Finland Returns Sacred Royal Stool to Benin, Completing Historic Repatriation

On May 13, 2025, Finland officially returned a sacred three-legged royal stool, known as a kataklé, to Benin. This artifact, looted by French colonial forces in 1892 from the Kingdom of Dahomey, had been housed in Finland's National Museum since 1939.

The kataklé was the final piece among 27 royal treasures taken during the sacking of Abomey, the Dahomey capital. While France returned 26 items in 2021, the kataklé had been transferred to Finland through a museum exchange in the late 1930s.MarketScreener+10eNCA+10Ground News+10Xinhua News+3Reuters+3Yle.fi+3

During a restitution ceremony in Cotonou, Benin's Minister of Culture, Jean-Michel Abimbola, emphasized the stool's significance as a symbol of power, unity, and stability. Finnish Minister of Science and Culture, Mari-Leena Talvitie, highlighted the return as a testament to progressive cultural policy and the strong cooperation between the two nations.Ground News+3Xinhua News+3Reuters+3Yle.fi+4Reuters+4Ground News+4

The kataklé's repatriation marks a significant step in Benin's ongoing efforts to reclaim cultural artifacts taken during colonial times. The artifact will now be preserved and displayed in Benin, enriching the nation's cultural heritage and historical narrative.