The Observers

In Benin, historic Afro-Brazilian homes have fallen into disrepair

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In Porto-Novo, Benin, Afro-Brazilian homes have fallen into ruin. Adjao Ali, student and activist, talks about the abandonment of these homes and why it's important to preserve Afro-Brazilian architecture in the country.
In Porto-Novo, Benin, Afro-Brazilian homes have fallen into ruin. Adjao Ali, student and activist, talks about the abandonment of these homes and why it's important to preserve Afro-Brazilian architecture in the country. © Observers
By: Derek Thomson Follow

 In Porto-Novo, the capital of Benin, Afro-Brazilian homes – a style brought back from Brazil by freed slaves in the 19th century that became popular among wealthy families – have fallen into ruin. Adjao Ali, a student and activist for Afro-Brazilian culture in Benin, talks about the abandonment of these homes and why it's important to preserve Afro-Brazilian architecture as "a part of our joint history, the history of the slave trade, and the history of Africa".