2006年VOA标准英语-Benin Voodoo Day Pushes for Acceptance of

By Joe Bavier
2-329675
11 January 2006
 

Daagbo Hounon Houn, the voodoo chief, is seen at the Benin National Voodoo festival held in Ouidah, Benin  
  
Once stigmatized¹, traditional religions and voodoo have gained widespread acceptance in the West African nation of Benin. An annual voodoo festival, officially recognized by the government that once banned the practices, attracts thousands of practitioners² and curious visitors from as far away as Europe and America.

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A group of drummers beats out a rhythm as participants in a traditional ceremony sing and dance on the beach as part of Benin's National Voodoo Day in the coastal³ town of Ouidah.

The festival, which has gained the official recognition of the government in Cotonou, aims to promote voodoo and traditional religions in the West African nation.

Though 65 percent of Benin's population believes in voodoo, the practice has historically been the target of discrimination and was even, at one point, subject to a government imposed ban.

This is changing. The festival has been a national holiday for a decade and this year delegations⁴ from neighboring Togo and Ghana are represented. Tourists from as far away as the United States are in attendance and the festival has gone global.

"I think it is incredible. It is very interesting. The spontaneous dancing and singing, it is just a great sight," said one American tourist on a trip through West Africa, who has come from California and struggles to be heard above the ever-present drumming.

Other visitors, like Marcel from The Netherlands with a deeper curiosity in the religion, come specifically for the festival.

"So, I saw a few things already, but only on TV, on National Geographic," he said. "But I am walking around, and some things I recognize, other things I do not."

Organizers and participants reject the negative image often associated with voodoo. They stress the religion is a celebration of natural and spiritual forces that, they say, are responsible for all life.

Peace is a recurring⁵ theme at National Voodoo Day.

In an address given at the ceremony, Benin's traditional kings call for peace as the country enters the period leading up to presidential elections scheduled for March. Organizers of the event announced attendance of around 10,000. Participants came from as far away as Brazil, Haiti, and Guadeloupe.

1 stigmatized   

v.使受耻辱，指责，污辱( stigmatize的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He was stigmatized as an ex-convict. 他遭人污辱，说他给判过刑。 来自辞典例句
• Such a view has been stigmatized as mechanical jurisprudence. 蔑称这种观点为机械法学。 来自辞典例句

2 practitioners   

n.习艺者，实习者( practitioner的名词复数 )；从业者（尤指医师）

参考例句：

• one of the greatest practitioners of science fiction 最了不起的科幻小说家之一
• The technique is experimental, but the list of its practitioners is growing. 这种技术是试验性的，但是采用它的人正在增加。 来自辞典例句

3 coastal   

adj.海岸的，沿海的，沿岸的

参考例句：

• The ocean waves are slowly eating away the coastal rocks.大海的波浪慢慢地侵蚀着岸边的岩石。
• This country will fortify the coastal areas.该国将加强沿海地区的防御。

4 delegations   

n.代表团( delegation的名词复数 )；委托，委派

参考例句：

• In the past 15 years, China has sent 280 women delegations abroad. 十五年来，中国共派280批妇女代表团出访。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书
• The Sun Ray decision follows the federal pattern of tolerating broad delegations but insisting on safeguards. “阳光”案的判决仿效联邦容许广泛授权的做法，但又坚持保护措施。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法

5 recurring   

adj.往复的，再次发生的

参考例句：

• This kind of problem is recurring often. 这类问题经常发生。
• For our own country, it has been a time for recurring trial. 就我们国家而言，它经过了一个反复考验的时期。