Thousands of royal artifacts from the Kingdom of Dahomey were pilfered during 19th century French colonialism in Western Africa and put on display in Paris. In November 2021, 26 of these royal treasures were selected for repatriation to their country of origin, the Republic of Benin. Weaving together the voices of museum workers, Beninese university students, and one of the repatriated statues himself, director Mati Diop (Atlantics) skillfully considers the meaning of restitution and reparation in the post-colonial age.
The 1PM screening of Dahomey on Sunday, December 8 will be followed by a guest lecture from Daniel W. Eck, the Director of the University of Missouri's Museum of Art and Archaeology. His lecture will discuss trends in international repatriation of artwork and cultural items.