An aerial view of the stilt houses in Ganvie, Benin. In the 17th century, residents built this village within Lake Nokoué to protect themselves from the influence of the Fon ethnic group. The Fon had made a deal with the Portuguese to capture and sell people from other tribes into slavery.
However, the Fon warriors were forbidden from attacking a water-bound settlement. So Ganvie was settled in the middle of the lake for protection. No wonder Ganvie translates to "We Survived.