The Story Behind Dahomey Warriors for Ulvade
by Nicole Moore-Abeyta LCSW
When I thought about standing up for life and transformation I immediately thought about protection. Most importantly protecting children. I spent almost 10 years in DPS developing, implementing, and evaluating mental health programs for marginalized teens in alternative high school settings. Everyday I was there to serve and protect. Constantly protecting the mental state of our youth, fighting for art and music in the curriculum, and many times microaggressions from employees and community organizations. It was hard yet rewarding work.
I always thought about having a protective force of Dahomey female warriors defending the perimeter of each school. With the almost constant school shootings and most recently all the precious life lost in Uvalde, Texas. I thought about how first responders needed female warriors to intervene and protect, to be without fear and willing to die on the principal in which they were sworn during initiation rights. My idea to use protective symbolism, the pictures of victims, Dahomey warriors, battle drums, and cowrie shells was directly tied to the idea of first protecting life we wish to "transform" though safe places for arts and education. I chose black, white, clear coat acrylic paint replicating mud cloth from Mali one of my ancestral lands, cowrie shells, and collage with paper.
