Spirit of Africa

African Kings

"Mahamat Bahar Marouf, Sultan of Logone Birni, Superior Chief " (2013) by Alfred WeidingerAfro Brasil Emanoel Araujo Museum

Alfred Weidinger

The exhibition "Spirit of Africa - African Kings", by Austrian photographer Alfred Weidinger, brings contemporary portraits of kings and chiefs from all over African continent and offers a dialogue with works from the collection of Afro Brazil Museum. The photographs were taken in the years 2012 and 2013

Lobual Longurakori, Old man of Clã Jie (2013) by Alfred WeidingerAfro Brasil Emanoel Araujo Museum

Fon Abumbi II, King of Bafut (2013) by Alfred WeidingerAfro Brasil Emanoel Araujo Museum

"Emir Ajhaji Muhammadu Barkindo Aliyu Musdafa, Lamido of Adamawa" (2013) by Alfred WeidingerAfro Brasil Emanoel Araujo Museum

There are many discovered kingdoms in Portuguese expansion through Atlantic islands and African continent. With a political, social and religious structure, these supreme sovereigns negotiated and exchanged correspondence with Portuguese kings and even got baptized to receive not only the Christian blessing, but also the protection of Their Majesties.

Togbe Okpekpewuokpe Dagadu VIII, Supreme Chief of Akipni (2013) by Alfred WeidingerAfro Brasil Emanoel Araujo Museum

Oba Egba Kotan II, King of Dassa (2013) by Alfred WeidingerAfro Brasil Emanoel Araujo Museum

African slave trade was a hard blow to many, many ethnic groups, a great business for kings, and, from this perspective, there were deep connections between large allied families with the reigning sovereign.

Fon Ndofoa Zofoa III, King of Babungo (2012) by Alfred WeidingerAfro Brasil Emanoel Araujo Museum

Kings, shows off their recades, jewelry, adornments and carpets.

Fo Sikam Happi , King of Bana (2013) by Alfred WeidingerAfro Brasil Emanoel Araujo Museum

Ahosu Agoli-Agbo Dé djalagni King of Abomey (2013) by Alfred WeidingerAfro Brasil Emanoel Araujo Museum

Kan Iya, King of Gan (2012) by Alfred WeidingerAfro Brasil Emanoel Araujo Museum

Remarkable of Fo from Bamendjou (2013) by Alfred WeidingerAfro Brasil Emanoel Araujo Museum

African Nobility differs in essence from the West, with the apparatus of succession chains, different titles of nobility and their court gossip. In Africa, however, there are still the principles of obedience, fear and serve the king - and even die with him.

Nana Kwasi Asampong II, Regent of Apesorkubi and Okyeame Mfodwo (2013) by Alfred WeidingerAfro Brasil Emanoel Araujo Museum

Nji Monluh Seidou Pokam, King of Bangangte (2012) by Alfred WeidingerAfro Brasil Emanoel Araujo Museum

El Hadi Isse Tize, Lamido de Mogode, King of Kapsiki (2012) by Alfred WeidingerAfro Brasil Emanoel Araujo Museum

Sultan El Hadj Issiton Kpeitori Koda VI (2013) by Alfred WeidingerAfro Brasil Emanoel Araujo Museum

The king hung over his subjects, with social and political power of life and death; many were buried alive.

Alhaji Ali Saleh, Sultan of Makari (2012) by Alfred WeidingerAfro Brasil Emanoel Araujo Museum

"Bissagou Mamadou, Lamido de Mokong, and Remarkables" (2013) by Alfred WeidingerAfro Brasil Emanoel Araujo Museum

Monarchs survive without political power, but with the force of tradition.

"Oba Ala yé luwa Agbò la wolu- Owé Aladé-Ifé - King of Keto" (2013) by Alfred WeidingerAfro Brasil Emanoel Araujo Museum

Okakple Nana Letsabi II, Supreme Chief of Santrokofi (2012) by Alfred WeidingerAfro Brasil Emanoel Araujo Museum

Bakary Yerima Bouba Alioum, Lamido of Maroua (2012) by Alfred WeidingerAfro Brasil Emanoel Araujo Museum

Gbesso Adjiwatonou Allodji II, Zanmènou Houndé, King of Abomey-Calavi (2013) by Alfred WeidingerAfro Brasil Emanoel Araujo Museum

They had the power and relied on the loyalty of his army, often made up of women warriors called Amazons.

They were always protected from sunlight by huge umbrellas with the King's insignia.

Achuka Lokochil Paul, Old man of Clã Jie (2013) by Alfred WeidingerAfro Brasil Emanoel Araujo Museum

Fon Ndofoa Zofoa III, King of Babungo (2013) by Alfred WeidingerAfro Brasil Emanoel Araujo Museum

Credits: Story

Espírito da África – os Reis Africanos fotografias de Alfred Weidinger

Exposição Museu Afro Brasil

Curadoria: Emanoel Araujo
Texto: Emanoel Araujo
Fotografias: Alfred Weidinger
Exposição Google Cultural Institute: Salvador Corrêa Carriel
Tradução: Rita Boccardo

MUSEU AFRO BRASIL
GOVERNO DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO
GERALDO ALCKMIN
Governador do Estado de São Paulo

MARCELO MATTOS ARAÚJO
Secretário da Cultura

RENATA VIEIRA DA MOTTA
Coordenadora da Unidade de Preservação do Patrimônio Museológico
ASSOCIAÇÃO MUSEU AFRO BRASIL
MUSEU AFRO BRASIL
EMANOEL ARAUJO
Diretor Curatorial e Executivo

FERNANDO ANTONIO FRANCO MONTORO
Diretor Administrativo-Financeiro

ANA LUCIA LOPES
Coordenadora de Planejamento Curatorial

MARIA DE FÁTIMA PADUA DA CRUZ
Secretária da Diretoria Curatorial

ESTELA MARIA OLIMPIO
Secretária das Diretorias Executiva e Administrativo-Financeira

ROSELI BATISTA LEAL
Tecnica de Produção de Eventos

SANDRA MARA SALLES
Coordenadora de Difusão

NATALIA TERUMI MORIYAMA
Coordenadora de Desenvolvimento Institucional
GABRIEL JONATHAN DE SOUZA CRUZ
SALVADOR CORREA CARRIEL
Assistentes de Comunicação

ROBERTO KUNIHIKO OKINAKA
Museógrafo
RENATO ARAUJO DA SILVA
TIAGO GUALBERTO MORAIS
Pesquisadores

FÁTIMA FARIA GOMES
Coordenadora de Salvaguarda

BEATRIZ YOSHITO
Assistente de Coordenação

RENATO FELIX PEREIRA
Conservador Sênior

ANDREA ANDIRA LEITE
Documentalista

GUILHERME LOPES VIEIRA
Técnico em Documentação Museológica

JULIA FRANCO VICENTE
SAMUEL BALSALOBRE ATHIAS
Técnicos de Conservação

CLÁUDIO ROBERTO NAKAI
Coordenador Editorial

MAKAYA MAYUMA BEDEL
Assistente Editorial

NEIDE APARECIDA DE ALMEIDA
Coordenadora de Educação

DALTON DELFINI MAZIERO
Técnico em Documentação

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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