at a Vodun ceremony

Vodun is a religion, not a show. Seven things we tell every guest before the first temple.

June 18, 2026