Bwiti night, exploring Gabon’s traditional culture
In the Gabonese night there is an initiatory world that never sleeps. It is the world of the Bwiti. On this last trip to Gabon in June 2025 I have had the opportunity to have been introduced a little more to this complex set of rituals and secret initiatory societies called Bwiti. Having attended a number of Bwiti ceremonies in Gabon from different ethnic groups, I feel like sharing with you some of the highlights of this traditional cult that lasts all night long, from dusk to dawn without interruption.
I am not initiated into Bwiti, so I do not have access to much of the knowledge and much of the content of the rituals that take place during the ceremonies. This is a complex world, full of variants, loaded with symbolism and whose learning and understanding would take years of study, and this is not my case.
The power of Bwiti, the culture of the forest in Gabon
Bwiti is a cult originating in Gabon. It is an initiatory tradition, a rite of passage, a philosophy and a spiritual path which is practised in many different ways depending on the ethnic group, the type of ceremony and the region of Gabon. This tradition is inseparable from the iboga plant (bois sacre), used in the initiatory phase and in all ceremonies. In the Bwiti ceremonies, through the consumption of iboga, dancing, chanting and ritual music, the participants reach a state of trance and spiritual connection with their ancestors that lasts well into the morning. The Pygmies of Gabon are the guardians of the tradition, but different local ethnic groups such as the Fang or the Simba have developed Bwiti, practising it in many different ways.
Origin of the Bwiti tradition in Gabon
Bwiti is the spiritual tradition transmitted by the Pygmy peoples, the first inhabitants of the forest. Bwiti is linked to the forest, its elements, plants and entities. Through this cult, the forest and ancestors are worshipped. The Tsogho people are believed to have inherited the tradition from the Pygmies and it was later adopted and adapted by other ethnic groups in Gabon.
Iboga, ‘le bois sacré’ of Gabon
The iboga is a sacred plant in Gabon and forms an inseparable part of the country’s culture. It is sacred because it belongs to a very specific environment and is considered as such in the spiritual tradition of the Bwiti. This shrub, which only grows in Central Africa, is used for its roots. After uprooting the bush, the roots are harvested and cut to extract the most tender part. It can be consumed by chewing it directly or by drying it and turning it into a kind of powder.
The participants in the Bwiti consume more or less from the beginning of the night. Sometimes it is consumed in private and sometimes in a ritualised and sacralised way in the Ebandza (temple) where the Nganga or Nima (head of the ceremony) distributes it to all the participants.
After repeatedly consuming this iboga root during the night, the participants enter into a ‘journey of knowledge and experimentation’ which I cannot talk about as I am not initiated. I can say that after ingesting three or four handfuls of iboga it is easy to stay awake all night, but in my case I was far from experiencing any sensory journey. As with any product, there are different qualities and different types of iboga.
The healing power of Bwiti
Bwiti is also considered medicine in Gabon. It is common in Gabon for Bwiti ceremonies to focus on healing and curing people. These people who ask the Nima or Nganga for a specific ceremony to treat some pathology are considered ‘patients’. In the Bwiti world nobody doubts the healing power of iboga and the practice of Bwiti.
The Ebandza temple and the development of Bwiti
Although it depends on each type of ceremony, initiation in Bwiti takes place first in a sacred part of the forest and then in a rectangular structure that serves as a ‘temple’ and is locally called ebandjà (or ebandza). In the most traditional regions of Gabon, almost all of them, it is common to find at least one ebandja in each village, sometimes two, one for men and one for women, and sometimes more than two, depending on the type of ethnicity and the variant of Bwiti practised. When the days of an important ceremony arrive, the people in charge of the temple prepare it for the occasion, covering it with green leaves and leaving it in perfect condition.
The ebandja establishes the connection between the participants in the Bwiti, the ancestors and who knows if other worlds through the ingestion of iboga. The figures of ancestors and spirits materialise in the form of make-up, masks, carved on poles, harps and bells.
Bwiti musical instruments
Music, fire and make-up are omnipresent in Bwiti. All ceremonies and initiations require different instruments: there are stringed, percussion or wind instruments, the most important of which are perhaps the harp and the mouth bow. Most of them are sacred, with very specific meanings and significance and some of them, like the harp in the Bwiti Elumba, are considered and represented as God himself. These instruments are also used during the Bwiti to achieve trance.
El Ngombi, el arpa sagrada e instrumento maestro del Bwiti
The Ngombi or harp goes far beyond the limits of musical folklore in Gabon to enter the ethno-religious world for the Fang. I have only seen this instrument in Bwiti Mbiri Fang ceremonies, which does not mean that other ethnic groups such as the Tsogho or the Simba use it in ceremonies or on specific occasions. I do not know.
According to the beliefs of the Fang “initiates” in the Bwiti, the harp actualises and dramatises the mythical story of the death of a woman sacrificed during the night ceremonies. The Ngombi represents the body of the woman whose first ancestor, Disumba, is represented by the left head carved on the end of the harp’s neck. The harp is God for the Fang during the Bwiti. For the same ‘initiates’ (who are often Catholics at the same time), the harp also symbolises the Blessed Virgin, the Gningone Mebeghe, around whom the Fang have composed numerous hymns. They venerate her as the saviour of the black race and dedicate weekly prayers and dances to her.
The Mougongo or mouth bow and other Bwiti instruments
The Mougongo or mouth bow ‘arc en bouche’ is considered the oldest stringed instrument and has been used in the traditional music and rituals of many villages in Gabon since time immemorial. The Mougongo is made of bent wood and rattan string, and is played by striking the string with a stick, and modifying the sound with another stick, creating a unique symphony. For the pygmy peoples of Gabon the string bow represents ‘the voice of the Creator’.
Each ceremony or ethnic group uses different instruments. Some, like the Bizumba, hollow bamboo reeds, I only saw during the Bwiti Mbiri ceremonies and they replace the drums.
The Fire and the Moupeto, the torch that accompanies the Bwiti
Fire is a very important part of Bwiti ceremonies. The Bwiti tradition has always used fire as a tool for protection from evil spirits, healing, transformation and connection to the divine. Fire is considered a sacred element as is the iboga or the harpa (instrument).
Throughout the night different Banzis (initiates) will be in charge of keeping the fires alive in the Bwiti ceremonies which besides illuminating the ebandja (temple) have a deep meaning. There is the torch and a cylindrical ceremonial fire around which everything happens. The torch or ‘Moupeto’ is made from the sap (resin) of the Okoumé and the bark of the Okala (Gabonese tree) and is an indispensable element during the Bwiti rituals and serves to ward off evil spirits as well as being effective against mosquitoes. These torches, which last all night long, emit a distinctive smell.
Make-up or when the spirits come…
The nights of Bwiti begin little by little. The banzis or initiates arrive at the ebandja (temple) and take their positions. This is the time for speeches. The master of ceremonies also called Nima or Nganga makes a long speech which alternates with music and energetic songs. These hours from late afternoon to early morning is the period in which the initiates enter into a trance through iboga.
As can be seen in the photo above, each attendee comes to the temple with a basket or backpack. In it they carry their attire, a mirror and their make-up so that when the time comes, well into the early hours of the morning, they can enter into communication with the spiritual world through the iboga.
In every Bwiti ceremony I attended, whether in the traditional Pygmy, Simba or Tsogho style or in the Fang style, the same pattern is always repeated. At a certain point in the early morning, the ceremony stops, the women usually go to a house and the men retire to wash in the river or begin to dress and make up, each one representing the spirit or ancestor they represent.
The men change their clothes, begin to wear animal skins to ward off evil spirits, and also start to put on make-up. Watching the preparation process in which each Banzi will represent a spirit is one of the most spectacular parts of the ceremony to an outsider.
The role of the mirror during the Bwiti
Nothing is casual during the ceremonies, not even that of the mirrors, we are in a higher world that only the initiated can reach. The function of the mirror is to remember the presence of the ancestors who influence and can influence the life of the living. The mirror is a symbolic and magical element, like a door to the world of the ancestors.
Little by little the women are returning to the temple, also dressed and made up in a different and much more complex way. It is about 2:00AM and the ceremony now changes substantially.
Now each of the spirits will go out into the centre of the ebandja in a frenetic dance with torch in hand. In this dance he will go one by one through every corner of the temple and the outer enclosure, cleansing the whole space of evil spirits with the fire of the torch. After the purification the ritual dance leads to the calling of the spirits. This is common in all the bwiti I have attended. If you want to go deeper into each of the steps of the Bwiti and learn more about this Gabonese cult, I recommend you to visit the following link: Bwiti in depth.
Consultations to the Ngangas and spirits
When the ceremony reaches its climax it is the turn of the spirit consultations. This is done in different ways depending on the type of Bwiti ceremony. It is usually around 4 or 5 o’clock in the morning. The dances, the consultations with the spirits go on until morning. It is incredible to see how after 12 hours of ceremony one can continue dancing as in the following video.
Mbiri Bwiti Fang Ceremony and Elomba Rituals
On this last trip to Gabon, I had the immense fortune to penetrate the cultural heart of the country. To be honest, I had not managed to do so on previous trips to this country. Of course thanks to the people I met along the way during these 3 weeks of travel. These Bwiti ceremonies are private and it is not always easy to get access to them or to be invited.
Of all the cultural marathon that I have lived without respite on this trip, I think that without a doubt I have been totally impressed by what I experienced on the last Saturday of my trip to Gabon. If I had to choose the Bwiti that had the greatest impact on me, it would probably be the Mbiri Fang and the Alomba ceremony.
I believe that the Alomba is one of the most culturally impressive experiences to be had on the African continent. Not only for its visual impact, but also for its level of symbolism and ceremonial development. It is an overwhelming mise-en-scène. It is clear that these levels can only be reached through iboga and many generations. The Elumba Fang is possibly the most expensive ceremony performed in Gabon.
The Nima, great spiritual masters, invest large sums of money in each of these ceremonies where the open bar of all kinds of top brand drinks, the banquets of food (before and after the ceremony) and of course the iboga run without moderation to bring out the spirits. And what costumes!
This was an important vigil to ‘cleanse’ a particular neighbourhood. Eight different spirits were summoned and appeared in a trance well into the early hours of the morning. Each spirit is different and the hierarchy and seniority is marked by the number of ‘Pokis’ (dreadlocks) of the spirits. The more pokis and the longer and thicker the dreadlocks, the more senior the spirit is.
Travel to Gabon with Kumakonda
On our trips to Gabon we combine nature with traditional culture. If you are interested in visiting this country and want to see some of the many things Gabon has to offer, we recommend the following article about one of the best natural places in Africa: the Ivindo National Park.
You can also write to us at info@kumakonda.com
