African Kings: Portraits of a Disappearing Era

by Daniel Laine

Even today there are close to 100 tribal kings in Africa, vestiges of a former age—their ancient traditions preserved, their wisdom and power still honored. A portal into these worlds of mysterious rites, ancient customs, and fantastic finery, AFRICAN KINGS takes us into the inner circle of 70 of these tribes in the person of their king. Gorgeous formal portraits of each king, in full regalia, are accompanied by brief biographies and historical notes on the tribe and the rituals and history associated with each ruler. AFRICAN KINGS introduces us to a way of life rarely glimpsed, with anthropological roots as deep as any on the earth, as they make the transition into a new millennium. Includes a historical introduction that provides an overview of the king's role in African tribes.

Genres: History, Africa, Nonfiction, Photography

160 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2000

Reviews

[Petra X · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phenomenal book that photographs 70 of the extant kings of Africa in ceremonial robes but familiar surroundings. Some of these kings are very powerful rulers with palaces, courts and many retainers. Others are photographed in generally exotic and regal robes but rather poor homes with dirty shutters and a sole retainer in rags but who still retain a spiritual power over their people. The book includes a woman king who is not allowed to marry men and so has wives and a white high-noble: the only white man in Africa carried on a bier in a procession.

The story of the white man is quite interesting. He was a Cambridge graduate out in Kenya who did not want to leave after Independence. Some years later the king decided that a white man would be the best person to decide inter-tribal disputes and appointed him. It has apparently now become a trend among tribal chiefs and kings to create a high-status position for a white man to settle disputes as they might be African but they will not be tribal.

Fascinating book from every angle - photographic, social and as a portrait of a part of modern Africa that people are not aware of.

Now if it only included recipes...

[Wendelle]

Fascinating photobook on a little-known cultural phenomenon in Africa: the extant existence of many African kings, some of whom rule only a few villages in districts that neighbor each other, most of whom retain their power and fascination from religious beliefs that imbue them with the capacity to wield life and death over their nations and to tie their welfare with their people's fated welfare and prosperity.

[Liralen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of photographs of kings across Africa. Really interesting to see the differences between them -- some of them are so obviously influenced by Europeans in their regalia, while others are more traditional; some clearly display tremendous wealth, while others show little in the way of material advantage.

The text is a mix of brief biography of the individual kings -- and a lone South African queen, who is not permitted to marry a man but has multiple wives -- and brief history of other kings who came before them. Although I would have loved more text (more about what everyday life looks like for them; more about the duties of the individual kings), the focus is, rightly, on the photographs.

The books was published in the early 90s -- I'd be very curious to know how much has changed since then.