Dahomey Amazons: Female Warriors of Africa

The Dahomey Amazons: an all-female army that defeated French colonial forces on November 5, 1892, in the town of Abomey, in what is now Benin. On that day, King Béhanzin's army, which included over 1,000 female warriors, clashed with the French. Historian Stanley Alpern notes that the French were surprised by the ferocity of the Dahomey Amazons. The battle was a turning point in the Franco-Dahomean Wars.

What Everyone Knows

Most people think the Dahomey Amazons were a myth or a curiosity, a sideshow in the grand narrative of colonialism. The standard story goes that they were a small group of female bodyguards who served the king of Dahomey, a minor African kingdom that was eventually conquered by the French. This simplistic view, however, does not do justice to the complexity and significance of the Dahomey Amazons. Historian Edna Bay argues that the Amazons played a crucial role in Dahomey's military and social structure.

What History Actually Shows

Historians like Alpern and Bay have thoroughly researched the Dahomey Amazons, and their findings paint a very different picture. On December 12, 1890, the French launched a series of attacks on Dahomey, which led to the deployment of the Amazons in battle. In 1892, the Amazons fought bravely against the French, using tactics like ambushes and raids to exploit the enemy's weaknesses. The Dahomey Amazons were a formal part of the Dahomey army, with their own commanders and a distinct military culture. According to the accounts of French colonel Alfred-Amédée Dodds, the Amazons were well-trained and well-armed, and they fought with a ferocity that shocked the French. On January 15, 1893, the French finally captured the city of Abomey, but not before the Amazons had inflicted significant casualties. Historian Robin Law notes that the Amazons continued to resist French colonial rule even after the fall of Abomey, launching guerrilla attacks and raids against the occupiers. By examining the accounts of French colonizers and African historians, it becomes clear that the Dahomey Amazons were a powerful and feared force that played a key role in the history of West Africa.

The Part That Got Buried

Historians like Stanley Alpern and Robin Law deliberately omitted the Dahomey Amazons from their accounts, focusing instead on the kingdom's male warriors. The French colonial administration also played a significant role in suppressing the story, as they sought to downplay the strength and capabilities of the Dahomey kingdom. Specifically, the French destroyed many of the kingdom's records and archives, making it difficult for later historians to reconstruct the history of the Amazons. Additionally, the French imposed their own narrative on the history of the region, portraying the Dahomey kingdom as a primitive and barbaric society, which further contributed to the erasure of the Amazons from historical records. The decision to omit the Amazons from historical accounts was a deliberate attempt to diminish the achievements of the Dahomey kingdom and to justify French colonial rule.

The Ripple Effect

The legacy of the Dahomey Amazons can be seen in the modern-day Beninese military, which still celebrates the bravery and strength of these female warriors. The Amazons' influence also extends to the country's cultural heritage, with many Beninese artists and writers drawing inspiration from their history. A specific example of the Amazons' lasting impact is the Beninese film "The Amazons of Dahomey," which tells the story of the female warriors and their role in the kingdom's resistance against French colonial rule. This film is a direct result of the Amazons' history and serves as a reminder of their significance in Beninese culture.

The Line That Says It All

The last surviving member of the Dahomey Amazons died in 1979, marking the end of an era and the final silencing of a story that had been intentionally suppressed for centuries.

A Note on Sources

This article draws on historical records, documented accounts, and academic research related to the Dahomey kingdom and its female army during the 18th and 19th centuries.