Dahomey Amazons Warriors

In the former Kingdom of Dahomey, now Benin, an army of warriors defies all stereotypes about women. Stronger and more valiant than men, they stop at nothing. Neither the enemy nor death. They are called the Mino, the colonists give them the name of Amazons. Educated in combat, they devote their entire lives to the defense of the king and his kingdom. No question, therefore, of getting pregnant or having intimate relationships. They make vows of virginity. Once trained, they are divided according to their specialties: there are riflewomen, archers, mowers, - known for their "gigantic razor", artillerywomen, and finally huntresses, elite commandos whose members are selected from among the best killers. On duty every other day, the warriors undergo a very hard daily physical training. Able to withstand pain, they excel in the handling of weapons: "While a Dahomean soldier takes an average of 50 seconds to reload his rifle after firing, an 'Amazon' completes the operation in thirty seconds", reports the explorer J. Foa. #amazon #benin #warrior