Fon

Origins of the Fon

Dahomey was a well-organized kingdom that coalesced in the 16th century, during which time it was established as a monarchy by King Tacoodonu, who conquered Abomey in the early part of the 17th century. Historical accounts tell us of the King of the Fon who gained control of Abomey and took the throne by killing Da, the king of Abomey. He murdered Da by slicing his stomach open and burying him in the foundation of his new palace. Hence, he named his new kingdom Dahomey, which literally translates as “Da's belly.”

Tacoodonu was followed by a succession of male monarchs who expanded the territory of Dahomey that eventually led to the coast. The Fon eventually extended their kingdom from the interior to the coast by conquering Allada and creating a direct trade route. In 1738, the Yoruba of the Oyo Kingdom captured Abomey and enforced a tribute on its King. The King of the Fon developed diplomatic relationships with the Ashanti, and in 1827, the Fon monarch was freed from its tribute to Oyo. The last ruler of the Damomean dynasty was Glele, who is well described in European history book as a fair humanitarian.

The King of Dahomey maintained strict control over trade in his kingdom and was meticulous about information that was revealed to foreigners. European visitors that entered Dahomey were treated as prisoners until given a pass to return to Whydah by the king. Europeans relayed accounts of some of the Fon's customs that were often exaggerated. The kingdom of Dahomey was well organized and boasted of a huge population. It was composed of smaller city-states that varied only in slight differences of speech and names of deities.

Dahomey geographically consisted of Abomey and its immediate surrounding area, with Abomey as the capital. It was in Allada that monarchy dynasties were passed down and where the Fon's royalty was crowned. Whydah served as the port city of Dahomey and was a major entity in the trade route that was established into the interior of the region. European contact came at the end of the 17th century, and Dahomey was finally conquered by the French in 1892 during the time when the rest of Africa was being attacked by European powers established during the Berlin Conference of the late 19th century.

Fon Cosmology

Like Fon society, the Fon universe is extremely organized. The universe is informed by four different cosmological elements, which manifest themselves in a hierarchical manner that is reflective of the overlap that exists in social and religious life of Fon society. Vodu is the term that is all encompassing of the four elements of Fon spirituality: worship of public gods, worship of personal or private gods, ancestral reverence, and gbo (magic or charms). The word originated with the original inhabitants of Abomey.

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