The bokonon is the priest of the Fâ, the divination of southern Benin: the one who consults, reads and interprets the signs to shed light on a situation and guide a course of action. His work begins before the signs, with listening, and stops where the responsibility of the person consulting begins.
At the temple of Sakété, the daily life of a bokonon
Direct observationWêtê Agbonon, vodun priest and bokonon of the Fâ, at the temple of Sakété
Being a bokonon takes far more than casting the nuts or interpreting a sign: the part people do not see is probably the most important. Before even consulting the Fâ, one must know how to listen. A person rarely comes with a single question. They arrive with their story, their worries, their family, their work, their relationships, sometimes several problems at once. So I begin by listening[1].
Then comes the work of the Fâ. The Fâ obliges me to say what I understand, even when the person hoped to hear something else. That is a responsibility. See What is the Fâ?.
Key points
- The bokonon listens first, then consults.
- He sheds light and guides; the person remains responsible for their decisions.
- Being paid for one’s work is normal; exploiting fear is not.
And a good bokonon knows how to say: “I don’t know.”[1]
The qualities of a good bokonon
For me, a good bokonon must first have knowledge. But knowledge alone is not enough: one must also know how to listen, have patience, keep a confidence, and know one’s own limits. Above all, one must be able to say: “I don’t know.” A bokonon who claims to know everything is already deceiving the person who consults him. The Fâ sheds light, guides and helps understanding; it leaves each person in charge of their own life, and the person remains responsible for their decisions[1].
The bokonon and money
Receiving payment is, in my eyes, in keeping with tradition. The bokonon works, gives his time, and holds knowledge he received and had to learn; there may be consultations, travel, preparations or material elements needed for certain ceremonies. So it is normal for a service to have a cost. But there is an enormous difference between charging fairly for one’s work and exploiting a person’s fear. I refuse sentences such as:[1]
- “Give me this sum, or you will die.”
- “Pay today and I guarantee the result.”
- “If you don’t give more money, the ritual will not work.”
For me, that is a bad way of serving vodun. I prefer to state clearly what is needed, why it is needed, and what really belongs to the work. And I do not promise what the Fâ does not allow me to promise. That is an essential limit[1].
Bokonon in history
The word means the diviner of the Fâ in the languages of southern Benin. The reference study of the Fâ, published in 1943 by Bernard Maupoil, rests largely on the teaching of Guèdègbé, the great bokonon of King Behanzin’s court[2]. His Fâ board, held in France, is among the 35 cultural objects Benin has been claiming since July 2026[3].
The bokonon does not serve individuals only. During the vodun festival, a college of bokonon consults the Fâ for the whole country: in January 2026, the rituals prescribed by this consultation were carried out in the sacred forest of Kpassè, in Ouidah[4]. His word then commits a community, no longer a single family. See The Benin voodoo festival and Mawu-Lisa. The author of this encyclopedia is himself a bokonon: see his page (in French).
What we know, and how we know it
What comes from oral tradition
The knowledge of the signs and the words of the Fâ is passed on from bokonon to bokonon[1].
What comes from direct observation
Listening before consulting, the refusal of guarantees and the rules on money come from my practice[1].
What is documented
Guèdègbé’s teaching, his board claimed by Benin and the national consultation of 2026 are established by researchers and official sources[2][3][4].
What is interpretation
Holding that a good bokonon must be able to say “I don’t know” is a position I defend[1].
What is still debated
Fair payment for a consultation varies between practitioners and regions[1].
Common misconceptions about the bokonon
Frequently asked questions
What is a bokonon?
The priest of the Fâ, the divination of southern Benin, who consults, reads and interprets the signs.
What makes a good bokonon?
Knowledge, listening, patience, discretion, knowing one’s limits, and being able to say “I don’t know”.
Should a bokonon be paid?
Being paid for his work is in keeping with tradition; exploiting a person’s fear is not.
Does a bokonon guarantee results?
No: he does not promise what the Fâ does not allow him to promise.
Who was Guèdègbé?
The great bokonon of King Behanzin’s court, whose teaching underlies Bernard Maupoil’s 1943 study of the Fâ.
Glossary
- Bokonon: the priest of the Fâ.
- Fâ: the divination system of southern Benin.
- Tofâ: the consultation of the Fâ for the country during the vodun festival.
Notes and references
[1] Direct observation and oral transmission, Wêtê Agbonon, bokonon, temple of Sakété.
[2] MAUPOIL Bernard, La Géomancie à l’ancienne Côte des Esclaves, Paris, Institut d’ethnologie, 1943.
[3] La Nouvelle Tribune, « France : le Bénin met en place un comité pour récupérer 35 nouveaux biens culturels », July 2026. See (in French)
[4] Government of Benin, « Vodun Days 2026 : les rituels du Tofâ exécutés dans la forêt sacrée de Kpassè », January 2026. See (in French)
Sources
- MAUPOIL Bernard, La Géomancie à l’ancienne Côte des Esclaves, 1943.
- Direct observation and oral transmission, temple of Sakété, 1994–2026
Cite this entry
Wêtê Agbonon, « The bokonon », dans Vodun Bénin, l’encyclopédie du vodun béninois, entry no. 012, updated on 28 October 2026. Online: https://vodunbenin.org/en/bokonon/ (accessed on 1 November 2026). Licence CC BY 4.0.
- Last checked : 7 October 2026
- Reuse : free, with attribution, under the licence CC BY 4.0
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