Ever heard of a place called Ganvie? No? Read on . . .

I amazes me that I continually find fascinating things on the worldwide interweb that I had no idea existed. The latest? An incredibly interesting place called Ganvie . . .

In the 17th century, powerful Fon warriors in West Africa used to capture neighboring Tofinu warriors and either kill them or sell them into slavery. One day, a member of the Tofinu tribe came up with an ingenious idea to defeat the Fon without bloodshed. The Fon tribe believed that a demon lived in nearby Lake Nokoue, and this fear stopped them from attacking anyone who lived in the water. So, the Tofinu moved into the huge lagoon, building an entire village of huts on stilts. As long as they lived in the water, they were safe.

Over time, the lake settlement grew into the self-sustaining town of Ganvie. The town has approximately 30,000 inhabitants who still live in stilted huts there today. They row canoes to visit each other, even their next-door neighbors. There’s no longer a threat of slavery, and the residents go to the church, bank, post office, market, and hospital, all on the lake. Visitors can even stay at a hotel there.

See? I told you it was amazing.