African Procession
UNESCO placed the ancient kingdom of Danhome, in modern-day Benin, on the World Heritage List in 1985 Danhome is famous for its many historical and significant palaces. Abomey, the current capital of Benin, has the Royal Palaces of Abomey with a collection of traditional houses that were inhabited by the Kings of Danhome from 1600 to 1900. This area is rich with traditions and skilled cultural craftsmanship that illustrate a long-lasting history in the kingdom. This cast bronze sculpture, similar to the sculpture called ‘The Royal Procession’ in the UNESCO collection from 1991, shows a group of celebrants cheerfully dancing for their chief by his warriors.
In 2019, the French President, Emmanuel Macron, pledged to return many Benin art items seized by the French military in 1894. Much of the Abomey museum was burned in a series of fires in the mid-2000s, and Benin has secured a 20 million Euro loan from the French Development Agency in support of the SDGs to create a new museum. Included in the measures for the museum is a learning program at the School for African Heritage to train more than a dozen culturally active students. The Benin Heritage Agency specialist said, more than museum curation, ""There is a whole chain of trades, from skilled technicians and craftsmen."" The students will contribute to both the regional cultural value and the new Abomey museum.