travel_explore History of the Fon
The Fon before Dahomey
Before the kingdom of Dahomey was founded in 1625, who were the Fon? Where did they come from? Here is the early history of the Fon people, from the Aja migrations to the first chiefdoms.
The Aja, common ancestors
The Fon descend from the Aja (or Adja) people, originally from present-day Togo. Their ancestral capital is Tado.
The kingdom of Allada (15th-17th centuries)
Before Dahomey, the kingdom of Allada (in the south, near Ouidah) dominated the region. It was from there that the founders of the future Dahomey set out.
Vodun, the ancestral religion
Long before the kingdoms, the Aja-Fon already practiced Vodun. Their deities (Mawu, Sakpata, Heviesso, Dangbé) are shared with the neighboring Aja, Ewe and Yoruba peoples.
Key takeaway
Dahomey did not create Fon identity — it gave it a political structure. The linguistic, religious and cultural roots are much older (at least 1,000 years).
A long lineage
Before the kings of Abomey, there was Allada. Before Allada, there was Tado. The Fon are the outcome of a long history of migrating Aja peoples.
Fon culture is understood in the Fon language.
Proverbs, Vodun, the history of Danxomɛ: all of it is said first in Fon. 79 video lessons with a native speaker, from the first greeting to conversation — so you can listen to this culture without having it translated for you.
One free trial lesson when you sign up.
- The Fon video course: see the program — 79 lessons with a native speaker from Cotonou, taught in French
- What is your Fon level? — the free 15-question test