Voodoo-Altar in Abomey, Benin.Credit: Dominik Schwarz
Posted on 06/22/2024 9:48:47 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
King Ghezo ruled Dahomey from 1818 to 1858, a period marked by military conquests and the transformation of the region's economy, heavily reliant on the slave trade. The kingdom of Dahomey, with its capital at Abomey, was a dominant power in West Africa, known for its aggressive raids on neighboring regions to capture slaves. These captives were either traded for European goods, forced to work on royal plantations, or sacrificed in elaborate voodoo ceremonies.
Local legends claim that several structures within the palace complex in Abomey, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, were constructed using a mortar that included the blood of 41 sacrificial victims—41 being a sacred number in voodoo. The palace's funerary huts, built to honor Ghezo's father, Adandozan, are particularly significant. It was rumored that these huts were constructed using a mixture of red oil, lustral water, and human blood...
The study highlights that the Dahomey kings were considered "God-kings," with a belief system that viewed death as a transition rather than an end. Voodoo rituals aimed to create a metaphysical barrier between the human world and the spiritual realm, using blood, prayers, and sacred water to imbue buildings with protective and consecrated energy.
One unexpected finding was the presence of wheat proteins in the mortar. Wheat was not grown in sub-Saharan Africa during Ghezo's reign, suggesting a cultural exchange between Dahomey and France.
(Excerpt) Read more at archaeologymag.com ...
Voodoo-Altar in Abomey, Benin.Credit: Dominik Schwarz
Pretty creepy.
People of color and underserved communities of color hardest hit.
This band was local/regional prog, I saw them at Silver Dollar Saloon in E Lansing in the mid- or late-70s. They'll probably deny it, but the name for the band comes from a line in a Yes song.
If it says, marked private try backing out and going back in. Worked for me.Archaeology | 6:34
Straight Light | 100 subscribers | 801 views | June 6, 2022
African equivalent of the Aztecs.
King Ghetto of Da Homeys.
After learning more about how the slave trade worked I see that every slave sent overseas had their lives literally saved.
Not being sold and sent to the New World meant sacrifice. Or an even worse death as a slave there or in Arab lands.
Ancestors of US blacks were saved from certain death by being sent here as slaves.
Ironic or maybe even another word fits. Not sure which one.
Uh, no.
Uh no?
Explain.
The slave trade was not benign in intention or effects. Many slaves died in transport in slave ships under miserable conditions.
Right back at ya.
The descendants of slaves didn’t go through it, and do not deserve so-called reparations. Also, they would never have been born. But slavery was and is an abomination.
Other than being swept up in the slave trade, what were their choices? I think we now know, at least when it comes to the subjects of this “Dahomey” empire.
“The descendants of slaves didn’t go through it...Also, they would never have been born. But slavery was and is an abomination.”
My son back in high school did a paper on slavery. The lucky ones made it to America. In 1808 no new slaves could be imported into America. Even before that, the slaves in America fared much better than those in the Caribbean. Most of those died within a year or two of working the cane fields. I forget what the average life span of a slave in the states was, but much higher.
Of course part of the goal was for them to have children who would also be slaves as no outside sources were allowed.
Uh, no.
“ The slave trade was not benign in intention or effects. Many slaves died in transport in slave ships under miserable conditions.”
Of course.
This does not contradict my observation.
All (as opposed to many) not sold and shipped out died under miserable conditions.
“ The descendants of slaves didn’t go through it, and do not deserve so-called reparations. Also, they would never have been born. But slavery was and is an abomination.”
How does your post respond to my observation?
Why are you bringing up reparations?
That they’d never have even been born because their ancestors would have been murdered if they hadn’t been sold overseas is what I said, yes. But you responded “uh, no.”
Yes, slavery is an abomination.
[Right back at ya.
The descendants of slaves didn’t go through it, and do not deserve so-called reparations. Also, they would never have been born. But slavery was and is an abomination.]
Oh boy, I suppose we’ll be on the hook for reparations for this bunch now, also!
“I’m glad my ancestors got on that ship”! ~~~Muhammad Ali after visiting Africa.
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