Dance of the women warriors, Abomey, Benin

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Object Details

Photographer

Elisofon, Eliot

Collection Photographer

Elisofon, Eliot

Collection Citation

Eliot Elisofon Field Collection, EEPA 1973-001, Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution

Scope and Contents

The photograph depicts women performing a dance using swords as props. The dance recalls the existence in the eighteenth century of Amazons as a fighting force in Dahomey's foreign wars as well as a royal bodyguard. During his trip to Dahomey (now Benin), Elisofon visited the royal palace at the town of Abomey, in the Fon people region. This photograph was taken when Eliot Elisofon was on assignment for Westinghouse Film and traveled to Africa from October 26, 1970 to end of March 1971.

sova.eepa.1973-001_ref29292

GUID

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/xo79ea39eb1-95ee-4b5f-9d86-b8c4e14a7ee5

Local Numbers

EENG-VIII-38, 10A.

General

Title source: Index card based on photographer's notes.

Local Note

Typed index card reads, "F 2 Fon. Fon. Dahomey, Abomey. Dance of the women warriors at the King's palace. Feb.-Mar. 1971. EE. neg.no. VIII-38, 10A." The card was written in 1977-79 by Archives staff using source provided by photographer.

Place

Africa

Benin

Topic

Dance

Rites and ceremonies -- Africa

Photographer

Elisofon, Eliot

Culture

Fon (African people)

See more items in

Eliot Elisofon Field collection

Eliot Elisofon Field collection / Benin

Extent

1 Negatives (photographic) (b&w, 35mm.)

Date

1971

Archival Repository

Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, National Museum of African Art

Identifier

EEPA.1973-001, Item EEPA EENG 02209

Type

Archival materials

Negatives (photographic)

Black-and-white negatives

Negatives

Collection Rights

Permission to reproduce images from the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives must be obtained in advance. Where noted, some images remain under the copyright of Life/Shutterstock. The collection is subject to all copyright laws.

Genre/Form

Black-and-white negatives

Negatives

Collection Restrictions

Use of original records requires an appointment. Contact Archives staff for more details.

EEPA.1973-001_ref29292

Large EAD

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/xo79ea39eb1-95ee-4b5f-9d86-b8c4e14a7ee5

EEPA.1973-001

EEPA

Record ID

ebl-1536870822481-1536871012475-1

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