public History of the Fon
The triangular trade and Dahomey
From the 17th to the 19th century, Dahomey took an active part in the triangular trade. Here is this complex history seen from Ouidah, Abomey and the Fon people.
3 continents, 3 routes
The triangular trade linked:
The kingdom as a player
The kingdom of Dahomey did not passively endure the slave trade — it profited from it. The kings (Agadja, Tegbessou, Ghezo) captured enemy prisoners and sold them to Europeans in Ouidah.
The port and the “Slave Route”
In Ouidah, enslaved people walked the “Slave Route” (4 km) to the Door of No Return. They walked around theTree of Forgetfulness before boarding.
Memory
Today, the Memorial of Remembrance on Ouidah beach honors the 1 million enslaved people shipped from Dahomey. This past is both painful and a building block of modern Beninese identity.
A history to carry
Dahomey was both a victim and a player in the triangular trade. Understanding this complexity means better grasping world history and Benin’s living memory.
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