The Dendi and the Songhai descended from the ancient kingdom of Za, whose presence has been recorded since the eighth century between the towns of Kukiya and Gao in modern Mali.
They converted the people to Islam, which was then mixed with their indigenous religion (based on the belief of the holy rivers, soil and hunting).
[citation needed] The houses of many Dendis can be characterized by rectangular forms and mud fabrication, as well as corrugated tin roofs.
Among Dendi nobles the first male child born in a marriage is urged to marry the daughter of his paternal uncle, to maintain the purity of the line of the father.
[1] In Benin they grow rice, cowpeas, groundnuts, cassava, carrots, tomatoes, peppers, cabbage, millet and several types of squash.
In Benin, the women are dedicated to fruit production, tending gardens with mango, guava, citrus, papayas, bananas and dates and meal preparation.
The Dendi community features multiple Islamic sects including Ibadhi, Ahmadi, Alevi, Yazidi, Druze and Khariji.
The main Dendi religious ceremonies are the "genji bi hori" (a festival celebrated to deliver offerings to the "black spirits" that control the plague) and yenaandi (rain dance).