Dahomey (Amazon Agojie Warriors & Culture)

Fascinating People Fascinating Places

Precisely 200 years ago, Prince Pedro declared independence for the Portuguese colony of Brazil. The first country in the world to officially acknowledge the vast nation’s independence was a tiny African Kingdom that had developed relations with the South American country over the prior 70 years. Dahomey, a Kingdom that once existed in what today we call Benin, made its mark in the history books of South America. But seven decades later, Dahomey disappeared from the maps having been swallowed up as part of the French Empire during the so-called scramble for Africa. While chasing new territory and resources, the European powers claimed that they were motivated by a desire to bring Christianity to the supposedly undeveloped continent. The Western visitors often described Dahomey in unflattering terms as a pagan nation where human sacrifice was practiced and where slavery (which had recently been outlawed in Europe) was central to the economy. It was also a land where an all-powerful monarch was kept in power with the support of 6,000 ferocious female Agojie warriors the Europeans dubbed “Amazons.”

The reality was much more nuanced. While horrific acts most certainly occurred in Dahomey, –western chroniclers were inclined to focus on the kingdom in isolation and failed to draw parallels with horrors happening elsewhere in the world. In this episode, I explore the story of Dahomey.

Expert Guest: Dr. Lynne Larsen (University of Arkansas)

Sound Effects: Pixabay