"Wives of the Leopard" explores power and culture in a pre-colonial West African state whose army of women and practice of human sacrifice earned it notoriety in the racist imagination of late nineteenth-century Europe and America. Tracing two hundred years of the history of Dahomey up to the French colonial conquest in 1894, the book follows change in two central institutions. One was the monarchy, the coalitions of men and women who seized and wielded power in the name of the king. The second was the palace, a household of several thousand wives of the king who supported and managed state functions.

Looking at Dahomey against the backdrop of the Atlantic slave trade and the growth of European imperialism, Edan G. Bay reaches for a distinctly Dahomean perspective as she weaves together evidence drawn from travelers' memoirs and local oral accounts, from the religious practices of vodun, and from ethnographic studies of the twentieth century. Wives of the Leopard thoroughly integrates gender into the political analysis of state systems, effectively creating a social history of power. More broadly, it argues that women as a whole and men of the lower classes were gradually squeezed out of access to power as economic resources contracted with the decline of the slave trade in the nineteenth century. In these and other ways, the book provides an accessible portrait of Dahomey's complex and fascinating culture without exoticizing it.

Wives of the Leopard: Gender, Politics, and Culture in the Kingdom of Dahomey

Idia of the Benin Kingdom: An empowering book for girls ages 4-8 (Our Ancestories)

This collection of Edo (or Benin) folk tales is an oral history of Edo culture and tradition. It tells the story of how the ancient Edo conceived of the world and how they attempted both to explain the origins of their human existence on earth and to interpret their environment.

Dawn to Dusk: Folktales from Benin

History is rife with tales of fighting women. More often than not, these stories prove more legend than history. Dating back to the amazons of ancient Asia Minor, myths of fierce, autonomous women of martial excellence abound.

And yet, the only thoroughly documented amazons in world history are the women warriors of Dahomy, an eighteenth- and nineteenth-century Western African kingdom. Once dubbed a "small black Sparta," residents of Dahomy shared with the Spartans an intense militarism and sense of collectivism. Moreover, the women of both kingdoms prided themselves on bodies hardened from childhood by rigorous physical exercise. But Spartan women kept in shape to breed male warriors, Dahomean amazons to kill them. Originally a praetorian guard, the Dahomeans developed into a force 6,000 strong and were granted semi-sacred status. They lusted for battle, fighting with fury and valor until the kingdom's final defeat by France in 1892.

Stanley B. Alpern has chronicled this remarkable history in depth for the first time. The product of meticulous archival research, "Amazons of Black Sparta" is defined by Alpern's gift for narrative and will stand as the most comprehensive and accessible account of the woman warriors of Dahomy.

Amazons of Black Sparta: The Women Warriors of Dahomey

The 16th century bronze plaques from the kingdom of Benin are among the most recognized masterpieces of African art, and yet many details of their commission and installation in the palace in Benin City, Nigeria, are little understood. "The Benin Plaques, A 16th Century Imperial Monument" is a detailed analysis of a corpus of nearly 850 bronze plaques that were installed in the court of the Benin kingdom at the moment of its greatest political power and geographic reach. By examining European accounts, Benin oral histories, and the physical evidence of the extant plaques, Gunsch is the first to propose an installation pattern for the series.

The Benin Plaques: A 16th Century Imperial Monument

The ancient empire of Benin was one of Africa's greatest at the height of its powers. Stretching across vast areas of present-day Nigeria/West Africa, Benin is world-renowned for its priceless bronze sculptures and other beautiful artwork. The kingdom suffered irreparable loss at the hands of colonial British forces in the late 19th century and never quite regained its glory. This is the story of how they resisted bravely against impossible odds.

The Great Benin Empire (Nigeria Heritage Children's Series Book 4)

With wry humour and a deft touch, Butterfly Fish, the outstanding first novel by a stunning new writer, is a work of elegant and captivating storytelling. A dual narrative set in contemporary London and 18th century Benin in Africa, the book traverses the realms of magic realism with luminous style and graceful, effortless prose.

Butterfly Fish

Enchanted tales from Mercedes Lackey, who puts her own enchanting spin on our favorite fairy stories, in the first three Tales of the Five Hundred Kingdoms - a realm where bucking Tradition could, and usually does, to very messy results.

THE FAIRY GODMOTHER With no Prince to rescue her, this Cinderella has to get a new job. In Elena's case, Fairy Godmother. Sadly, Tradition says Fairy Godmother's can't take lovers, so Elena mus deal with princes who try to rise above their place. And there's one in particular who's making a proper ass of himself.....

ONE GOOD KNIGHT The virgin sacrifice for a fierce maruading dragon, Princess Andromeda intends to break Tradition and defeat the beast on her own - but it doesn't turn out quite that way. Enter Sir George, a most unexpected and unusual Knight...with whom she'll forge a different path for the story to take.

FORTUNE'S FOOL A daughter of the Sea King, Katya is spying on a strangely quiet kingdom when a more urgent mission comes up. An evil Jinn is abducting maidens, and when Katya is taken, too, she finds herself in over her head. Now the only things she can count on - besides her native wit and courage - are a Fortunate Fool and an origami bird!

Once Upon a Tale (Tales of the Five Hundred Kingdoms, Omnibus 1)

In 1897, Britain responded to the killing of a group of officials by razing an empire to the ground. The men had been travelling to the ancient Kingdom of Benin, in what is now Nigeria, when they were ambushed and killed by local soldiers. Just six weeks later, the British had exacted their revenge, set Benin aflame, exiled the king and annexed the territory. They also made off with some of Africa’s greatest works of art.

This is the story of the ‘Benin Bronzes’, their creation, removal, and what should happen to them now. When first exhibited in London they caused a sensation and helped reshape European attitudes towards Africa, challenging the prevailing view of the continent as ‘backward’ and without culture. But seeing them in the British Museum today is, in the words of one Benin City artist, like ‘visiting relatives behind bars’. In a time of fevered debate about the legacies of empire, loot, museums and history, what does the future hold for the Bronzes themselves?

Loot: Britain and the Benin Bronzes

A Richard Mariner Adventure - Benin Light, the lighthouse marker for the bay that will lead to Granville Harbour, wild and inaccessible on the western coast of Africa, is a welcome sight for Richard and Robin Mariner. Until someone opens fire on them. The couple are shocked to see Sergeant Voroshilov, a Russian Militia man who left Robin lucky to be alive after their last encounter. And when armed guards arrive at their hotel to arrest Richard, trouble really begins . . .

Benin Light (Richard Mariner, #19)

Accelerated Reader is a program based on the fact that students become more motivated to read if they are tested on the content of the books they have read and are rewarded for correct answers. Students read each book, individually take the test on the computer, and receive gratification when they score well. Schools using the Accelerated Reader program have seen a significant increase in reading among their students.Fifty-six newly released titles that provide a fascinating portrait of the many peoples that inhabit Africa. These books have natural curriculum tie-ins with multiculturalism, geography, and social studies.

Edo: The Bini People of the Benin Kingdom

A gorgeously illustrated collection of twelve fairy tales by the author of "The Hazel Wood" and "The Night Country"!

Journey into the Hinterland, a brutal and beautiful world where a young woman spends a night with Death, brides are wed to a mysterious house in the trees, and an enchantress is killed twice―and still lives.

“Lush and deliciously sinister fairytales to be consumed as greedily as Turkish delight or any fairy fruit. I loved these.” ―Kelly Link, author of "Get in Trouble"

“This inventive, enchanting collection reads like the fairy tales of old, hushed stories passed woman to woman, before the Grimms came and wiped away all the blood.” ―Laura Ruby, author of "Thirteen Doorways, Wolves Behind Them All"

“The writing is as spare and precise as poetry, connected to the darker, edgier elements of fairy-tale conventions. Albert’s rich and tightly focused collection forms the core of the mythology created in her novels, and her fans will be thrilled at this further glimpse into that world.” ―"Booklist, starred review "

“Stories fueled by feminist rage, the frustration of being unnderestimated, and the insatiable longing to experience more mark this collection as timely and universal.” ―"SLJ"

Tales From the Hinterland (The Hazel Wood, #2.5)

Excerpt from Dahomey as It Is: Being a Narrative of Eight Months' Residence in That Country

Dahomey, however, I was unable to follow up my design, but was condemned to be the recipient of savage honours and to sit an unwilling spectator of the notorious Annual Customs of the country; my feelings being grievously harassed by the thought that I had discovered one of the richest localities in Western Africa, while the polite imprisonment, as it were, to which I was subjected, entirely precluded my making any collection save the meagre one to be obtained in the spacious courtyards of my residence.

Dahomey as It Is: Being a Narrative of Eight Months' Residence in That Country (Classic Reprint)

Just out of college seeking the adventure of his life and an opportunity to do good, Chris Starace joined the Peace Corps and was sent to Benin, West Africa for two years from 1995 to 1997. The challenge was great, and he was pushed to the limit in adapting to a starkly different culture while living on a meager $6 a day. He made many discoveries about himself, as well as an exotic land. Delving into the culture and creating strong relationships with the people led him to appreciate numerous aspects of Benin, while many outsiders are unable to see past its shortcomings. "To Benin and Back" recounts a variety of unique experiences from an insider's perspective such as living in a remote village, exploring the regional market, harrowing bush taxi rides, odd encounters with Voodoo, having a strange illness diagnosed by a very imaginative traditional healer, being stuck in a sandstorm in the Sahara desert, and humorous anecdotes about adapting to the Beninese culture, insects, snakes, domestic animals and children. When he returned to the United States, he was forced to reevaluate his own culture while dealing with severe reverse culture shock. Traveling back to Benin seven years later allowed him relive, reexamine and assess his long-term contribution.

To Benin and Back: Short Stories, Essays, and Reflections about Life in Benin as a Peace Corps Volunteer and the Subsequent Readjustment Process.

The history of the former Kingdom of Benin is a fascinating subject which aroused the interest of many scholars during more than one hundred years. However, today, when Africa unfortunately attracts much less public and professional interest than in the times of de-colonisation and subsequent cold war - struggle for the continent between the socialist and capitalist blocs, only a few specialists outside Nigeria are undertaking Benin researches and, therefore, the authors felt the need to make a new attempt for writing a history of this remarkable kingdom, including newest results of researches. Besides the general public, the book is destined for graduate and undergraduate students, as well as lecturers on African studies. To make easier reading for the general public, the book contains some elements of what may be called - popular history. Contents: Popular-scientific description of the history of the former Kingdom of Benin (in today's Nigeria) - Including personal experiences.

A Popular History of Benin: The Rise and Fall of a Mighty Forest Kingdom

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

The Benin Massacre

This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the original. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work.

Benin: The City of Blood (1897)

Paul Hazoume was a staunch supporter of French colonialism. This novel, set in Dahomey in the first half of the 19th century, depicts a pattern of war, slave trade and human sacrifice - practices that earned Dahomey a reputation for brutality.

Doguicimi: The First Dahomean Novel (1937)

Royal Art of Benin: The Perls Collection in the Metropolitan Museum of Art

"Benos-Amos opens for the reader richly detailed adn nuanced vistas into the intellectual and cultural history of one of the major kingdoms of precolonial West Africa." -- African Studies Review

"The wealth of historiographic resources, the command of relevant literature, the ethnographic research and prudent use of oral traditions give this work a high degree of... intellectual excitement.... a landmark in the field." --Warren d'Azevedo

Making use of archival and oral resources in this extensively researched book, Paula Girshick Ben-Amos questions to what extent art operates as political strategy. How do objects acquire political meaning? How does the use of art enhance and embody power and authority?

Benin

Wives of the Leopard: Gender, Politics, and Culture in the Kingdom of Dahomey

Edna G. Bay

Idia of the Benin Kingdom: An empowering book for girls ages 4-8 (Our Ancestories)

Ekiuwa Aire

Dawn to Dusk: Folktales from Benin

Iro Eweka

Amazons of Black Sparta: The Women Warriors of Dahomey

Stanley B. Alpern

The Benin Plaques: A 16th Century Imperial Monument

Kathryn Wysocki Gunsch

The Great Benin Empire (Nigeria Heritage Children's Series Book 4)

John Adoga

Butterfly Fish

Irenosen Okojie

Once Upon a Tale (Tales of the Five Hundred Kingdoms, Omnibus 1)

Mercedes Lackey

Loot: Britain and the Benin Bronzes

Barnaby Phillips

Benin Light (Richard Mariner, #19)

Peter Tonkin

Edo: The Bini People of the Benin Kingdom

Chukwuma Azuonye

Tales From the Hinterland (The Hazel Wood, #2.5)

Melissa Albert

Dahomey as It Is: Being a Narrative of Eight Months' Residence in That Country (Classic Reprint)

J A Skertchly

To Benin and Back: Short Stories, Essays, and Reflections about Life in Benin as a Peace Corps Volunteer and the Subsequent Readjustment Process.

Chris Starace

A Popular History of Benin: The Rise and Fall of a Mighty Forest Kingdom

Peter M. Roese

The Benin Massacre

Alan Maxwell Boisragon

Benin: The City of Blood (1897)

Reginald Hugh Spencer Bacon

Doguicimi: The First Dahomean Novel (1937)

Paul Hazoume

Royal Art of Benin: The Perls Collection in the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Kate Ezra

Art, Innovation, and Politics in Eighteenth-Century Benin

Paula Ben-Amos