By. Nadia Johnson
Women's History Month Spotlight: The Dahomey Amazons
When one hears stories about the Amazons what picture comes to mind? Is it the image of the rain forest, the all female ancient Greece military unit or is it wonder woman? What if I were to tell you that the Amazons were not just mere legend or something out of a movie, but real. What if I were to tell you that not only did an all female military unit called the Amazons exist, but not in ancient Greece, but in Africa in the 17 -18th centuries. This is the untold and beautiful story of the Dahomey Amazons. The Dahomey Amazons where called that by the French because when they interacted with them through trade and later in war they reminded the men of the ancient Greek myth of the Amazons.
The Dahomey have come to light most recently with the new movie called the Women King. It marks the first time that African – Americans can both see and hear a story about an elite all female warrior unit in Africa.
The Dahomey Kingdom is currently the country of Benin located in West Africa. The origins of the Dahomey start with King Houegbadja who is said to have started the group as elephant hunters who were also referred to as Minos or gbeto. It was his daughter Queen Hangbe who repurposed the group into an all female bodyguard. This would all change under the leadership of King Ghezo. When the Dahomey kingdom was becoming more militaristic, King Ghezo decided to placed more importance on the army by changing it from a ceremonial unite to a more militaristic unite. He recruited both men and women captives and from free Dahomean women. Some would be enrolled into the elite all –female unit as young as eight years old. However, membership among the Mino was used to hone in on any aggressive traits, these females which belong to the Minos were not allowed to have a husband or children.
Even with the sacrifice of having a family life of their own, the Dahomey were given a freedom that few women in Africa had at that time; which was an active role in their government. This is because among the Dahomey culture seen both women and men were seen as equals, because of this belief system the Minos to be able to debate the policies of the kingdom and have a seat on the Grand Council.
Their military victories are legendary from as early as 1728 under the directions of King Agaja. The Dahomey conquered the kingdoms of Whydah and Popos. In 1840, they helped to capture the fortress of the Mahee at Attahapahms.
In the end, even they could not stem off the invasion that was taking hold of Africa, that was the slave trade. By the 1894, after two war against the French, the Dahomey Kingdom was conquered and their troops were disbanded. The French turned the nation into a protectorate.
Even though they fell under the rule of the French, the Dahomey are as important today as they were back in the 17- 18th centuries. Their story shows us that there were brilliant and beautiful kingdoms that had an all – female elite military group that fought to both expand and protect their kingdom. Their story also that the identified men and women being seen as equals. The Dahomey kingdom shows us the complexities, beauty, and military view of Africa during this time, in which most African – Americans and people in general only equate this time period with the colonization of Africa. Their story is our story and it is something that we as people should be proud to both see and hear.
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