What little we know of Voodoo is usually confined to its spine-tingling spells and myths. But in Ouidah, the major cultural city in the West African nation of Benin, Voodoo means serious business. It is a religion approved by the government, with around 17 per cent of devotees among Benin’s population.

This year's festival honored the slaves who were taken from surrounding countries and sent into America and the Caribbean, people who brought the religion with them.  -Text and photos by AP