City on water in Africa

• City water in Africa

This is not a post about the flood. This is a post about the city Ganve lake in the Republic of Benin - Africa's largest cluster of homes on the lake

Today, 20,000 people call Ganve home. However, the city in the center of the lake Nokoue appeared for a long time - it has already more than 500 years. It is sometimes called the Venice of Africa.

In the early 17th century, modern Benin called Dahomi and was one of the most powerful states in West Africa.

The main ethnic and linguistic group there was a popular background, whose representatives made a deal with the Portuguese.

Instead of sending their people into slavery, they agreed with the Portuguese that will hunt them and sell slaves from other tribes.

tribe warriors background were numerous and powerful, and very few people from other tribes to protect themselves from them.

Then someone from the tribe Tofino thought of something.

The name of this wise man has long lost in history, but he realized that you can use religious beliefs warlike tribe.

According to legends, the tribe background could not come near to the settlements on the water.

According to the laws of the tribe background, any group of people who lived on the water, be safe.

Lake Nokoue is huge. City Ganve appeared on its waters as a means by which people could escape slavery.

It is not surprising that the name of the city means those who have found peace here - it can be translated as "We survived."

Since Ganve is constantly changing due to the very geography of the place, but in the end the tribe has developed a sophisticated and successful culture on the lake.

Of course, there are also poor areas, as elsewhere, but overall residents Ganve live pretty good.

From time to time on the lake there are small islets, which was immediately used as a pasture for animals.

Of course, the main food product here - the fish.

There is an excellent system of underwater corals, which live and feed on a variety of fish species.

The majority of residents enjoy the boats as the main means of transportation, because until the next pair of shore kilometers. Even if you just went to the neighbor for the latest gossip, we have to do on the boats, which are called cakes.

If you find a travel guide for Benin, probably there Ganve will not be described as a popular place for tourists. There are only a few craft shops and a single hotel and restaurant.

The hotel "Chez Raphael" looks pretty friendly. In addition, a meeting place of the local "golden youth".

Pharmacy and the hospital is only a couple of crumple boat ride away.

Even in this godforsaken place, you will find a familiar logo drink.

The family lives in Ganve very unusual.

The men are mainly engaged in fishing and selling their catches wives.

Then they are obliged to sell the fish at the local market to feed their children and their husbands.

Take a walk around this town on the lake, you will realize that actually keeps the house together.

In Ganve there is a market on the water, but in general, the whole town gradually spreads out in different directions.

City planning is not so important for residents Ganve, but the big dry piece of land has increased school, and soon there will be a cemetery.

The advent of modern items such as cans and plastic, also created problems.

When all the products are biodegradable, throw them right out of the window of the house into the water was easy.

Now, water is more and more polluted by the waste of modern life.

If Ganve wants to continue to thrive, this problem should be solved as soon as possible.

In 1996, the city became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Most likely, in the next decade, the city will grow, as Benin itself more and more attracted the attention of foreign tourists and adventurers.

In other respects, in Ganve is nothing to do but simply to admire the unusual life of local people.