Thousand attend annual Mask Festival in Benin's capital, Porto-Novo

Thousands of spectators gathered in Benin on Sunday for the country’s annual Mask Festival, a vibrant cultural event celebrating ancestral spirits, heritage, and traditional identity.

With elaborate wooden masks, colourful fabrics, and rhythmic drumming, performers danced through various locations in the country’s capital, Porto-Novo, reenacting age-old stories passed down through generations.

The festival is especially prominent among the Yoruba, Somba, and Betammaribe communities, where masked dancers, known as Egungun or Zangbeto, hold deep spiritual significance.

These figures are said to represent ancestors who maintain order, ward off evil, and connect the physical world with the spiritual realm.

“This represents our culture, it’s what defines us as Beninese. We are among the only African countries that are proud to keep our culture,” said Farid Mutairou, a Benin architect.

The Beninese government has promoted the Mask Festival as a tool for cultural tourism, drawing visitors from neighbouring West African countries, Europe, and beyond.

“The Mask Festival is for sure for tourist appeal of Benin because the president, in his vision, wants to make tourism an economic driver,” said Charlemagne Yankoty, Mayor of Porto-Novo.