The Real-life Dora Milaje: Dahomey's Female Warriors

So, there was this kingdom called Dahomey, which was founded by the Fon tribe in what's now known as Benin, West Africa. They had this super cool tradition of having female soldiers ready to throw down anytime. This all started when the third king, Houegbadja, established a female elephant hunting squad called the Gbetos.

After King Houegbadja died, his son, Akaba, was too young to rule, so his sister, Hangbe, took over. During her time in charge, she set up this all-female military unit. The ladies themselves called it Ahosi, which means 'king's wives', and the male soldiers called it Mino, meaning 'our mothers'.

By the 19th century, under King Ghezo, this unit of female soldiers got even bigger and stronger. They were a big deal and even had a say in who the next king would be. Girls as young as eight were recruited, from all walks of life, some volunteers and some slaves. They were trained hard, like having to get through thorny bush barricades.

These badass ladies also worked in all sorts of roles like security guards, soldiers, spies, political advisors, and lawmakers. For example, they supported the Dahomey Kingdom selling palm oil to England.

This was all possible because the Fon tribe was all about equality. Married women were expected not just to help their husbands, but to earn their own living. Even in the royal court, the Queen Mother, who held the title Kpojito (Leopard Mother), had a say in the kingdom's decisions along with the king.

The female corps of Dahomey were so cool that they even inspired the elite corps in the Black Panther movie, the Dora Milaje.