University of Pennsylvania ScholarlyCommons Department of Near Eastern Languages and Departmental Papers (NELC) Civilizations (NELC) 1997 Review of Heather Millar, The Kingdom of Benin in West Africa Dan Ben-Amos University of Pennsylvania, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://repository.upenn.edu/nelc_papers Part of the African History Commons, African Languages and Societies Commons, African Studies Commons, Anthropology Commons, Cultural History Commons, and the Near and Middle Eastern Studies Commons Recommended Citation (OVERRIDE) Ben-Amos, D. (1997). Review of Heather Millar, The Kingdom of Benin in West Africa. African Arts, 30(4), pp. 12-14, 88, 95-96. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/3337548 This paper is posted at ScholarlyCommons. http://repository.upenn.edu/nelc_papers/116 For more information, please contact [email protected]. Review of Heather Millar, The Kingdom of Benin in West Africa Abstract Clio smiles, then weeps. A hundred years after its destruction, the empire of Benin enters the hall of fame of civilizations. Standing alongside old standards like Greece and Rome that have constituted the canon at least since the Renaissance, and next to some newcomers like the ancient Maya, the Aztec empire, China's Tang Dynasty, and India's Gupta Dynasty that have been ushered in by the spirit of multiculturalism, Benin—so far the sole representative of the African continent in the series "Cultures of the Past"— takes its position on the educational shelf that could shape the historical consciousness of future generations. Other West African kingdoms like Oyo, Dahomey, and Asante could have represented Africa in the global canon of political and cultural history (Forde & Kaberry 1967), but Benin, triumphant in her 1897 defeat, offers a more poignant testimony to the horrors of colonialism and a more striking monument to its demolition. Disciplines African History | African Languages and Societies | African Studies | Anthropology | Cultural History | Near and Middle Eastern Studies This review is available at ScholarlyCommons: http://repository.upenn.edu/nelc_papers/116 UCLA FOWLER MUSEUM OF CULTURAL HISTORY UCLA FOWLER MUSEUM OF CULTURAL HISTORY announces the publication of announces the publication of ISN'T S/HE A DOLL? PLAY AND RITUAL IN AFRICAN SCULPTURE (ROWNI N ACHIEVEMENTS This publication explores African dolls-from those made for children to play with to those used in ritual to promote fertility- AFRICAN ARTS OF DRESSING THE HEAD and the meaningful, powerful roles they play in everyday life. Essays by Elisabeth L. Cameron by Mary Jo Arnoldi and Christine Mullen Kreamer and Doran H. Ross "play" with Contributors also include: Elisabeth L. Cameron, Patricia Darish, ideas about dolls, expanding our David A. Binkley, Michael Oladejo Afolayan, and Betty Wass. American notions of dolls as Spectacular hats for special events and informal daily simply playthings. The catalog section presents dolls made from headwear adorn the human head, traditionally held by wood, clay, beads, gourds, wax, African cultures to be the seat of individual power, spirit .:~,~ : :~':, tar, or plastic. This variety of and intelligence. Crowning Achievements explores the dolls is used to promote fertility, cultural history and lore of African headwear and its vital mark coming-of-age initiations, role in reinforcing societal norms, announcing impor- symbolize marriages, and tant rituals, recalling historical events, and celebrating represent the dead, in addition an individual's achievement. Notions of status and ac- :~:~ ; to serving as playthings. cumulation in the Lega and Kuba societies are compared; 8.5"x11': 124 pages, 160 illustrations (137 in transatlantic connections between Africa and the Americas color). One map. Bibliography. Index. 1996. are also explored. Twelve pincipal hats are examined in depth. Softbound: $24.00* Ordering 1 copy, shipping within the 93/6" 10 /4", 192 pages, 225 illustrations, 143 in color. Bibliography. Hardbound: * $45 0* U.S.: add $4 (softcover), $6 (hardcover). $45.0" *CA residents add 8.25% sales tax. Softbound: $29.00 (+ $4.00 shipping/handling* = $33.00), Ordering 1 copy, shipping outside the Hardbound: $50.00 (+ $6.00 shipping/handling* = $56.00). UCLA U.S.: add $8 (softcover), $12 (hardcover), allow 10 weeks for delivery. For shipping on multiple copies, or for quantity FOWLER - ' . ' ' ' ' ' , , . A - *~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ .- * discounts, contact the Museum: phone (310)825-9672 MUSEUM or fax (310) 206-7007. Make checks or money orders OF 441 -1 1 V I I' * - I,I SI payable (in SU.S.) to: U.C. Regents. Mail orders to: UCLA CULTURAL Fowler Museum of Cultural History, Box 951549, Los Om, - eGArn-.miir _ [aIl HISTORY Angeles CA 90095-1549 USA. R 13_T 3 w testimony to the horrors of colonialism and a generations. Literature for children and adoles- more striking monument to its demolition. cents-textbooks in particular-could set new The victors who conquered Benin a hun- historical and literary horizons for the future. b o o k S dred years ago first spread its fame by trading Far from being marginal, it forges the idea of in its cultural goods. This has been the looter's history, delineates its boundaries, and selects way for ages. When the Romans destroyed the the facts, figures, and peoples that make up the THE KINGDOM OF BENIN Temple in Jerusalem in A.D. 70, they paraded traditional heritage upon which the students of IN WEST AFRICA its seven-branched candlestick, the table of today will build up their cognitive world. It re- Heather Millar shewbread, and its trumpets and censers in identifies the centers and peripheries of politi- the streets of Rome, and then commemorated cal actions and cultural creativity and redefines Cultures of the Past. Marshall Cavendish, Tarry- their loot on the Arch of Titus, erected in A.D. the relationships between them. town, NY, 1997. 80 pp., 44 color photos, glossary, 81. None of the original objects are extant. The reshuffling of historical narratives that bibliography, index. $19.95 hardcover. About 1,800 years later, at the end of the nine- has engaged scholars in recent years and has Reviewed by Dan Ben-Amos teenth century, the British soldiers who ran- brought about the incorporation of the pasts of sacked Benin behaved less ceremonially but African, Native American, and Pacific peoples, Clio smiles, then weeps. A hundred years after with greater commercial acumen. Essentially to name but a few of the neglected populations, its destruction, the empire of Benin enters the they followed the same route, spreading the into the scope of global history, is finally filter- hall of fame of civilizations. Standing along- artworks throughout the major anthropologi- ing into high-school textbooks. It aims to shift side old standards like Greece and Rome that cal museums of the world, thereby placing the the focus from a West-centric to a universal per- have constituted the canon at least since the bronzecasters of Igun Street among world- ception of life on earth, and to articulate the his- Renaissance, and next to some newcomers like renowned artists. The enigmatic beauty of the tories of peoples whom the world forgot. the ancient Maya, the Aztec empire, China's Benin ivory hip-mask made by the artists of The present small and glossy volume could Tang Dynasty, and India's Gupta Dynasty thatthe Igbesanmwan guild has become as well have then fulfilled an important educational have been ushered in by the spirit of multicul- known as that of the Mona Lisa, and now it is function. Its general design aims at telling the turalism, Benin-so far the sole representative a symbol of African artistic attainments as well history of Benin from its mythical origins, of the African continent in the series "Cultures as a monument to their ravishment. through its days of glory, fall, and adjustment of the Past"-takes its position on the educa- The present book evidences the recognition to the current world order. Heather Millar tional shelf that could shape the historical con- of Benin as a major past power and a cultural divides her book into five chapters: "History," sciousness of future generations. Other West center within its region, establishing its position "Cultural History," "Belief System," "Belief and African kingdoms like Oyo, Dahomey, and in the canon of civilizations. Its appearance in Society," and finally "The Legacy of Benin." At Asante could have represented Africa in the an educational series designed for, and one first she unfolds the grand course of Benin his- global canon of political and cultural history hopes adopted by, middle and high schools in tory, telling about its political "Golden Age" (Forde & Kaberry 1967), but Benin, triumph- the English-speaking world could potentially and its tragic end at the mighty hand of British ing in her 1897 defeat, offers a more poignant affect the historical consciousness of the coming colonialism. Next she describes the art of brass 1212 african arts autumn african arts -autumn1997 1997 This content downloaded from 165.123.108.206 on Wed, 30 Aug 2017 15:00:54 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms I~~ ~ iL i 4_n: iKS^^^CiyCTff'I^sTfff ffiffJ^it^^2u^13 u t.s Ms L1 iL ai u "1 ji . 1 1i F_ and ivory that has made Benin famous, articu- errors that accumulate into a pattern of negli- lating some of its symbolic meanings and its gence. No doubt, some are due to a writing 04s4Ata 1Adde w%fi ^4 place in Edo social structure, rituals, and belief. style aimed at an adolescent readership, while 9.?. JxS- 1768 a4t4&wfr4 y'440o Millar devotes the third chapter to religion. She others reflect an attitude of exotic admiration Aew %o4 Jia %od 1 0027 e describes the personal guardian, Ehi, and dis- that is appropriate to the National Geographic. (212) 28S-405 / 28-4252 cusses the spiritual importance of the head and Some stem from innocent ignorance.