African Kings: Portraits of a Disappearing Era
From 1988 to 1991, Laine photographed 70 African monarchs "whose dynasties marked the history of Africa until the middle of the twentieth century." With hundreds of monarchs to choose from, Laine focused on those who continued to "retain a traditional and spiritual authority that is difficult for the Western mind to comprehend." Laine recalls the difficulties of getting permission for the photographs, the sensitive diplomatic negotiations involved in many cases. A war in Sudan prevented Laine from photographing the king of Shiluk, a descendant of black dynasties that ruled Egypt. Others, including the king of Swaziland, declined to be photographed. With each striking photograph, Laine provides a brief biography and historical notes about the tribe and its rituals. Among those photographed are Chukumela Nnam Obi II, the Oba of Ogba, Nigeria; El Hadj Sheehu Idris, emir of Zaria, Nigeria; and Goodwill Zwelethini, king of the Zulu, South Africa. The book includes historical background by Pierre Alexandre on the origins and significance of African kingdoms.Vanessa BushCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved