2.5. DETOUR: GROWTH, AUTHORITY, VIOLENCE

 

DAHOMEY CONQUESTS GIVE IT DIRECT WITH WHITE TRADERS AND ITS INCOME GROWS  

An evolution that we will find habitual follows.  

The coast of West Africa in 1736 / zoom

 Kingdom of Dahomey in 1793 / zoom

Adrah and Whydah, conquered in 1724 and 1727

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People everywhere venerate a Great Spirit, envisaged in various ways. In this part of West Africa pythons were its symbols and rulers of the coastal kingdoms drew their power from them. 

 

Coronation at  Juida  [Whydah] in April 1723 by Jacob van der Schley / zoom 

Zoom

The equivalent of a church. 

Zoom

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The conquerors replaced the servants with ancestors. As humans they were more powerful, and kings were their descendants. Drawings for Whydah in 1851:

Zoom (ask permission to use)

A procession shows the king's wealth. 

Zoom

L'apotheosis: the death of 10 captives, to serve the ancestors.

Zoom

Notice the ships

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The Industrial Revolution industrielle increased the demande for palm oil,* and the Dahomeyan king founded huge plantations. But palm trees grow everywhere, and he could not monopolize the oil's production or sale, or dominate independent producers. 

* For soap and greasing machines, among other uses, as for peanut oil in Senegal. 

So in 1853 the king decapitates 300 captives instead of selling them to those producers.

    Human sacrifice in Dahomey in 1863, "Le Tour du Monde"

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Suite,

2.6.

Ways whose logic escapes us