The kataklè is a three-legged royal chair from Dahomey, a kingdom located within present-day Benin that existed from 1600 until 1904.
It was discovered to be at the National Museum of Finland, the Kansallismuseo, thanks to a lengthy investigation by art historian Marie-Cécile Zinsou, of the Zinsou foundation, one of the museum’s curators, Pilvi Vainonen – and RFI journalist Pierre Firtion.
The kataklè was returned to Benin by Finland, with Finnish minister of culture Mari-Leena Talvitie handing it over to the Beninese authorities during a ceremony at the Marina Palace, the presidential residence in Cotonou, Benin.
RFI’s Firtion was in Cotonou in November 2021 covering the restitution of the 26 royal objects, when a source whispered to him: “There aren’t 26, but 27 treasures.”
“This return marks a new milestone in Benin’s ongoing efforts to recover its iconic cultural heritage held abroad. It also reflects the shared commitment of Beninese and Finnish institutions to advance cultural cooperation through dialogue and mutual respect,” reports the Ecofin agency.
