Benin’s specialties include handicrafts, music and dance, wood carvings, Benin embroidery, cotton and palm products, cashew nuts, etc.
1. Handicrafts
Benin is famous for its exquisite handicrafts, including pottery, colorful ribbons, beautifully crafted masks and sculptures. These handicrafts showcase the unique style of Benin's traditional arts and crafts and are often used in celebrations, ceremonies and decorations.
2. Music and dance
Benin music and dance have strong national characteristics. For example, Benin's "Salou" music is a combination of traditional African music and modern elements, and is loved for its enthusiasm and cheerful rhythm.
3. Wood carving
Benin’s traditional wood carving occupies an important position in African art. Benin artists are good at carving lifelike animal figures, masks and sculptures from various woods. These wood carvings not only showcase the creativity of the artists, but also reflect Benin’s rich cultural traditions and beliefs.
4. Benin Embroidery
Benin’s embroidery craft is a traditional skill of local women. Traditional Benin embroidery often uses bright threads to embroider symbolic patterns such as animals, flowers and geometric shapes. These embroideries are widely used in clothing, homewares and decorative items.
5. Cotton and palm products
Benin is one of the main producing areas of cotton and palm. Benin's specialty cotton is praised for its high quality and soft fiber and is widely used in the textile industry. Benin is also famous for its high-quality palm products, such as woven hats, handbags and carpets.
6. Cashew nuts
Benin is the second largest cashew nut producer in West Africa. In 1990, demand for cashew nuts increased significantly, prompting Benin to propose plans to expand cashew production. So in 2008, the size of cashew plantations in Benin expanded from approximately 10,000 hectares to more than 190,000 hectares. Data shows that since the beginning of 2021, Benin has produced 300,000 tons of cashew nuts. Of the 116,398 tons of cashew nuts exported by Benin, 15% came from cashew nuts from neighboring countries such as Nigeria, Togo and Burkina Faso.