A beautiful mountain in Taï National Park
In the heart of Taï National Park rises a mountain, offering visitors an amazing view over the beautiful canopy of the primary tropical rainforest.
The Mount Niénokoué is 396 m high and located about ten kilometres from the Ecotel at Djouroutou. The way up can be steep, but is easy enough to climb. You need about an hour and a half to reach the summit and you should be in good physical condition.
This mountain is sacred for the Patokola people and is the site for adoration rituals in December each year.
Mount Niénokoué, the sacred mountain to the Patokola people
Stories of the Mount Niénokoué adoration
After a ceremony at Mount Niénokoué by the Patokola population, Mr OUPAYOU Gnaoué, Tribal Chief responsible for the cultural values of the Trépo ethnicity, explained the ceremony:
” Mount Niénokoué is traditionally seen as a stone that fell from the sky. Legend goes that in the past, our village was located where the mountain is today. When the stone appeared, the family in the village was confined by this stone. Back then, our ancestors, the Nidjèkouo from the Magnron; the sons of the confined family, were the first to celebrate the ceremony, followed by the Gblekouo, Powekouo and Djrèwé ethnicities, and this tradition continues to this day. The ceremony involves a meal offering (chicken, rice, red oil) to the gods in the hope that the gods bring happiness, success, development, procreation, and benediction to the village.”
After the ritual sacrifices of beef, young goat, and chicken, the ceremony is continues by the initiated group at the summit.
