On May 13, Finnish Minister of Science and Culture Mari-Leena Talvitie officially handed over a ceremonial royal stool, known as a katakle, to Beninese Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts Jean-Michel Abimbola. The handover took place during a ceremony at the Palace of the Marina in Cotonou, marking a milestone in the restitution of Benin's cultural heritage.
"This piece takes the relationship between our two countries to a new level," Talvitie said. The katakle, a three-legged royal stool dating back to the Kingdom of Dahomey, holds cultural significance. Traditionally used during coronation ceremonies, it symbolizes power, unity, and stability.
The katakle was looted in 1892 from the royal palace of the Kingdom of Dahomey, now modern-day Benin, by French colonial forces led by General Alfred-Amédée Dodds. Along with 26 other artefacts, it was taken during a period of intense colonial expansion. While most of these items were transferred to French institutions, the katakle was separated from the collection and ended up in Finland's National Museum. In 1939, it was acquired as part of an exchange involving nearly sixty pieces from Africa, Asia, and Oceania.
Abimbola expressed deep appreciation for the return of the artefact. "It may seem small, but it carries a powerful symbolic weight," he stated, according to News China. "This is the epilogue, and we are now looking ahead to other areas of restitution, return, and circulation." He emphasized the Beninese government's commitment to the "dynamic of reappropriation, safeguarding, and dissemination of cultural heritage," as noted by 20 Minutos.
The katakle is the twenty-seventh and final piece pending restitution from the royal treasure of Abomey. Its return signifies the culmination of Benin's efforts to recover artefacts looted during the colonial era. The royal treasure is intrinsically linked to the ancient Kingdom of Dahomey, which rose in the 17th century and was renowned for its army of women soldiers, as highlighted by 20 Minutos.
In 2018, France announced it would return 26 works looted from Benin, fulfilling the promise in November 2021 at the request of the Beninese government. The restitution ceremony for these artefacts took place at the presidential palace in Cotonou and was met with applause and admiration from representatives of both nations.
The katakle's journey back to Benin was the result of meticulous research. According to 20 Minutos, the stool was never exhibited at the National Museum of Finland and was rediscovered years later thanks to the efforts of an art historian and a curator at the institution.
Officials from both countries hailed the return of the katakle. "This dynamic is based, among other things, on the enrichment of national collections of interest for the museum and heritage program," Abimbola added, as per 20 Minutos. He also indicated that Benin is looking to strengthen cultural, economic, and scientific cooperation with Finland following the restitution.
According to Reuters, the Finnish National Museum described the katakle as a ceremonial portable throne symbolizing stability and power. The museum added that while the katakle was an important piece, the king had a larger throne.
The article was written with the assistance of a news analysis system.