#king of dahomey

[postcard-from-the-past]

Béhanzin, former King of Dahomey, modern-day Republic of Benin with his wives in exile in Algeria

French vintage postcard

[jbk405]

Today I was talking to a friend about the MCU, and she said that Wakanda Forever was not up to the level of Black Panther. Hardly a minority opinion. But then she said that the Dora Milaje film was also much better than WF.

At first I couldn't think of what she meant, because there hasn't been a standalone DM film. Until I realized she meant The Woman King, the historical drama based on the Agojie and the Kingdom of Dahomey.

I think this is the second time I've seen this exact same mistake. Where somebody thinks The Woman King is an MCU prequel about the history of the DM and Wakanda.

The Dora Milaje are indeed partially-inspired by the real-life Agojie, but The Woman King film never tries to imply any connection. The fact that this same mistake has happened twice...

[adhdnojutsu]

Aspiring Agojie Nawi & Fumbe from The Woman King. Historical inaccuracies and artistic license notwithstanding, I liked this movie a lot.

[melaninpov]

The Agojie | Dahomey Amazons

in The Woman King

[witekspicsoldpostcards2]

DAHOME / DAHOMEY / DAHOMEJ -> AFRICA => fantasy post card.

[mokhosz]

[lightdancer1]

Focusing on the Oyo Empire first in West Africa for specific reasons:

Out of the various African states in West Africa and the Sahel to receive more specific focuses, the Oyo Empire comes first for very specific reasons. Not least that it was the established power in the land when Usman Al Fodio built the Fulani Jihad to undermine it out of anger and envy that a proudly and defiantly infidel state had greater power than the Muslim majority around it. Second, that in contrast to the events of The Woman King in actual history it was Dahomey Amazons raiding their fellow pagans in Oyo for the slave trade rather than the other way around.

And of course in the other aspect because Yoruba people, of whom this was their major state, are a key component in the various religions of Voudoun, Santeria, and Candomble and their historical-cultural traditions are key to the African diaspora. Yoruba, Igbo, and Ashanti were among the groups most ravaged by the trade, and for this history 'rewarded' them by making the victims the villains with a straight face.

[ruleof3bobby]

THE WOMAN KING (2022) Grade: C+

Did not need to be 2 hours. 130-140 minutes would've been a sweet spot. Dragged. Good action scenes that were hurt by the overall pace of the film. Felt like it didn't know whether to tell an epic drama or 300 with women.

[genelvavirtualstudio-blog]

Ciné : The Woman King ou les Guerrières du Dahomey [Bande Annonce]

Synopsis : Les Guerrières du Dahomey se déroule dans les années 1800, dans le royaume africain du Dahomey. Le film raconte l’histoire d’un groupe de guerrières courageuses et intrépides qui se battent pour protéger leur royaume contre une nouvelle menace. Menées par le général Nanisca, ces femmes possèdent des compétences et une férocité sans précédent dans le monde. Bande Annonce – The Woman…

[psychotrenny]

Was reading a paper about the socio-political significance of decapitation in the Kingdom of Dahomey when I got a reminder of just how comically obsessed with phrenology 19th century Europeans were. Basically, John Duncan was a Scotsman and former soldier who traveled through West Africa several times in the 1840s, meeting King Gezo of Dahomey himself in 1845. Now the Dahomeans were known for their custom of taking skulls from defeated enemies and keeping them in the royal palace, so during this visit

Duncan asked King Gezo to show him 'a few skulls of natives of the different countries he had conquered' to assist his phrenological researches.

Just straight out like "Cool skulls bro mind if I measure them for racism reasons?". Actually beyond parody

[mes-popcorns]

The French-Senegalese filmmaker Mati Diop has been described as “African film royalty.” Her mother was born in Paris, and worked as a photographer—and once as a Sahara guide—before pursuing a career in advertising as an art director. Her father is a guitarist and composer who emigrated from Dakar to Paris; his jazz-rock fusion band helped to establish the city’s world-music scene. And, if that wasn’t enough, her uncle is the legendary Senegalese filmmaker Djibril Diop Mambéty—who earned a permanent place in the pantheon of world cinema with “Touki Bouki.”

At first, Diop wanted to become a singer-songwriter, training her voice on Aaliyah songs and learning bass in emulation of Meshell Ndegeocello. But by 18 she was thinking about becoming a director. One source of inspiration was a scene of Gena Rowlands dancing in John Cassavetes’s “A Woman Under the Influence,” which showed her how camerawork could expand a performer’s range of self-expression. “I was moved by the space that was made for that woman to be,” Diop told Julian Lucas.

With her début feature, “Atlantics”—a gothic romance, a political fable about labor and migration, and an homage to Dakar, Senegal—Diop won international renown. But she passed on big-budget Hollywood projects (including “The Woman King”) before making her latest film, a fantastical documentary about art restitution. “Dahomey,” which chronicles the repatriation of 26 royal treasures from France’s Musée du Quai Branly to Benin, has reignited a moribund international debate about art restitution and transformed Diop into a French media fixture. “I wanted to make a film that would restore our desire for ourselves,” she said. Read Lucas’s profile of the filmmaker: https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/Vx_yXq

[yesornopolls]

[theglowsociety]

Movies About Black Women in History 🎥

If you’re looking for inspiring films that highlight the achievements, struggles, and resilience of Black women throughout history, here are some must-watch movies:

1. Hidden Figures (2016)

Who It’s About: Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson—three Black women mathematicians at NASA who played a crucial role in the U.S. space race.

Why Watch: It sheds light on their groundbreaking contributions to space exploration while navigating racism and sexism in the 1960s.

2. Harriet (2019)

Who It’s About: Harriet Tubman, the legendary abolitionist and conductor of the Underground Railroad.

Why Watch: The film showcases her bravery in leading enslaved people to freedom and her later work as a Union spy during the Civil War.

3. The Color Purple (1985 & 2023)

Who It’s About: Celie, a Black woman in the early 20th century South, and her journey of self-discovery and empowerment.

Why Watch: Based on Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, it’s a powerful story of resilience, sisterhood, and overcoming oppression.

4. Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker (2020, Netflix Limited Series)

Who It’s About: Madam C.J. Walker, the first self-made Black female millionaire in the U.S.

Why Watch: This series dives into how she built a beauty empire despite racism, sexism, and personal struggles.

5. The Woman King (2022)

Who It’s About: The Agojie, an all-female warrior unit in the Kingdom of Dahomey, led by General Nanisca.

Why Watch: Though it’s a fictionalized retelling, it’s inspired by real African female warriors and their fight against colonial forces.

6. Respect (2021)

Who It’s About: Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul.

Why Watch: The biopic explores her rise to fame, activism, and impact on music history.

7. Queen of Katwe (2016)

Who It’s About: Phiona Mutesi, a young Ugandan chess prodigy.

Why Watch: It’s a heartwarming story of how she used chess to change her life and inspire others.

8. Bessie (2015, HBO)

Who It’s About: Bessie Smith, the Empress of the Blues.

Why Watch: The film follows her rise to fame in the 1920s, highlighting her struggles and triumphs in a segregated America.

9. Clemency (2019)

Who It’s About: A fictionalized but realistic portrayal of a Black female prison warden dealing with the morality of the death penalty.

Why Watch: It’s a thought-provoking film that explores systemic injustice and emotional turmoil in the criminal justice system.

10. Miss Juneteenth (2020)

Who It’s About: A former beauty queen preparing her daughter for a prestigious Juneteenth pageant.

Why Watch: It’s a touching exploration of Black motherhood, tradition, and resilience.

These films celebrate the strength, intelligence, and impact of Black women throughout history. Which ones have you seen or want to watch next?

[thelegendofdiaperhorse]

OH YOU'RE A MORNING PERSON??? I'M THE KING OF DAHOMEY. I AM SELLING YOU TO A BARBADIAN SUGARCANE MOGUL TO ADD ANOTHER GEM TO MY BEAUTIFUL MOON THRONE.

[sassynsweet179]

The Dahomey Amazons were a military unit of female warriors who fought in the Kingdom of Dahomey from the 17th to 19th centuries. They were also known as the Agojie, Minos, or Ahosi.

Known for:

Fearlessness: The Amazons were known for their bravery in battle, whether fighting neighboring tribes or European forces.

Combat prowess: They were known for their effectiveness in combat and were often deployed on the front lines.

Protecting the king: They also served as bodyguards and palace guards.

Organization:

Each regiment had specific roles and weapons, such as archers, riflewomen, and reapers.

They were structured in parallel with the army, with a center wing of bodyguards flanked by separate wings.

Some accounts note that each male soldier had a female warrior counterpart.

Legacy:

The Dahomey Amazons inspired the Dora Milaje in Marvel's Black Panther stories.

They were also the focus of the 2022 film The Woman King, which featured a fictionalized account of a Dahomey warrior general.

[mokhosz]